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July 17, 2013

Senate Votes on Obama Picks in Deal Preserving Filibuster 
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Republicans have dropped their blockade of a number of President Obama's
appointees in return for preservation of the Senate filibuster. Senate
Majority Leader Harry Reid had threatened the so-called "nuclear option"
of using Democrats' Senate advantage to push through new rules ending
Republicans' ability to stall presidential picks and leave top positions
unfilled. After Republicans backed down on Tuesday, the Senate
immediately voted to confirm Richard Cordray as the first permanent
director of the Consumer Financial Protection Board. The deal also means
confirmation votes for six other nominees, including Thomas Perez for
Labor Secretary and Gina Mc Carthy to head the Environmental Protection
Agency. In return, Democrats agreed to replace two Obama picks for the
National Labor Relations Board appointed during the Senate recess. The
new picks are Nancy Schiffer, an attorney with the AFL-CIO, and Kent
Hirozawa, the chief counsel to current NLRB chair Mark Pearce.

 

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