Firedoglake: Obama’s Labor Board Nominee Returned for Reconsideration by President McCain

http://workinprogress.firedoglake.com/2009/12/29/obamas-labor-board-nominee-returned-for-reconsideration-by-president-mccain/

By: Michael Whitney Tuesday December 29, 2009 9:36 am

Craig Becker, one of Barack Obama’s nominees to serve on the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), was returned to the White House for reconsideration last week, alongside Dawn Johnsen. Becker is counsel for both the AFL-CIO and SEIU, and was nominated to fill one of three vacancies on the Labor Board.

So why’d Becker’s nomination get returned? President McCain placed a hold. The Workforce Prof Blog reports:

The Washington Post is reporting that Craig Becker’s nomination to the NLRB (among five other nominees to different agencies) was “referred back to the White House for reconsideration.” It’s unclear to me how significant this move is. The Post includes the six under a list of nominees who were “rejected,” but it appears that they could be renominated, based on the following quote:

No formal vote was taken, but the six nominees who were “returned to the White House” for reconsideration and possible renomination “ran into opposition,” said Jim Manley, a spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.).

It seems that the problem is Sen. McCain’s hold on Becker’s nomination. Under Senate rules, nominations not acted on at the end of a session essentially “die” and can’t be acted on again unless they are formally renominated. However, the Senate can adopt a unanimous consent agreement that waives this rule and permits further action without renomination. But the Senate refused to do so with Becker and the others. The upshot is that Becker could get renominated, but unless there’s a way to break McCain’s hold on him it may not matter.

McCain placed a hold on Becker for, get this, Becker’s views that workers should have a voice at work for having a union without employer interference. The horror!



McCain voiced similar concerns in a letter to HELP Committee Chairman Tom Harkin of Iowa, also seeking a hearing. McCain wrote that Becker’s writings “indicate that he would prevent employers from having a role in union representation elections in their workplaces by doing away with requiring fair, secret ballot union elections when requested by an employer.” McCain added that he wanted a chance to question Becker about these positions in person and in public.

Of course, McCain neglected to mention they haven’t held such a hearing for almost 30 years.

McCain complained that HELP hadn’t held a public hearing on Becker. HELP Chair Tom Harkin pointed out that the committee hadn’t held a public hearing on a rank-and-file NLRB member since 1980.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has the power to simply ignore McCain’s hold and bring Becker’s nomination to the floor. In which case, McCain would either have to back down or filibuster.

FULL story at link.

:wow:

President of The United States of Love?

President McCain?

If not, could someone please bring him up to date on that.