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

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

The blue-slip tradition is a vestige of senatorial courtesy, giving home-state senators a chance to weigh in on judicial nominees from their states.

From Washington Times ● May 7, 2018

The practice of senatorial courtesy gives great weight to the wishes of the senators from a State in which a federal judge is to serve.

From Textbooks ● Jan. 1, 2016

One is traditional senatorial courtesy, which has almost always meant a relatively smooth confirmation process for any current or former senator chosen for a Cabinet or ambassadorial post.

From Washington Post ● Jan. 16, 2013

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 Depew, Chauncey M. (Chauncey Mitchell)