(Washington
D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), a member of the Senate Rules
Committee, outlined her opposition to the use of secret holds in the Senate
which allow members to block nominees or bills without having to take personal
responsibility or credit for the hold. The procedure allows a Senator to block
action without having to disclose it to his or her constituents and colleagues.
Senator Murray has pledged to not use the procedure and in April sent a letter
calling for a Senate rule change for “a clear and definitive” end to the
practice.
At a
hearing of the Senate Rules Committee today, Senator Murray discussed her
opposition while questioning experts on Senate procedure.
WATCH
SENATOR MURRAY’S QUESTIONING (jump to 107 minute mark)
“I
find it very troubling that a single senator, hiding behind an arcane rule, can
obstruct the nominations of dozens of presidential appointments, usually for
reasons that have nothing to do with that person, or their background, or the
issue at hand. To me, this is out of control,” Senator Murray said at today’s hearing. “If I
decide to hold up a nominee or bill, my constituents deserve to know that I am
doing it, and why. I believe this should hold true for all of us.
We need to move away from secretive, back room politics.”
Senator Murray
asked Congressional rule experts at the hearing whether they believe there is
any valid reason for the use of secret holds.
“I
don’t think there is a valid reason for a secret hold,” responded Calvin Mackenzie, The Goldfarb
Family Distinguished Professor of Government at Colby College.
“I have no defense of secret holds,”
responded W. Lee Rawls, Faculty at the National War College.
See more on the hearing: http://rules.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=CommitteeHearings&ContentRecord_id=e2701d28-668d-4d1c-9e6f-324aab11d272
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