senatorial courtesy

American  

noun

1. the practice in the U.S. Senate of confirming only those presidential appointees approved by both senators from the state of the appointee, or by the senior senator of the president's party.

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Etymology

Origin of senatorial courtesy

An Americanism dating back to 1880–85

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

senatorial courtesy

Both say that Chairman Cash should have allowed them to exercise their senatorial courtesy to speak outside of public comment and reasonably exceed the two-minute limit.

From Salon ● Nov. 17, 2025

Biden was a longtime senator and still adheres to senatorial courtesy.

From Washington Post ● May 11, 2022

He also said he has declined to return his blue slip — a senatorial courtesy that gives home-state senators a chance to express acceptance of a nominee.

From Washington Times ● Oct. 10, 2018

The unwritten rule of senatorial courtesy plays an important part in this process.

From Textbooks ● Jan. 1, 2016

By all the rules of senatorial courtesy in those machine days, a member of the Cabinet from New York should have been a friend of its United States senator.

From My Memories of Eighty Years by Chauncey M. (Chauncey Mitchell) Depew

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