Bush nominees clear Senate

Dozens of President Bush's nominees cleared the Senate Friday after a breakthrough in negotiations between Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and the White House.

The Senate also moved to prevent Bush from using his constitutional authority to avert the Senate-confirmation process and make appointments to the Executive and Judicial branches during extended congressional recesses.

{mosads}One of the most significant confirmations was banker Elizabeth A. Duke, who will sit on the Federal Reserve until 2012. Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke and financial analysts have been concerned that a short-staffed central bank could impede its ability to address the economic downturn.

“In confirming Elizabeth A. Duke for a term through 2012, we are ensuring the Fed can function during these difficult economic times,” Reid said. "And we are restoring Democratic representation to the SEC [Securities and Exchange Commission], where it had been absent."

The Senate confirmed Elisse Walter, Troy Paredes and Luis Aguilar to sit on the SEC.

Nominees also were confirmed to the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Marine Corps, Navy, State Department and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Justice Department.

But the chamber did not approve two other nominations to sit on the Fed — Larry Klane, an executive of Capitol One Financial Corp., and Fed Gov. Randall Kroszner, whose term expired in January.

During next week's Independence Day recess, the Senate plans to hold a series of pro-forma sessions that have become the norm under Reid's tenure. Holding the quick sessions, where no legislative business is conducted, allows the Senate to technically stay in session and prevent the recess appointments. The first one will be held June 30.

The confirmation comes a day after Bush pressed the Senate to confirm the nominees before the recess.

"Many of these nominations are for vital positions affecting our courts, our economy, our public safety and our national security," Bush said Thursday. "Every day that these nominees are delayed makes it harder for the government to meet its responsibilities, and the Senate needs to act right away."

"I am pleased that we were able to reach an agreement with the president and Senate Republicans so we can name these well-qualified public servants to the distinguished positions for which they have been nominated," Reid said Friday.