Tuesday, the Senate will start hearings to confirm Donald Trump’s top cabinet nominees. Ten of the 15 cabinet nominees are scheduled to testify in three days.

The Senate confirmation process is likely to be slowed down by delays in the receipt of FBI background checks, financial disclosures for nominees, and other necessary ethics paperwork.

The Republicans have hoped to confirm Mr. Trump’s nominees for national security on Inauguration day, but the vetting procedure has put that goal in doubt.

The Wyoming Republican Senate Majority Leader John Barrasso said, “We have to ensure that all the paperwork is in place, and the Office of Government Ethics receives the reports, because we can’t start the hearings without the paperwork.”

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He expects that the documents required to be heard will arrive in time.

This week, the Attorney General nominee, as well as potential Secretaries of Defense, Energy, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, State, Transportation, Treasury, and Veterans Affairs, will be hearings for cabinet confirmation.

The nominees of Mr. Trump for the director of the Central Intelligence Agency, administrator of Environmental Protection Agency and director of White House Office of Management and Budget are also scheduled to testify prior to Inauguration.

The confirmation hearings for secretaries of education, agriculture, commerce and health and human service have not yet been scheduled. Some of the nominees seem to be stuck in paperwork delays.

Democrats condemned some Republican-led committees for scheduling hearings without having received the necessary background information.

In floor remarks, Charles E. Schumer (Democrat from New York) said: “Americans must ask what Republicans are trying to hide by not allowing background checks on their nominees and refusing to provide full information about them.”

He called out Republicans in the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee who scheduled confirmation hearings without the consent of the minority party for Energy Secretary nominee Chris Wright and Interior secretary nominee Doug Burgum. He suggested that Republican committee chairmen are “resisting the traditional vetting process”.

Mike Lee, a Utah Republican senator and new chair of the Energy Committee, has said that he will have all the information he needs from the Office of Government Ethics in time for the scheduled hearings of his panel.

He said that he would reschedule the event “if it becomes necessary” despite his belief that it won’t be needed.

Democrats are also frustrated because they haven’t received any information regarding Pete Hegseth – the Defense Secretary nominee who will be testifying this week. He is the nominee that has been scrutinized most. His confirmation hearing will be held on Tuesday.

Richard Blumenthal (Democrat from Connecticut, member of the Armed Services Committee) told reporters the Trump transition is “stonewalling” and withholding important information.

Hegseth’s FBI report is of particular interest to lawmakers, even though background checks are required on all nominees. The choice of Mr. Trump to lead the Pentagon is accused of sexual abuse, excessive drinking at work functions and financial mismanagement by two veteran organizations he led. He denies the allegations.

“If the information is not disclosed in advance, we will be unable to ask him questions about it or get answers from him to issues raised by it. We may have to vote against him in good conscience if we do not have enough details,” said Mr. Blumenthal.

The Trump transition team responded to a query from The Washington Times by saying that there had been no delays.

Taylor Rogers, spokesperson for the transition, said that “Paperwork will be submitted quickly in order to ensure that the confirmation process runs smoothly and President Trump can implement his agenda as mandated by American citizens on the first day.”

John Thune (South Dakota Republican) said Thursday in remarks on the floor that he wanted to “keep a steady pace” of progress in processing Trump’s nominations.

He pointed out that 12 of Obama’s cabinet secretaries were confirmed by the Senate within 15 days after he took office in 2009.

He said that it took roughly three times as long for the Trump and Biden Administrations to confirm the same number.

Mr. Thune stated that he wants to return to Obama’s standard. This will require Democratic collaboration to quickly pass the nominees.

He said, “But we will be ready to move forward whether or not Democrats decide to cooperate.”

Democrats claim that their cooperation is dependent on receiving the necessary background information.

The issue is advice and consent,” said Ron Wyden of the Oregon Democratic Senate Finance Committee. The United States Senate should not be a doormat.

The Times asked Mr. Thune if the delays in background paperwork hindered his goal to move nominations as quickly and efficiently as possible.

He said, “We need paperwork for our committee chairs to do their jobs and for the committees themselves.” We’re doing all we can to speed up the process. It’s crucial that everything is ready, because we have a lot of hearings planned.”

When asked if any nominees will be ready for confirmation on Inauguration day, Mr. Thune replied, “That would nice.” We’ll see.”