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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