Monday, July 15, 2013

Reid, McConnell yield no ground in filibuster showdown


The Senate's top Democrat and Republican yielded no ground on Sunday as they neared a showdown over President Barack Obama's executive-branch nominees that could dramatically change how the Senate operates.
Appearing on NBC's "Meet the Press," Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid charged that Republican obstructionism has prevented Obama from getting much of his second-term team in place.
Unless Republicans permit a number of Obama's nominees to be confirmed this week, Reid has threatened to change the rules and strip Republicans of their ability to block the president's picks with procedural roadblocks known as filibuster.
Nominees set for vote on Tuesday include Richard Cordray as director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau; Gina McCarthy to head of the Environmental Protection Agency; Thomas Perez as labor secretary, and three picks for the National Labor Relations Board.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/07/14/us-usa-congress-senate-idUSBRE96D08M20130714

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