Sen. Chuck Grassley, a senior member and former chairman and ranking member of the Finance Committee, today made the following comment on the Democrats’ decision to boycott a committee meeting today to consider President Trump’s nominees to lead the Treasury Department and Department of Health and Human Services.
“I’m disappointed by these actions. Denying this committee the opportunity to consider two nominees for the President’s cabinet is something I haven’t seen in my years on the committee. The Finance Committee has a long tradition of collegiality and bipartisanship. It’s something I worked to uphold as both chairman and ranking member. When President Obama was elected in 2008, many on the Republican side were disappointed, but we didn’t block the committee from doing business. A hearing for Treasury secretary nominee Timothy Geithner was held the day after President Obama’s inauguration. Within 24 hours of that hearing, the Committee once again met to report the nomination to the floor. I voted against Secretary Geithner, as did several other Republican members. But we showed up and allowed the committee to conduct its business quickly, without obstruction. It’s sad to see the bipartisan tradition of the Finance Committee threatened. The tradition allowed the committee to take on important issues in the past, and it’s needed for the committee to function going forward.”
