Lamar Alexander

Lamar Alexander On Blocking Nominations: That's What Nominations Are For!

Brian Beutler | June 16, 2011, 5:45AM

Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN)

Presidential nominations: What are they good for? Absolutely nothing! Except being blocked in the Senate.

At least that's Sen. Lamar Alexander's (R-TN) understanding.

"That's what nominations are for," he quipped to reporters Wednesday after a Capitol briefing on GOP tax and regulatory proposals. "When I was nominated to be Education Secretary, Senator [Howard] Metzenbaum held me up for three months.

At the time he wasn't pleased, but since becoming a senator, his prerogatives have changed. Though he helped broker a modest truce between the parties over obstructive tactics at the beginning of the year, he still supports a senators right to use advise and consent powers to block nominations and extract policy concessions.

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Barack Obama

Obama To GOP: Confirm My Judges Already!

Brian Beutler | October 1, 2010, 9:16AM

President Barack Obama

Better late than never, but President Obama is finally pressing the Senate to confirm his long-stalled judicial nominees.

In a letter delivered yesterday to key Senators, Obama demanded an end to GOP obstructive tactics that are preventing dozens of non-controversial judges from being confirmed.

"I write to express my concern with the pace of judicial confirmations in the United States
Senate," Obama wrote. "Yesterday, the Senate recessed without confirming a single one of the 23 Federal judicial nominations pending on the Executive Calendar.... At this point in the prior Administration (107th Congress), the Senate had confirmed 61% of the President's judicial nominations. By contrast, the Senate has confirmed less than half of the judicial nominees it has received in my Administration. Nominees in the 107th Congress waited less than a month on the floor of the Senate before a vote on their confirmation. The men and women whom I have nominated who have been confirmed to the Courts of Appeals waited five times longer and those confirmed to the District Courts waited three times longer for final votes."

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2010 elections

Obama Gets Tougher On GOP's Blockage Of Unemployment Benefits

Christina Bellantoni | July 19, 2010, 6:00AM

President Barack Obama

President Obama this morning will suggest that Congressional Republicans are obstructionists and hypocrites, stepping up his criticism on an issue that's languished for weeks. In a statement to the press in the Rose Garden at 10:30 a.m., Obama will highlight the pending measure to extend unemployment insurance and say that Republicans are "denying millions of people who are out work and trying to find a job the needed relief."

A White House official told TPM that Obama also will say that Republicans want tax cuts for the wealthy but are filibustering this bill to help the unemployed. The official said Obama "will tell the stories of Americans in need of the extension and he will have strong words for Republicans who have previously supported unemployment extensions under Republican Presidents but refuse to offer relief to middle class families today."

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Nominees

Dawn Johnsen Withdrawing Nomination After Long Battle

Christina Bellantoni | April 9, 2010, 5:32PM

Nominee for Office of Legal Counsel Dawn Johnsen

Dawn Johnsen today has withdrawn her nomination to lead the Department of Justice's Office of Legal Counsel, following a more than year-long confirmation fight with Senate Republicans.

The White House said President Obama accepted Johnsen's withdrawal request today, adding a statement lauding her accomplishments as a "highly-respected constitutional scholar."

Johnsen, who was approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee last month (for a second time), made the announcement amid a news cycle when Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens announced he will retire. Senate Republicans challenged her because she took a strong position opposing torture practices during the Bush administration.

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Obstructionism

Sen. Burr Was The Objecter Who Forced Committee Hearings Off Schedule (VIDEO)

Christina Bellantoni | March 25, 2010, 11:04AM

Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC)

We told you yesterday about the latest slowdown in the Senate - a Republican senator using one of the Senate's little-known rules to object to holding committee hearings during certain hours. Turns out it was Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC), one of the chamber's most conservative lawmakers.

Burr took to the floor around lunch to declare he had "no personal objection to continuing" but there was an objection from Republicans.

Yesterday GOP aides told us it was not a coordinated leadership effort.

It's a bit complicated, but Burr was objecting to a standard unanimous consent request from Sen. Carl Levin to hold a hearing outside of the hours the Senate rules allow. This happens all the day, and senators agree to waive the rule that says committee hearings can't be held until two hours after convening business, or after 2 p.m.

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Obstructionism

McCaskill Rails On 'New Low' Of GOP Obstruction (VIDEO)

Christina Bellantoni | March 24, 2010, 3:19PM

Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO)

We reported earlier that Senate Republicans this week are blocking committee hearings from taking place, and Sen. Claire McCaskill this afternoon excoriated the GOP for "taking game playing to a whole new level."

McCaskill (D-MO) had to cancel a hearing she'd had planned about police contracting in Afghanistan. She said the hearing was to examine a "very important" element of the war, and detailed the top officials expected to participate.

She asked the chamber, "So what do I find out this morning? The Republican Party is not going to let us have the hearing? What in the world?"

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Obstructionism

The New Obstruction -- GOP Tries To Delay Hearings And Extend Health Care Debate

Christina Bellantoni | March 24, 2010, 12:45PM

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell

The Republicans seem to be responding to the passage of health care and likely passage of the reconciliation measure by invoking little-known rules to slow everything down. Senate Republicans have used a rare tactic during the opening of Senate business to cancel or postpone committee hearings.

In simple terms, the Senate has a rule about the hours that hearings can be held each day. They can't be held until two hours after convening business, or after 2 p.m. To adjust the timing, any changes must be agreed upon each day by the chamber. They always are, with no fanfare. But today the Senate Republicans objected to holding the hearings, which forced several hearings to either be postponed or canceled. The maneuver is done by voice vote on the floor, and we don't yet know which senator objected.

Senate Democrats are decrying the tactic -- used yesterday to stop a subcommittee hearing on bark beetles and then today to slow a hearing on police training contracts in Afghanistan and cancel a Judiciary hearing on nominees -- as obstructionism beyond the pale. Senate gallery staff told TPMDC it's possible the GOP will try to force votes today to elongate the overall debate time for the bill, potentially even pushing it into the weekend.

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Obstructionism

Who's Hurt Most? Bunning's Filibuster Affects More Than 400,000

Christina Bellantoni | March 2, 2010, 9:26AM

Sen. Jim Bunning (R-KY)

The Department of Labor calculates that 400,000 people will lose unemployment benefits if the Senate isn't able to break Sen. Jim Bunning's blockade of a measure that would extend the benefits.

The Labor tally says Bunning has "blocked the process each time" and Secretary Hilda Solis complained that "[t]he consequences of partisan obstructionism could not be clearer."

"If the extension is not approved immediately, millions of Americans could lose the safety net programs they deserve and desperately need," she said.

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Jobs

Jobs Bill Passes Major Hurdle After 5 GOPers Join Dems

Ben Frumin | February 22, 2010, 5:47PM

Sens. Harry Reid and Dick Durbin

Five Republicans joined Democrats in a key cloture vote moments ago, allowing debate on a jobs package to move forward. After overcoming this hurdle, debate on the bill can begin.

Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA) broke with his party and voted with the Democrats. So did Sens. Olympia Snowe (R-ME), Susan Collins (R-ME), Kit Bond (R-MO) and George Voinovich (R-OH).

Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE) was the only Democrat to break with his party.

The final vote tally was 62-30.

It had been uncertain earlier in the day whether any Republicans would help Democrats reach 60 votes and overcome the threat of a GOP filibuster. With Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) out of the Senate after being diagnosed with stomach cancer, Democrats needed at least two Republican votes to overcome a GOP filibuster threat.

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Obstructionism

McConnell Says Not So Fast - Shelby Released Holds Before Obama Meeting

Christina Bellantoni | February 12, 2010, 9:12AM

Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and President Obama

Republicans are questioning President Obama's heroic-sounding battle with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell over the GOP blocking his nominees.

As we reported last night, the White House released a statement detailing what Obama told McConnell about obstructionism. Obama said he told McConnell in a meeting Tuesday if the holds weren't released he would use his power for recess appointments, and noted that 27 of his nominees were confirmed last night.

A Politico report takes it a bit further, detailing Obama's body language and noting the president was "forceful" with McConnell.

A Republican aide scoffed at the reports as White House "spin," adding that the confirmations last night were nothing unusual.

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Obstructionism

Obama To McConnell: Stop The Obstruction!

Christina Bellantoni | February 11, 2010, 9:44PM

Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY)

President Obama said tonight he went to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell to say he would use recess appointments if Republican senators failed to release their holds on his nominees.

Obama said he spoke to McConnell (R-KY) Tuesday about the tactics used by his caucus, leading some GOPers to release their holds.

"This is a rare but not unprecedented step that many other presidents have taken. Since that meeting, I am gratified that Republican senators have responded by releasing many of these holds and allowing 29 nominees to receive a vote in the Senate," Obama said in a statement released tonight by the White House.

He decried that "a staggering 63 nominees had been stalled in the Senate" since the holds in many cases were "motivated by a desire to leverage projects for a Senator's state or simply to frustrate progress."

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Democrats

Republicans Continue To Block Progress On Jobs Plan

Brian Beutler | February 8, 2010, 12:09PM

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY).

Remember how Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid predicted there'd be a vote on a jobs bill today? Well, maybe that was a bit premature.

Two major obstacles now stand between Democrats and the jobs package they'd like to pass before next week's President's Day recess: A ton of snow, and equally substantial GOP obstructionism. The question is: which will thaw first?

The snow has pushed the Senate floor schedule back at least a day--a significant amount of time given the crowded nature of the calendar. But Democrats still don't have enough votes to overcome a filibuster, and unless they can win over at least one Republican, they may adjourn this coming weekend empty-handed.

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Obstructionism

Time For Republicans To 'Put Up Or Shut Up,' Axelrod Says

Christina Bellantoni | January 28, 2010, 7:45PM

Senior White House Adviser David Axelrod

White House political adviser David Axelrod said Democrats "haven't shined a bright enough light" on Republican obstructionism, but said it's time for the GOP to step forward and be accountable.

It's a new message the White House has telegraphed this week first from Vice President Joe Biden to a Democratic party gathering, then President Obama during his State of the Union address. It's also a combative tone that the Democratic National Committee pushed even before Obama stopped speaking Wednesday night.

As Obama prepares to speak to the House Republicans during their annual retreat tomorrow in Baltimore, Axelrod spoke to reporters and opinion makers at the White House detailing a newly aggressive Democratic strategy.

He noted that House Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-VA) called for a jobs bill a few months ago and wondered if Republicans will continue support one now.

"It's time to put up or shut up," Axelrod said. "We will put the other party to the test and they will have to explain why they are standing in the way."

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