Daily Archives: 03/27/2010

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The President’s Recess appointments and why


Fifteen Appointees Have Waited an Average of 214 Days for Senate Confirmation

WASHINGTON –After facing months of Republican obstruction to administration nominees, President Obama announced his intent to recess appoint fifteen nominees to fill critical administration posts that have been left vacant, including key positions on the economic team and on boards that have been left with vacancies for months.

“The United States Senate has the responsibility to approve or disapprove of my nominees.  But if, in the interest of scoring political points, Republicans in the Senate refuse to exercise that responsibility, I must act in the interest of the American people and exercise my authority to fill these positions on an interim basis,”  said President Barack Obama. “Most of the men and women whose appointments I am announcing today were approved by Senate committees months ago, yet still await a vote of the Senate.  At a time of economic emergency, two top appointees to the Department of Treasury have been held up for nearly six months. I simply cannot allow partisan politics to stand in the way of the basic functioning of government.”

Following their appointment, these nominees will remain in the Senate for confirmation.

Obama Administration appointees have faced an unprecedented level of obstruction in the Senate.

  • President Obama currently has a total of 217 nominees pending before the Senate.  These nominees have been pending for an average of 101 days, including 34 nominees pending for more than 6 months.
  • The 15 nominees President Obama intends to recess appoint have been pending for an average of 214 days or 7 months for a total of 3204 days or almost 9 years.
  • President Bush had made 15 recess appointments by this point in his presidency, but he was not facing the same level of obstruction.  At this time in 2002, President Bush had only 5 nominees pending on the floor.  By contrast, President Obama has 77 nominees currently pending on the floor, 58 of whom have been waiting for over two weeks and 44 of those have been waiting more than a month.
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Weekend News &reviews … cspan.org


It’s Sunday and while re-broadcasts of  the President and Nancy Pelosi signing the HCR into law is exciting …reports are that our President made a surprise visit to Afghanistan, his first;updates when needed.  This week was great even the low points were exciting and eye-opening because it gave me new energy…we have a fight on our watch ladies and gentlemen … to push the US to be the best it can be, to be more self-sufficient, to be number ONE again.  We have a chance to move into the 21st Century and with that we can also be compassionate enough to help other Americans;  to pitch in a little more so that others can begin to do better, to finally demand no force financial regulations; oh the list of good things are so long it’s just incredible.  The last administration left such a mess the clean-up could last years. This week, we saw President Obama act with resolve, he pushed back, stayed the course…with nancy pelosi’s/harry reid’s help  passed HCR, showed tough love to Israel, russia/US agreement to reduce nuclear arms, use a well-used procedure to get his cabinet filled because Republicans have decided to break him if and or make sure he cannot govern the way a President should,possibly create more sanctions for Iran to think about and took the student loan process away from the banks and guess what? we will save 60billion dollars to re-invest in … Americans people!!! We the People… good …no that’s huge

It’s Saturday …Some not all Democrats have definitely shown Americans exactly who are the adults in both Chambers of Congress.  The world didn’t end, no one saw anything different happen with the exception of the New Law of the Land that will help everyone not just poor people.  If implemented correctly, smoothly HCR will cover over 30mil people and create  an obvious up-tick in employees; it will also move us into the 21st Century and that is about time. The fight is not over  as concerned voters, we need to push movement toward climate, immigration, education and more

What’s on CSPAN… and Updates

Discussion On The Function, Budget and Oversight of FEMA.  This week on Newsmakers, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Craig Fugate describes how the agency has changed since Hurricane Katrina. He also discusses the function, budget and oversight of FEMA. In 2003 the agency was absorbed into the new Department of Homeland Security, due to security changes following the Sept. 11 attacks.

watch Pres. Obama’s Weekly Address

Other News …or Updates

the media is reporting that “the people” are not onboard the bill or law … who are they asking? or polling? we don’t know how many on the right voted in any one poll on any given day

In direct response to the party of no, the party that said hell no to Boehner, Cantor, Palin and those on the right who have been blocking the Obama administration and it’s right to govern the President has or will make recess appointments and believe me i am relieved.

The House is on it’s Easter Break

Senate business

Convenes: 9:30am3/27/2010 Morning Business until 12:30pm with the time equally divided and controlled between Senators Stabenow and Coburn or their designees.

Votes:
Unanimous Consent:
Passed HR4957, FAA Extension Act (extends to April 30, 2010; current extension expires March 31, 2010).

Passed S.3162, a bill to clarify the health care provided by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs that constitutes minimum essential coverage.

Passed HR4621, the Prevent deceptive Census Look Alike Mailings Act.

Passed HR4573, Haiti Debt Relief and Earthquake Recovery Act.

Passed H.J.Res. 80, 65th anniversary of the Blinded Veterans Association.

Adopted S.Res.117, 80th anniversary of the Daughters of Penelope.

Adopted S.Res.412, designating September 2010 as “National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month”

Adopted S.Res.427, designating the first week of April 2010 as “National Asbestos Awareness Week” (with Baucus amendment to the preamble).

Adopted S.Res.471, recognizing the University of Southern Mississippi

Adopted S.Res.472, a resolution in recognition and support of “National Safe Digging Month”.

Adopted S.Res.473, designating April 4, 2010, as “National Association of Junior Auxiliaries Day”

S.Res.474, supporting the designation of April as “Parkinson’s Awareness Month”.

Passed S.3191, Satellite Home Viewer (10 year extension)