Senate Republicans are decrying Democrats' elimination of the filibuster for many nominees and are suggesting they may use alternative tactics to push back against the majority's efforts to speed the confirmation of a handful of nominees, including those tapped to lead EPA's research office and serve as its chief financial officer. Sen. David Vitter (R-LA), the environment committee's ranking Republican, has already acted to delay confirmation of Victoria Baecher Wassmer to serve as EPA's chief financial officer, forcing Democrats to hold a hearing on what was originally a "privileged" nomination for which a hearing was not required. The delay in confirmation for Wassmer and two other pending EPA nominees, Tom Burke to serve as EPA's assistant administrator for research and Ken Kopocis to serve as EPA's assistant administrator for water, has punted the confirmations into 2014, when the administration will have to renominate the candidates during the 113th Congress's second session and Democrats may have to hold additional hearings on their nominations.
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