It seems the minority still has some clout after all.
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/041305W.shtmlSenate Committee Delays Vote on Bolton
By Barry Schweid
The Associated Press
Wednesday 13 April 2005
Washington - President Bush's drive to make John R. Bolton the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations got sidetracked Wednesday as Senate Democrats forced a delay until next week of an important confirmation vote. In buying time, they hoped to win over a pivotal Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Sen. Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island, by amassing evidence that Bolton harassed U.S. officials who challenged his judgment on weapons issues.
Chafee said Wednesday he is leaning toward supporting Bolton, which would all but assure Bolton's confirmation. Bolton, currently the undersecretary of state, has rejected the accusations. A committee vote, tentatively planned for Thursday, was scrubbed after Democrats objected, said Andy Fisher, spokesman for the chairman, Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind.
Under Senate rules, at least one Democratic senator has to attend a meeting for a vote to occur. Democrats want further questioning of Bolton in writing and they are seeking testimony by three U.S. officials on what lawmakers said were Bolton's efforts to remove the dissenting analysts.
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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A52963-2005Apr14.htmlSenator to Block Vote on Bush EPA Nominee
By John Heilprin
The Associated Press
Thursday, April 14, 2005; 11:29 AM
Frustrated by the Bush administration's air pollution policies, Democratic Sen. Thomas Carper plans to block the Senate from confirming President Bush's nominee to become administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
The Delaware senator is "going to place a hold on the nomination of Stephen Johnson to be head of the EPA," Carper's spokesman, Bill Ghent, said Thursday. All senators have the power to hold up the confirmation of a nominee.
The White House had no immediate comment.
Carper has complained about what he describes as stonewalling by the White House and EPA over data requested during the past several years on various legislative proposals aimed at cutting pollution from power plants.
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