Senator McCaskill says she has more than enough support to overturn the decades-old custom in the Senate of the “secret hold,” which allows one Senator to remain anonymous while blocking consideration of a bill or a nomination.
She joins Senators Ron Wyden of Oregon and Charles Grrassley of Iowa in asking the Senate Rules Committee to make the change, which she says will probably need the “obnoxiously pushy passion” that she can provide.
Rules committee chairman Charles Schumer of New York has committed the committee to throw out the practice.
McCaskill calls secret holds a tradition that smears the good name of the U.S. Senate and leads to “rampant cynicism” of the public toward politicians and government. She says Senators should be able to block votes but should not be able to hide behind a rule allowing secrecy.
Senator Bond is the 65th of the 68 senators to sign McCaskill’s letter asking for a rule change.
Sen. McCaskill testifies before the Senate Rules Committee 6:20 mp3