Republicans Reignite Filibuster Fight by Blocking Picks
By James Rowley - Oct 31, 2013
In a rebuke to the White House, Senate Republicans blocked two of President Barack Obama’s nominations on the floor, drawing a threat from Democrats to change the rules for dealing with filibusters.
The U.S. Senate voted not to consider the nomination of Representative Mel Watt, a North Carolina Democrat, to lead the Federal Housing Finance Agency following resistance from Republicans over his qualifications.
That opposition led to a 56-42 vote -- four votes short of the 60 needed -- to move the nomination to a final debate and floor vote on Obama’s nominee to replace Edward J. DeMarco, who has been acting director since 2009.
Less than an hour later, Republicans blocked Washington lawyer Patricia Millett, the first of Obama’s three nominations to vacancies on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.
The nomination to the court -- considered the nation’s second most influential because it hears appeals of regulatory cases -- was 55-38, with three senators voting present.
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http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-10-31/republicans-reignite-filibuster-fight-by-blocking-picks.html
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