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Senate quickly approves Obama nominees

U.S. President Barack Obama greets people affected by rising gas prices after delivers remarks urging Congress to vote to end taxpayer subsidies to oil companies in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, D.C. on March 29, 2012. UPI/Kevin Dietsch

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Published: March. 30, 2012 at 1:49 AM

WASHINGTON, March 30 (UPI) -- U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., allowed quick confirmation Thursday of 60 of President Barack Obama's nominees.

In return, McConnell said he got a guarantee from the White House that Obama will make no recess appointments while Congress is on its Easter break, Politico reported.

Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., was able to hold voice votes to get rid of a backlog of pending nominations. Those confirmed included Thomas Hoenig and Martin J. Gruenberg, who were placed on the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. board, two nominees to the Federal Trade Commission and ambassadors to Haiti, Libya and Uruguay.

"This is the result of a successful discussion among the majority leader, the White House and myself," McConnell said. "I want to say to my friend, the majority leader, this is the way we ought to be conducting business here. I think it was a successful negotiation."

Obama made several major recess appointments in January. Republicans argued he violated the Constitution since the Senate was technically in session.

Topics: Mitch McConnell, Barack Obama, Harry Reid, Thomas Hoenig

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