(9/10/09)

US Senate Approves Apointment of Anti To Head OIRA

Today the US Senate approved Cass Sunstein to serve as the head of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA). The OIRA is the bureaucratic door between the White House and regulations from government agencies including the Departments of Interior, Agriculture, the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.Sunstein has repeatedly gone on record  that recreational hunting should be banned, the Second Amendment doesn't include citizens' right to bear arms, and animals rights has legal standing in a court of law.
Of the 63 senators that voted in favor of Sunstein,  22 were members of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus, or 42 percent of that coalition. Both NY senators, Killibrand and Schumer, voted in favor of Sunstein's appointment. While a confirmation vote took place yesterday, it was a formality after the Senate voted to over-ride a hold placed on the nomination by Georgia Senator Johnny Isakson.  It would have taken 40 votes to prevent the confirmation.  Opponents of Sunstein were only able to earn 35.  For the confirmation vote yesterday, which was in essence a formality, there would have had to be 50 no votes. Come next election, sportsmen, gun owners, farmers and ranchers should remember how their elected officials in the Senate voted and act accordingly when they're in the voting booth.