"It would be nice if we could clear up the nominations that are still out there, and there are a lot of them"

Tom Daschle is describing the numerous nominations that are still pending in the government. He is recommending that it would be advantageous to clean up these elections so that the government can move forward with its agenda. This quote suggests that there is a backlog of elections that require to be attended to, which it would be advantageous to clear them up in order to move on. It is most likely that Daschle is referring to the elections for federal government positions that have yet to be filled, and that it would be advantageous to fill these positions in order to make sure that the government is running efficiently. By clearing up the elections, the federal government can move on with its program and ensure that the nation is running smoothly.