[NYTr] Dysfunctional Senate holds 12-second session to block Bush

[All the News That Doesn't Fit]

CNN - Dec 31, 2007
http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/12/31/senate.pro.forma/index.html?eref=rss_latest


Senate holds 12-second session to block Bush

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- In one of the shortest session in its history, the
Senate's final session of the year lasted a total of 12 seconds Monday.

Only one senator, Democrat Jack Reed of Rhode Island, was in the
chamber to gavel open the Senate and adjourn it until January 3.

Monday's event was the latest in a series of "pro forma" sessions the
Senate has called. Pro forma means "for the sake of formality" and
these micro sessions are part of the last political scuffle between the
White House and the Democratic-led Congress.

Democrats are keeping the Senate in session to block President Bush
from making any recess appointments. During congressional recesses, a
constitutional mechanism allows the president to fill top government
posts for up to one year without Senate confirmation.

Nearly all the senators left the Capitol for the Christmas holiday
nearly a week and a half ago, but only one senator is needed to keep
the Senate in session.

During the session last week, Sen. Jim Webb, D-Virginia, opened and
then immediately gaveled the Senate session to a close. Wednesday's
session lasted for 11 seconds. In all, he spent 57 seconds in the
chamber.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, announced December 19 that
he would keep the Senate open with a series of pro forma sessions
through mid-January.

Talks had just broken down with the White House on a deal that would
have allowed the president to make dozens of those appointments if he
agreed not to appoint one controversial official, Steven Bradbury, as
the permanent head of the influential Office of Legal Counsel at the
Justice Department.

Bush declined to accept the Democrats' offer, and Reid refused to
approve Bradbury because of concerns about his involvement in crafting
legal opinions for the administration on interrogation techniques of
terrorism suspects.

Similar sessions were conducted over the Thanksgiving recess.

Other Democrats -- including Sens. Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts,
Byron Dorgan of North Dakota, Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, Ben Cardin of
Maryland and Chuck Schumer of New York -- will share the duty of
presiding over the "pro forma" sessions next month.