How One Senator Can Stop a President’s Agenda :: Protecting the Constitution from Overreach

Pro forma sessions might just be one of the best things about the Senate. These brief, often symbolic meetings are a simple but effective way to keep the president in check. By staying technically in session, the Senate can block a president from making recess appointments or sneaking through actions without proper oversight. For someone like Trump, who has shown tendencies toward consolidating power, it’s a hard stop to his more authoritarian-style ambitions.

Historically, these sessions have been used by the Senate to push back against executive overreach. Whether it was Democrats using them to block Bush’s appointments or Republicans doing the same to Obama, it’s a tried-and-true tactic. It’s not just about appointments, either. They’ve also been used to stop pocket vetoes, forcing the president to either sign or outright veto legislation. The Supreme Court even backed up this practice in 2014, solidifying its place as a tool for maintaining the balance of power.

What’s even more striking is that it only takes one single senator to make this happen—after the Senate first agrees to hold pro forma sessions. The majority must approve the use of pro forma sessions, either through unanimous consent or a formal vote. Once agreed upon, it’s up to a single senator to preside over these brief, symbolic meetings, ensuring the Senate stays in session and denying the president the opportunity for recess appointments.

Trump has been pressuring the Senate to allow recess appointments, hoping to place controversial figures like Matt Gaetz and RFK Jr. into key positions without Senate approval. But this strategy faces resistance, and John Thune, the Senate Minority Leader, has signaled skepticism about its viability. Thune seems to recognize the procedural hurdles and political risks involved, including the likelihood that the Senate would remain in these pro forma sessions, effectively shutting down Trump’s hopes for a quick workaround.

In the end, pro forma sessions are a win for democracy. They’re proof that even when a president pushes for more power, there are systems in place to pull them back. For someone like Trump, who has shown a strong preference for bypassing traditional checks on power, these sessions—and even the actions of a single senator—send a clear message: the Senate isn’t going to roll over and let anyone bypass its authority. It’s a reassuring reminder that the Constitution still holds firm, even against someone leaning toward more authoritarian control.

For a deeper dive into how pro forma sessions are scheduled, what it takes to stop them, and the numbers involved in keeping them in place, check out our follow-up article, ”How Pro Forma Sessions Are Scheduled, Stopped, and Strategized“

Related Sources:

• Pro Forma Session – Political Dictionary
• Overview of Recess Appointments Clause – Article II, Section 2, Clause 3
• Pro Forma Session: A brief congressional session that extends a current session to avoid a formal recess.
• What Are Pro Forma Sessions in Congress?
• Recess Appointments: Frequently Asked Questions
• “What are recess appointments and how could Trump use them to fill his Cabinet?”, From the Associated Press
• “5 things to know: What are recess appointments? Trump wants them to bypass Senate approval”, from USA Today
• “Recess appointments eyed to speed up confirmation of Trump cabinet picks”, from the BBC