[Peace-discuss] Fw: Stop secret holds in Senate (Durbin)

Wed Sep 15 14:33:58 CDT 2010

--- On Wed, 9/15/10, Dick Durbin <info at dickdurbin.com> wrote:

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    Jenifer --

Right now we are facing one of the biggest threats to Senate
progress, and, frankly, to democratic Senate elections we've
ever faced: Secrecy.

As soon as next week, the McCaskill/Wyden/Grassley bill to stop
secret holds is going to the floor for a vote. And, as you can
imagine, there are many who want to see it fail -- especially
all of those who have benefited from the clandestine sabotage
we're trying to stop.

Those senators who are still undecided need a push -- and we
need you to help us give it to them. And we don't have any time
to lose.

Add
your name to our call to pass the "Stop Secret Holds" bill. If
we can demonstrate overwhelming grassroots support for this
bill, we can overcome those who are aligned against
us.

The use of "anonymous holds," the arcane procedure that allows a
single senator to secretly torpedo any piece of legislation, has
skyrocketed in the last few years. And with its rise, our
ability to pass strong legislation -- and hold senators
accountable for their actions -- has nosedived. 

The bill would end this practice by taking the "secret" out of
secret holds by requiring every senator who puts a hold on
legislation to come out in the open and identify themselves.

Senators who want to hide something are using secret holds at an
unprecedented rate. And it is costing us all in very concrete
and specific ways.

Click
here to visit StopSecretHolds.com, and see half a dozen
real-world examples where secret holds have cost us in the last
decade. When you see these, you'll see why we need to take
action.

These anonymous holds are endangering our ability to get
urgently needed legislation through the Senate. But, even more
importantly, the practice endangers the very basis of our
representative democracy.

In politics, your record is the report card voters use to choose
their representatives. If senators are allowed to continue to
avoid public scrutiny, we can't hold them accountable. And
without accountability, democracy fails.

The era of Senate secret holds must end -- and end now. The
American people simply can't wait any longer to know which of
their representatives are holding up pieces of legislation.

Sixty-nine senators have signed the McCaskill letter pledging
not to use secret holds themselves and supporting the end of the
practice. But pledges can be broken -- laws can't. We need this
bill passed.

Join
us, and thousands of grassroots supporters: Join the call to
pass the "Stop Secret Holds" bill -- sign your name now.

Thank you for your help. Together we can make our democracy
stronger, break through the logjam that is blocking progress,
and start insisting on transparent accountability.

We're glad you're with us in this fight. 

Sincerely, 

            Dick Durbin

            U.S. Senator

            Claire McCaskill

            U.S. Senator

            Sheldon Whitehouse

            U.S. Senator

P.S. Time is not on our side -- our colleagues, Senators Wyden
and Grassley, have been working to stop secret holds for almost
a decade -- and now is our best chance yet. It also might be our
last chance for a long time. We need to make sure this vote goes
through and that this bill passes. Please
add your voice to the call now -- help us make sure this finally
happens.

Visit
DickDurbin.com

Paid for by Friends of Dick
Durbin

Paid for by McCaskill for Missouri 2012

Paid for by Whitehouse for
Senate

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