NEWS
By Janet Hook and Janet Hook,Tribune Washington Bureau | January 21, 2009
WASHINGTON - The Senate, acting within hours of President Barack Obama's inauguration, confirmed six of his Cabinet secretaries and his budget director, but postponed for one day a vote on the nomination of Hillary Clinton as secretary of state. Sen. John Cornyn, a Texas Republican, had objected to approving Clinton's nomination by voice vote - as the other nominees were yesterday - because he said he had continuing concerns about potential conflicts arising from foreign donations to the foundation of her husband, former President Bill Clinton.
NEWS
By Nicole Fuller and Nicole Fuller,SUN REPORTER | April 17, 2007
In a unanimous voice vote last night, about 50 of the city Fire Department's top brass said they had no confidence in embattled Chief William J. Goodwin Jr. The call by members of the Baltimore Fire Officers' Union, representing 325 lieutenants, captains and battalion chiefs, follows a similar voice vote for the chief to step down by the union for 1,300 rank-and-file firefighters. Goodwin has faced an onslaught of criticism since a live-fire training exercise at a vacant Baltimore rowhouse on Feb. 9 burned out of control and claimed the life of fire cadet Racheal M. Wilson.
NEWS
By RICHARD B. SCHMITT and RICHARD B. SCHMITT,LOS ANGELES TIMES | June 17, 2006
WASHINGTON -- The House voted yesterday to strip Democratic Rep. William J. Jefferson of Louisiana of a powerful committee assignment, while an effort by the embattled Democrat to fight a search of his Capitol Hill office ran into a skeptical federal judge. The voice vote - without debate or dissent - to expel Jefferson from the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee appears to be the first time the House has taken such a step against a member who has not been charged with a crime. The vote against Jefferson, who is the target of a federal bribery investigation, was infused with issues of race and election-year politics, as well as the reality of Justice Department investigations that have snagged members of both parties.
NEWS
By Clarence Page | June 28, 2005
WASHINGTON - "The past is never dead," William Faulkner once wrote. "It's not even past." Senate leaders found that out the hard way when they decided to take up a piece of long-unfinished business, a Senate apology for failing to outlaw lynching. Even in this enlightened era of Oprah and Obama, the dawn of America's most tolerant, egalitarian multiracial and multicultural century, even the august Senate has no easy time coming to grips with its troubled racial past. The resolution, sponsored by Democrat Mary L. Landrieu of Louisiana and Republican George Allen of Virginia, apologizes to "the victims of lynching and the descendants of those victims for the failure of the Senate to enact anti-lynching legislation."
NEWS
By Kim Murphy and Kim Murphy,LOS ANGELES TIMES | December 27, 2003
MOSCOW - Opposition politicians armed with sirens and megaphones blocked all action in Ukraine's parliament for the fourth consecutive day yesterday in a tense standoff over constitutional reforms that would phase out general elections for president and instead charge parliament with selecting a head of state. Calling the proposal an attempt by Ukraine's ruling powers to hold on to control of the country, opposition leaders physically blocked access to the rostrum in parliament and threatened to launch public protests over the reform measure, adopted by voice vote.
NEWS
By NEW YORK TIMES NEWS SERVICE | November 15, 2002
WASHINGTON - The Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee engaged in an odd voting maneuver yesterday that signaled their disapproval of one of President Bush's judicial nominees even as they cleared the way for his confirmation. They first allowed the nominee, Judge Dennis Shedd, to be approved by a voice vote. Then, one by one, each of the Democrats present asked to be recorded as having voted against him. Senate Democratic leaders decided not to impede the Shedd nomination, and one other, in recognition that they would be approved anyway when the Republicans take over in January and to enhance their credibility when they oppose other nominees.