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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