77 freshmen tell GOP leaders: No more recess appointments

By Peter Schroeder - 06/16/11 01:42 PM ET

The vast majority of freshman Republicans have told House GOP leaders they should block President Obama from making any future recess appointments.

In a letter sent to Republican leaders Thursday, a group of 77 freshman asked them to take any steps necessary to stifle the chance for recess appointments, including blocking any more recesses for the entirety of the 112th Congress.

"As freshmen, we came to the House of Representatives on a wave of public discontent with the lack of transparency in Washington," the letter stated. "The next logical step in our efforts to restore the public's trust in their government is to prevent further recess appointments."

Rep. Jeff Landry (R-La.), the lawmaker leading the effort, announced the letter was in the works Monday. There are 87 freshmen Republicans in the House.

In response to the letter, Boehner's office was noncommittal.

"Recess appointments are a serious concern and one we'll continue to discuss," said Boehner spokesman Michael Steel.

The freshmen call for Republicans to prevent any future Senate recesses through 2012. They even volunteer their own time to ensure the Congress does not break for more than three days at a time.

Republicans have already blocked one opportunity for the president to make a recess appointment. When the Senate was due to take a weeklong recess over the Memorial Day holiday, Republicans instead forced three pro forma sessions over that time to keep the Senate technically in session.

The fight over presidential nominations has heightened in recent weeks, as Republicans have dug in on several selections they find objectionable.

Nobel Prize-winning economist Peter Diamond finally withdrew his name as a nominee in June to join the Federal Reserve after Republicans blocked his selection three times.

And the fight over who should head the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has led to even more partisan maneuvering. Senate Republicans announced in May they would block any nominee to head the agency unless several changes were made to it. That move ignited a push by some Democrats to have CFPB architect Elizabeth Warren named to the spot via a recess appointment.