Republicans Forced to Delay Senate Committee Votes on Price, Mnuchin

Republicans Forced to Delay Senate Committee Votes on Price, Mnuchin
Steven Mnuchin, national finance chairman of President-elect Donald Trump's campaign, walks to lunch at Trump Tower in New York on Nov. 29, 2016. AP Photo/Evan Vucci
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Democrats blocked planned Senate committee votes on President Donald Trump’s picks to be Health and Treasury secretaries on Tuesday, boycotting the session and demanding more information on the two nominees’ past financial behavior.

The extraordinary and abrupt postponement came as congressional Democrats, in a confrontational mood over Trump administration actions, also used lengthy speeches at a Senate Judiciary Committee meeting considering Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., to be attorney general.

At another committee, lawmakers voted to send Trump’s pick to head the Education Department, Betsy DeVos, to the full Senate for a vote.

In a hastily called briefing for reporters, Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee said they would not attend the panel’s planned votes until they could ask more questions about Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga., the health nominee and Steve Mnuchin, Trump’s Treasury selection, who they said had misled Congress about their backgrounds.

The Democrats’ action prevented the Finance panel from acting because under committee rules, 13 of its members—including at least one Democrat—must be present for votes.

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Nominee Rep. Tom Price (R-GA) testifies during his confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. on Jan. 17, 2017. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Nominee Rep. Tom Price (R-GA) testifies during his confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. on Jan. 17, 2017. Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images