Senate Rules Reform Update

Since the Senate returned from its Thanksgiving recess, it has confirmed 13 presidential nominees, all of whom would have been blocked by Republican obstruction had Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid not moved to change the rules for confirmation of executive-office appointments and federal judicial nominees.

Among those confirmed: Rep. Mel Watt to head the Federal Housing Finance Agency, two justices to the DC Circuit Court of Appeals and Jeh Johnson to head Homeland Security,

Reid has promised that the Senate will move forward on 11 additional nominations before it recesses for the year, although last week Republicans tried to slow down the Senate's process by demanding that the 30-hour rule for debate on nominations be maintained. That resulted in an all-night "talk-a-thon," but it didn't derail any of the nominees.

CWA, working with the Fix the Senate Now coalition and the Democracy Initiative, was a driving force in helping break Senate gridlock and allow the president's nominations to receive an up-or-down vote.