FILE - In this Jan. 18, 2017 file photo, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator-designate, Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. Republicans voted Thursday, Feb. 2, 2017, to send to the full Senate the nomination of Pruitt to lead the EPA. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)
FILE - In this Jan. 18, 2017 file photo, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator-designate, Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. Republicans voted Thursday, Feb. 2, 2017, to send to the full Senate the nomination of Pruitt to lead the EPA. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File) Credit: J. Scott Applewhite

Washington — Republicans suspended Senate committee rules on Thursday to muscle President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency toward confirmation after Democrats boycotted a vote.

It was the latest sign of political hostilities on Capitol Hill as Senate Democrats used parliamentary procedure to delay votes on some of Trump’s Cabinet nominees and Republicans used their slim Senate majority to advance and approve them.

Also on Thursday, two Senate committees voted along party lines to send Trump’s nominee to lead the White House budget office, South Carolina GOP Rep. Mick Mulvaney, to the full Senate for a vote.

As the scheduled meeting to discuss EPA nominee Scott Pruitt was gaveled to order, the seats reserved for the 10 Democrats on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee were empty for the second consecutive day. Committee rules required that at least two members of the minority party be present for a vote to be held.

The 11 Republicans voted unanimously to temporarily suspend those rules and then voted again to advance the nomination of Pruitt, the state attorney general of Oklahoma.