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Republicans Oppose Nomination of Pro-Labor Union Activist to Join National Labor Relations Board
 (CNSNews.com) -- In a 13-10 vote along party lines, the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee approved the nomination Thursday of Craig Becker to join the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), paving the way for a full Senate vote on the controversial nominee in the coming weeks. But two Republicans on the committee -- ranking member Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Ark.) -- reversed an earlier vote in October in favor of Becker when his nomination passed out of committee on a 15 to 8 vote. Before the vote, Enzi announced that he could no longer support Becker and urged his Republican colleagues to follow suit. Enzi cited concern about pushing through a controversial nominee before the swearing in of Scott Brown, the Republican who was elected last month to take the seat of the late Democratic Sen. Ted Kennedy. In a last minute change of plans, Brown was sworn in Thursday -- a week earlier than originally planned after Brown learned his election would be certified in time for a ceremony that he said would allow him to take part in a number of upcoming "important votes" facing the Senate. "I also want to register my concern with hastily moving controversial nominees before the seating of Senator-elect Scott Brown," Enzi said. "Earlier this week, the Senate invoked cloture on Patricia Smith by a vote of 60-32 -- on a nominee that was voted out of committee on a straight party line." Enzi added that Becker's ethics disclosure paperwork had not been updated with the Office of Government Ethics Office since July 2009, which he said was necessary ahead of any vote on his nomination. Enzi said that the independent NLRB wields considerable power and that the board's decisions and regulations "control a significant portion of our economy." Posted by: Fred 2010-02-06 |
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