WASHINGTON, April 15 (UPI) -- Sen. Thomas Carper, D-Del., has placed a hold on the nomination of Stephen Johnson to be the new chief of the Environmental Protection Agency.
The move brings the number of Bush White House agency administrator nominations blocked by Senate Democrats to three.
Carper said he supports Johnson, who is currently serving as EPA's acting administrator and is a 25-year career agency scientist, but placed the hold in order to force the agency to provide him with studies he has requested for three years. The studies compare President Bush's "Clear Skies" clean air proposal with other options to reduce emissions of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, mercury and carbon dioxide.
A hold has also been placed on Lester Crawford, Bush's choice to head the Food and Drug Administration, by Sens. Patty Murray, D-Wash., and Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., until the FDA rules on the long-stalled application for the Plan B emergency contraception to be made available over-the-counter.
Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Ind., has placed a hold on the nomination of Rep. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, to become U.S. Trade Representative. Bayh is looking for a guaranteed vote on his legislation making it easier for U.S. manufacturers to seek antidumping duties against Chinese and Vietnamese imports.
