Senate Republicans Block Vote on EPA Nominee McCarthy

Republicans on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee blocked a vote on confirming Gina McCarthy to head the Environmental Protection Agency by boycotting a scheduled meeting Thursday to consider the nomination, Bloomberg News reported.

Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) said that EPA has not answered all of his party’s questions and that none of eight Republicans would attend the meeting.

Republican committee members said Senate rules require two minority-party members or all majority-party members be present for the committee to act.

Committee Chairman Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) vowed to work with fellow Democrats to schedule a time for a vote, and Democrats said the GOP action was an abuse of the rules.

It is the second time this week Senate Republicans have blocked committee action on a nomination by President Obama, Bloomberg reported.

On Wednesday, a party member invoked an infrequently used Senate rule to delay for a week a committee meeting to vote on Thomas Perez to be labor secretary.