By: Steven M. Siros

When the United Senate voted to require only a simple majority to approve cloture motions dealing with nominations for executive agencies and judicial posts (excepting the United States Supreme Court for now), it opened the door for many Obama-appointees to various posts within U.S. EPA. In fact, during a press conference when Senator Reid attempted to justify the Senate's actions, he cited the case of Ken Kopocis, an Obama nominee who had been appointed to head up U.S. EPA's Office of Water. According to Senator Reid, Mr. Kopocis had been waiting for almost 890 days for an up or down vote; Senate Republicans justified their refusal to vote on Mr. Kopocis' nomination because they were opposed to certain policies enacted by U.S. EPA's Office of Water. Other Obama nominees to key U.S. EPA posts that are expected to benefit from this rule change include Thomas Burke (nominated to head up U.S. EPA's Office of Research and Development) and Janet McCabe (presumptive nominiee for U.S. EPA's Office of Air and Radiation). In addition to U.S. EPA posts, the Senate's rule change will also make it easier for President Obama to fill vacant court seats. In fact, shortly after voting to change the rules, Senate Democrats moved to reconsider three nominees to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia that had previously been filibustered by the Senate Republicans.