Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) forcefully criticized Republicans are they filibustered two of President Obama’s nominees Thursday, but stopped short of threatening rules reform, as some liberals quickly called for.
“Something has to change,” he said, “and I hope we can make the changes necessary through cooperation.”
Republicans blocked the nominations of Mel Watt to the Federal Housing Finance Agency and Patricia Millett to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals in back-to-back votes.
Reid’s statement in full:
“Republicans’ unprecedented obstruction continued today with a step that we have not seen since the Civil War, as they blocked Representative Mel Watt, a sitting member of the House of Representatives, from being confirmed to an Administration position. Minutes later, Republicans blocked a highly qualified woman, Patricia Millet, from being appointed to the D.C. Circuit Court despite having no significant objections to her record or qualifications. In both cases, Republicans are serving the Tea Party instead of their constituents. Americans of all political stripes want their leaders to put ideology aside in common-sense cases like these, and work together to get things done.”
“I will exercise my right as Majority Leader to reconsider these nominations at some point in the very near future. I hope my Republican colleagues will reconsider their continued run of unprecedented obstructionism. Something has to change, and I hope we can make the changes necessary through cooperation.”
