- WASHINGTON (AFP) - The US
Senate is holding special one man sessions throughout Christmas and the
New Year to prevent President George W. Bush from making appointments without
the approval of the Democratic majority.
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- With the bang of a gavel, Democratic Senator Jim Webb
declared the first session open on Sunday morning before closing it seconds
later, without any of his colleagues present in the hall.
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- The brief ceremony will be repeated every two to three
days until January 18, when lawmakers resume their work after the Christmas
and New Year's holidays.
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- The Democratic majority is staging the move to avoid
any formal recess for Congress extending over several days. A recess would
allow Bush to appoint ambassadors, judges and other top posts without seeking
a Senate confirmation for his nominations.
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- Bush has previously used his authority to avoid drawn-out
political battles with Democratic foes over controversial nominations,
including that of foreign policy hawk John Bolton who was named in 2005
as Washington's UN ambassador during a congressional recess.
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- Bolton stepped down last December, just before the Democrats
assumed control of Congress. The "recess appointments" can last
up to a year.
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- Webb, who is expected to convene four of the 11 scheduled
pro forma sessions, said it was crucial that nominations be vetted by the
senate.
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- "Presidential nominations for important positions
within the Executive Branch should be carefully considered and debated
before the Senate in order to ensure that the most qualified individuals
are serving the American people," Webb said in a statement.
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