Americas

Americas

US Republicans block senate confirmation vote for Pentagon nominee

15 February 2013 04:53 (UTC +04:00)

Pro-Israeli Republican Senators James Inhofe of Oklahoma and Lindsey Graham of North Carolina insisted on Wednesday that they would attempt to block confirmation of Chuck Hagel on the Senate floor following his narrow approval on Tuesday in its Armed Service Committee.

The main reason for fierce Republican opposition to the nomination of the former Republican senator from Nebraska to head the US Department of Defense have reportedly been his past criticism of the Israeli regime and its powerful political pressure group in Washington, the AIPAC, for actions that he thought would undermine American national interests.

Hagel has also been cited in US press reports as stating multiple times during his Senate carrier that he was elected to look after American interests not those of the Israeli regime, something that he has been harshly criticized for pro-Israeli lawmakers in Congress.

Meanwhile, Democratic lawmakers have expressed disappointment at persisting Republican attempts to block the confirmation of Hagel as the current US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta is set to resign this week.

"This is the first time in the history of our country that a presidential nominee for secretary of defense has been filibustered. What a shame," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada said on the chamber’s floor.

Filibustering is a common blocking tactic used by American lawmakers in the Senate and the House to block vote on a bill or a confirmation which they oppose. It is done by prolonging floor debate for as long as necessary to stall the process.

To thwart the blocking tactic, Reid has reportedly scheduled a floor vote on Friday to end debate on the Hagel nomination, but the effort requires a 60-vote threshold instead of the customary simple majority.

This is while the Democratic lawmakers in the Senate hold a 55-45 majority over the Republican members. While no Democrats are expected to vote against Hagel, only two Republicans have publicly expressed support for the ex-senator.