House Speaker Mike Johnson said "there may be a function" to facilitate the use of recess appointments to speed up the confirmation of President-elect Trump's Cabinet nominees. Why it matters: The process of adjourning the Senate to allow Trump to install his picks without congressional approval would mean the chamber would shirk its advice-and-consent role for cabinet confirmations.

Trump's use of recess appointments would bypass the Senate confirmation process for some of the most powerful positions in U.S. government.

With President-elect Trump building his Cabinet, the idea of recess appointments has been floated, but what are they and how can they be used?