The Senate’s refusal to close out debate and bring the nomination of Defense Secretary-nominee Chuck Hagel to a final vote is a poke in the eye to the Constitution and the best traditions of the Senate, Common Cause said today.

“Senators have every right to oppose Sen. Hagel’s nomination and to fully air their reasons for doing so. But there is no justification — none at all — for denying him a vote,” said Common Cause President Bob Edgar. “His nomination was thoroughly reviewed by the Senate Armed Services Committee and debated for two days on the Senate floor; to borrow a phrase from the President’s State of the Union address, he deserves a vote.”

Edgar added that in mounting a filibuster, Sen. Hagel’s opponents “have helped make the case for repeal of the Senate’s filibuster rule and its 60-vote requirement for ending debate. The Constitution requires only a simple majority, 51 votes, for confirmation of Cabinet members; the Senate rule replaces that with a 60 vote requirement, effectively giving control to the minority. That’s a travesty.”

Common Cause ha presentado una demanda federal para que se declare inconstitucional la regla de obstruccionismo. El caso está en apelación ante el Tribunal de Apelaciones de Estados Unidos para el Distrito de Columbia, luego de que un tribunal inferior dictara en diciembre que Common Cause y otros demandantes, incluidos cuatro miembros de la Cámara de Representantes, carecen de capacidad legal para recurrirla.

“We remain confident that we will prevail and the 60-vote requirement will be ruled unconstitutional in a trial on the merits,” Edgar said. “I hope today’s proceedings will persuade senators who know we’re right to join in the suit as plaintiffs.”