Chuck Grassley: “today I am submitting, along with my colleague Senator Wyden, a Senate resolution to amend the Senate rules to eliminate…”

“today I am submitting, along with my colleague Senator Wyden, a Senate resolution to amend the Senate rules to eliminate secret holds. I know Senators are familiar with the practice of placing holds on matters to come before the Senate. Holds derive from the rules and traditions of the Senate. In order for the Senate to run smoothly, objections to unanimous consent agreements must be avoided. Essentially, a hold is a notice by a Senator to his or her party leader of an intention to object to bringing a bill or nomination to the floor for consideration. This effectively prevents the Senate leadership from attempting to bring the matter before the Senate. A Senator might place a hold on a piece of legislation or a nomination because of legitimate concerns about that legislation or nomination. However, there is no legitimate reason why a Senator placing a hold on a matter should remain anonymous. I believe in the principle of open government. Lack of transparency in the public policy process leads to cynicism and distrust of public officials. I would maintain that the use of secret holds damages public confidence in the institution of the Senate.”