Senate Republicans block more nominees of Obama

BY ALAN FRAM, ASSOCIATED PRESS THE

WASHINGTON (AP) - Senate Republicans blocked a lot of nominations mostly lower by President Barack Obama following the democratic movement of the month past weakening the traditional ability of the minority party block presidential appointments later on Monday.

Action demonstrated that the Republican Party was intent of demanding a price most of the changes of the filibusters Senate Democrats muscled, or procedure slows the minority Senators you can use for nominations delay or kill or invoices.

Showdown on Monday came as the Senate returned to work for the first time since the Democrats made these changes on November 21.

It moved democratic had angered Republicans, because weakened it the capacity of wage filibusters Republicans and Democrats made the change with a simple majority of votes. The Republicans said that Democrats should have been forced to win a two-thirds majority to make the change, which is most commonly used to make important changes rules.

On Monday, Senator Lamar Alexander, R - Tenn., objected to the request of the leader of the majority of the Senate Harry Reid, D - Nev., for the unanimous approval of more than 30 mostly minor appointees.

"Until understand you best how to operate in a Senate without rules, protested, a United States Senator", said Alexander.

Blocked nominees include positions as Undersecretary of Defense for personnel and readiness, a peak for the chemical safety and Hazard Investigation Board. It also included Deborah Lee James, election of Obama to be Secretary of the air force.

Fast approval for those candidates who Reid was seeking required the consent of all senators, by Alexander objections were enough to stop them.

The dispute came to head last month after Republican blocked Obama collects three vacancies for the Court of appeals of the District of Columbia Circuit. The candidates were not included in the Group blocked on Monday.

This Court is very powerful because it governs on the actions of the administration. Its eight judges currently divide evenly among those elected by past democratic and Republican presidents.

When Alexander compared objections from the Republican party to the democratic actions against judges chosen by the President of the Republican Party George W. Bush, Reid said: "this explanation is as flat as a bottle of beer open for six months".

Democrats modifications allow filibusters which was completed by a simple majority of senators, not the 60 votes needed since 1975. The changes apply to almost all candidates, but not affect designated judges of the Supreme Court or the law.

Reid also set in motion votes to end filibusters against Jeh Johnson, elected to lead the Department of Homeland Security and nine minor candidates.

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