Tamar Hallerman
GHG Monitor
5/24/13
The Obama Administration’s nominee to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, Gina McCarthy, may not see a Senate confirmation vote until July, Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) alluded this week. CQ Roll Call reported that Reid would be postponing Senate consideration of McCarthy—as well as the nominations of other more controversial executive branch nominees such as Thomas Perez and Richard Cordray for Labor secretary and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau director, respectively—until after the Memorial Day recess. Consideration could potentially stretch on as long as July, the publication reported, since Reid first wants to take up the farm bill and legislation overhauling the nation’s immigration system. “We’ll have to look at July [for] doing these votes,” CQ quoted Reid as saying.
Media reports this week indicated that Reid is mulling use of the so-called “nuclear option” if McCarthy, Perez and Cordray’s nominations continue to be blocked by some Senate Republicans. If supported by 51 senators, that option would change the rules of the upper chamber so that lawmakers could not filibuster executive branch nominations, which require 60 votes to overcome. Instead, cabinet-level nominees would need the support of a simple majority of senators to pass. While that pathway could help break some of the logjam of Obama Administration nominees awaiting Senate consideration, the move is risky because it could poison relations with Republicans moving forward on other issues.
The procedural maneuvering comes as Senate Democrats hope to dig up enough support among its ranks and moderate Republicans to overcome a potential filibuster attempt on McCarthy’s nomination. The EPA deputy’s candidacy narrowly advanced out of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee last week on a party-line vote after Republicans said they were skeptical of EPA’s responses to their requests addressing what they say is the Agency’s lack of transparency. Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) also continues to maintain his hold on McCarthy’s nomination related to a flood control project in his home state. Senate Democrats, though, have accused Republicans of “obstructionism” related to McCarthy’s nomination. The journal Nature pointed out this week that McCarthy has now waited longer to be confirmed by the Senate than any of her predecessors for the position of EPA Administrator.
