Congressman John Garamendi (D-Walnut Creek, CA) today issued the following statement after President Barack Obama announced 15 recess appointments to various federal agencies:
"Republican Senators have held up 77 nominees critical to the functioning of government. Our colleagues on the other side of the aisle have no interest in working with Democrats to help the American people, and if they refuse to give the President's nominees an up-or-down vote, what other choice did he have? In the case of Craig Becker's appointment to the National Labor Relations Board, there are hundreds of complaints left unresolved at the NLRB because Republican obstructionism has denied the board a quorum. At some point, in this toxic partisan environment, if Democrats are going to accomplish anything, we have to go it alone. I hope that Republicans will decide to work with us again in the future."