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GOP Filibusters Obama’s Deputy Interior Nominee By Jessica Brady Roll Call Staff May 13, 2009, 10:49 a.m. PrintE-MailReprintsText SizeLatest News Obama, House Democrats Eye Health Reform Action in July GOP Filibusters Obama’s Deputy Interior Nominee Labor Group Targets Specter in TV Ad Democrats Expect Filibuster of Interior Nominee Reyes Slams Hoekstra Over CIA Document Demand Updated: 11:37 a.m. Senate Republicans were successful Wednesday in blocking the nomination of David Hayes for deputy secretary of the Interior Department, charging the agency didn’t adequately explain its decision to cancel oil and gas leases in Western states. The Senate voted 57-39, three votes...

The Interior Department's Web site links to a page highlighting key officials. It's blank. ... Part of the holdup stems from a clash with Utah's two senators [...]. ... "We have a lot of work to do and some of it is on hold simply because we don't have the personnel confirmed as of this point," Salazar said. ... Sen. Bob Bennett, for one, isn't sure he wants that team in place. Bennett has placed a hold on the nomination of David Hayes to be deputy secretary out of concern about Salazar's decision to pull back on 77 leases for...

Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain today denounced as “highly offensive” remarks about Ronald Reagan made by President Barack Obama’s nominee for the number two spot at the Department of the Interior. At a nomination hearing for David Hayes for deputy secretary of Interior, the former Republican presidential candidate read aloud from an article that Hayes wrote in April 2006 which drew unfavorable comparisons between former President George W. Bush and Reagan.