Senator Wyden leads fight to end anonymous, undemocratic obstruction in the Senate

Oregon Senator Ron Wyden is leading the fight to end secret holds that are gridlocking the U.S. Senate.

Along with Iowa Republican Senator Chuck Grassley, Senator Wyden is taking a stand against the undemocratic process of Senators anonymously blocking presidential appointments and legislative business - frequently for unrelated matters.

“This is about fundamental accountability and fairness. If Senators feel strongly enough about an issue that they are going to take the extreme step of blocking a nomination or a piece of legislation, then they should have the courage to take responsibility for their actions and explain why.” said Senator Wyden. “It’s far past time that the Senate stop operating in the shadows and let sunlight do its job. This legislation ensures that no amount of procedural stalling will stop Senate holds from being made public quickly.”

And people are starting to taking notice. The Washington Post argues that the Senate should adopt Senator Wyden's proposal and "end the secrecy" of a "maddening [practice] that [clogs] the arteries of the national legislature."

Learn more about Senator Wyden's efforts by clicking here.

Posted on May 10, 2010 in Bipartisanship, Changing D.C..