Reid presses GOP to allow confirmation of Obama OBM nominee

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) made the announcement from the Senate floor on Monday night saying he would attempt to bring up the Higginbottom confirmation next week by unanimous consent and that he hoped Republicans would allow the confirmation process to go forward.

Reid also suggested that GOP whip Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) was in talks with the Administration to come up with an agreement to lift at least one secret hold a GOP senator has placed on Higginbottom.

“I am not going to ask consent on this nomination tonight, but all my Republican colleagues should be prepared for a unanimous consent request on this nomination when we return next week,” Reid said from the Senate floor on Monday night. “I hope Sen. Kyl will allow this nomination to go forward after his request is satisfied.” 

After Higginbottom’s nomination made it out of two committees, the Senate Budget Committee and the Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee, on party-line votes, a secret hold was placed on her nomination. The hold prevented a unanimous consent agreement and would require a roll call vote and at least a 60-vote majority for confirmation.

Higginbottom has served as deputy policy director for Obama and also served as national policy director on his 2008 presidential campaign. Before that, she worked in the office of Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) for seven years.

Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), who is the ranking member of the Budget Committee, and some Senate Republicans however, have questioned her budget experience, saying her legislative policy experience doesn’t translate into budget acumen.