Tom Udall: “One of the things that happens--and we have seen a lot of this--we know some Senator is objecting, for example, to a…”

“One of the things that happens--and we have seen a lot of this--we know some Senator is objecting, for example, to a nomination, a high nomination in an executive department and does it secretly so we do not know on the Senate floor, the press who covers this does not have an idea, and the people do not know. Then, the same Senator goes to the department and negotiates policy, national policy about a particular issue that concerns the whole Nation, all our States, and tries to get an agreement, a backroom deal and an agreement. That is not the way we should be doing business, and that is why this very simple proposal: 'No Senator may object on behalf of another Senator without disclosing the name of the Senator.' You own the hold.”