Hoping to preempt President Bush from making controversial recess appointments, Senate Democrats decided on Tuesday that they would stay in session over the Thanksgiving break. The move ensures that the President cannot install several disputed executive branch officials in Congress' absence.
The pro forma sessions, which will continue through a week from Thanksgiving, will require several Senate Democrats to work through the Holiday break.
Those Senators, the Huffington Post has learned, are Sen. Jim Webb, D-VA - who stood session this past Tuesday -- Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-ND - who will work this coming Friday - and Sen. Jack Reed, D-RI - who will be on the clock both Tuesday, November 27 and Thursday the 29th.
"My hope is that this will prompt the President to see that it is our mutual interests for the nominations process to get back on track," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-NV, said of the parliamentary move. "While an election year looms, significant progress can still be made on nominations. I am committed to making that progress if the President will meet me half way. But that progress can't be made if the President seeks controversial recess appointments and fails to make Democratic appointments to important commissions."
According to congressional rules, no legislation can be passed in pro forma sessions, but the Senate is completing its constitutional requirement to meet on the day following three consecutive days off. As reported by Carl Hulse of the New York Times, Sen. Webb stood in an empty chamber this past Tuesday for the duration of 30-seconds - enough to qualify as a Senate session.
The recess appointment Reid and Democrats are most interested in avoiding is that of James W. Holsinger Jr., who was nominated by President Bush to be surgeon general. Holsinger has a long history of prejudice toward gays and lesbians.
President Bush has used recess appointments in the past to get controversial figures into key positions. John Bolton, for example, was appointed to the post of ambassador to the United Nations despite not receiving the support of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Sam Fox, a donor to Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, meanwhile was made ambassador to Belgium during a congressional recess.