January, 30 2017, 11:00pm EDT
Statement on Boycott of Votes on Mnuchin, Price by Senate Finance Democrats
Today, Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee walked out of a markup and vote on Steve Mnuchin's nomination as Treasury Secretary and Tom Price's nomination to be HHS Secretary, denying quorum.
WASHINGTON
Today, Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee walked out of a markup and vote on Steve Mnuchin's nomination as Treasury Secretary and Tom Price's nomination to be HHS Secretary, denying quorum.
The Democrats cited Mnuchin's and Price's false statements to the committee. Tactically, the move is similar to Senate Republicans in the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee staging a boycott in 2013 over Gina McCarthy's nomination to become EPA Administrator.
Previously last night, Senate Democrats objected to unanimous consent on the committee vote for Mnuchin's markup, delaying the vote and earning praise from Demand Progress.
Demand Progress released the following statement, attributable to Campaign Director Kurt Walters:
"Senate Finance Democrats deserve commendation for denying quorum on the committee vote for Donald Trump's outrageous choice of Steve Mnuchin to be Treasury Secretary.
"Lying to the Senate is unacceptable and disqualifying for any nominee. It is doubly so when that lie covers up his bank's history of using unethical and illegal means to kick ordinary Americans out of their homes - while Mnuchin made a fortune.
"Beyond his disqualifying background as a foreclosure profiteer, Mnuchin has promised to join Donald Trump in violating Trump's campaign pledge to get tough on Wall Street - pledging to instead attack reforms preventing Wall Street banks and other huge corporations from cheating ordinary people.
"Senate Democrats' bold procedural moves last night and today are exactly the type of approach needed at this critical moment. They make it clear that at least one party is standing on the side of their constituents and working Americans, instead of kowtowing to Wall Street and Donald Trump. Republican senators concerned about their legacies - and re-election - would do well to follow suit."
A short video of committee member Sherrod Brown's statement outside the hearing room is available here: https://twitter.com/AndrewNBCNews/status/826457492620079104
Statements on Twitter by Ranking Member Ron Wyden are available here: https://twitter.com/RonWyden/status/826453159006629889
Quorum rules for Senate committees are available in Table 2 of this Congressional Research Service document: https://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R44369.pdf
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"No one is free until everyone is free," read a banner representing a Seder plate. "Jews say stop arming Israel."
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As U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer prepared to vote on Tuesday night for a foreign aid package including billions to continue arming Israel in its bombardment of Gaza, roughly 300 protesters were arrested outside his home in Brooklyn for holding an "emergency Passover seder" protest, demanding the U.S. end its support for an assault that has killed at least 34,262 Palestinians.
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Hundreds of people, some wearing traditional Palestinian keffiyehs, linked arms and chanted, "Free, free Palestine!" while blocking traffic and displaying the Seder plate.
"No one is free until everyone is free," read the banner. "Jews say stop arming Israel."
Schumer's home has been the site of numerous protests since October, when Israel began its attacks on and blockade of Gaza, which have left parts of the enclave facing famine and the entire population of 2.3 million people suffering from "acute food insecurity," at a minimum.
"A genocide being carried out in our names as Jews demands that we adapt our sacred tradition again, take to the streets, and do everything we can to prevent more death," author and activist Naomi Klein said at the protest.
The Biden administration has approved numerous weapons transfers to Israel, and the Senate overwhelmingly voted Tuesday night in favor of the package that includes $17 billion more in unconditional aid for the Israel Defense Forces.
Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) were the only members of the Democratic caucus who voted against the funding bill. Fifteen Republicans also opposed the bill over its inclusion of Ukraine aid.
The demonstration at Grand Army Plaza was organized amid a burgeoning protest movement on U.S. college campuses, including at Columbia University, where more than 100 students were suspended and then arrested for trespassing last week after setting up an encampment to demand the school divest from all companies that work with the Israeli government.
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