Reid: GOP using ‘emergency brake’ to slow Senate

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) accused Republicans of trying to slow Senate consideration of bipartisan legislation and President Obama’s nominees.

“It appears that the Republicans in the Senate have intentionally left on the emergency brake,” Reid said on the Senate floor Monday. “Throughout President Obama’s time in office, Republican leadership here in the Senate has done its best to keep the brakes engaged, slowing any effort to legislate even the most bipartisan of bills.”

{mosads}Reid said Republicans are trying to “run out the clock” before the November elections in order to make Democrats look bad.

Although Senate Democrats used the “nuclear option” to unilaterally change filibuster rules, Reid said Republicans are still forcing all debate time to be used before final confirmation votes on Obama’s executive and judicial nominees.

“This is obstruction for obstruction’s sake,” Reid said. “The harm it does to our country just isn’t in their calculations.”

Later Monday, the Senate will vote to confirm Cheryl Krause to serve as a U.S. circuit judge for the Third Circuit.

Reid urged Republicans to stop their obstruction so that the Senate can move on to legislation dealing with the Highway Trust Fund and contraception coverage for female employees.