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Senate reaches deal on Barrack Obama nominees, filibusters

Senate Democrats backed away on Tuesday from a possible historic crackdown on filibusters in exchange for a Republican commitment not to use the procedural hurdles to stop some of President Barack Obama’s long-stalled nominations.

The bipartisan agreement, reached after days of talks and jockeying for political position, will allow Obama to fill out his second-term team with top administrators overseeing efforts to protect workers, consumers and the environment.

It will also permit Republicans to retain their right to stop future nominees with filibusters, which have been used for years by the Senate’s minority party against the majority. ‘They (Republicans) are not sacrificing their right to filibuster, and we for damn sure aren’t sacrificing our right to change the rules’ to ban them, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Nevada Democrat, declared after tense negotiations.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, said, ‘Put this down as progress in the right direction.’ Obama praised the compromise, saying in a statement, ‘I’m pleased the Senate took action on Wednesday to move forward on the nominees who have waited far too long for a vote.’
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