Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) announced Thursday on the floor that the chamber will hold a vote Friday on the confirmation of Chuck Hagel.
He fiercly attacked Republicans for holding up the nomination.
“In less than two hours, our country will be without a secretary of defense,” he said. “The filibuster of Senator Hagel’s confirmation is unprecedented. I repeat, not a single nominee for secretary of defense, ever in the history of our country, has been filibustered. Never, ever.”
“There are serious consequences to this delay,” Reid said. “It sends a terrible signal not only to our military personnel but to the world. … For the sake of our national security it’s time to put aside this political theater.”
“This isn’t a high school getting ready for a football game. We’re trying to confirm somebody to run the defenses of our country — the military of our country.”