GOP Forces Second Delay of Committee Vote on Obama's Labor Secretary Nominee

A Senate committee on Wednesday delayed, for the second time, a vote on President Obama?s pick for Labor Secretary, Thomas Perez amid Republican opposition to Perez
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A Democratic aide said the delay was forced because Senate Republicans made a rare objection to a routine motion for committees to meet more than two hours after the chamber convenes.
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?The two hour rule,? is waived almost every day the Senate is in session. The unusual objection forced the Senate Health Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee to postpone a vote on Perez until May 16.
The delay highlights rising GOP opposition to Perez over his record to the Department of Justice?s top civil rights lawyer.
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Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) blasted Perez in a speech Weds. morning, in a sign Republicans will mobilize to block Perez when his nomination does reach the floor.
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"His willingness, time and again, to bend or ignore the law and to misstate the facts in order to advance his far-left ideology lead me and others to conclude that he?d continue to do so if he were confirmed to another, and much more consequential, position of public trust," McConnell said. ?

Republicans cite a series of instances in which they argue Perez failing to enforce the law due to a partisan agenda.

Senate Minority Whip John Cornyn (R-Texas) said Wednesday he fears Perez "would invariably politicize the Department of Labor and impose an ideological litmus test.?
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Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) on Weds. brushed off pressure from other Hispanic lawmakers not to oppose Perez.?

"Mr. Perez's far left views and troublign record at the Justice Department simply do not qualify him to lead the Labor Department, and I will strongly oppose his confirmation, Rubio said in a lenghty statement.
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White House spokesman Jay Carney said Wednesday that Republican "roadblocks" have become routine due the "unfortuante politicization" of the Senate confirmation process under Obama. Carney said he still expects Perez's confirmation.

"It is unfortunate that some Republicans on the Hill are politicizing this nomination," Carney said. ?

HELP Chairman Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) who already delayed one hearing on Perez to give Republicans on the panel more time to investigate the nominees record, in a statement said he is ?deeply disappointed that after additional time was granted as a matter of courtesy, members of the
Republican caucus have now used procedural roadblocks to delay Committee consideration of the President?s Cabinet choice for Secretary of Labor."

Republican obstructionism and procedural tricks are preventing this body from carrying out its constitutional?duties," Harkin said later in a long Senate floor speech.

GOP aides said they were not sure the party would ultimately summon the 41 votes needed to block Perez.

dfriedman@nydailynews.com
@dfriedman33

Source: http://feeds.nydailynews.com/~r/nydnrss/blogs/~3/mrhlRoCBxLo/story01.htm

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