Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (left) talks about Goodwin Liu, judicial nominee for a seat on the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, in the Capitol. Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Daniel Inouye also appear.
In 2005, the bipartisan gang of 14 blocked then-Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) from invoking the “constitutional option” or “nuclear option,” which would have forced a Senate rules change to bar filibusters of judicial nominees. The agreement in 2005 held that the seven Democrats and seven Republicans in the pact would only filibuster a judicial nominee under “extraordinary circumstances.” After that group established its rules, several nominees whom Democrats had been blocking since 2003 were confirmed.
Just last week, Republicans also successfully blocked Obama’s nominee for deputy Attorney General, James Cole.
Rep. Bill Cassidy has his blood drawn by Alesha Barbour during a free hepatitis screening in the Rayburn House Office Building hosted by the Congressional Viral Hepatitis Caucus to recognize "National Viral Hepatitis Testing Day."
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