Senate Dems accuse GOP of slow-walking Obama nominees
© Haiyun Jiang

Senate Democrats are accusing Republicans of delaying action on President Obama's nominees, pointing to a new report that shows a decline in confirmations under the GOP Senate. 

"The Republican Senate is making history for all the wrong reasons," Minority Leader Harry ReidHarry Mason ReidBottom line Filibuster fight looms if Democrats retake Senate Biden unites Democrats — for now MORE (D-Nev.) said Friday. "They’ve shut down many Americans’ access to the justice system by more than doubling the number of judicial emergencies across the country." 
 
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Reid's office released a report Friday from the Congressional Research Service (CRS) that found that the Senate had confirmed the fewest number of civilian nominees in nearly 30 years. 
 
According to the CRS report, which details confirmation totals since 1987, the current Senate has confirmed a total of 198 civil nominees, including 17 for the judiciary.
 
Democrats have repeatedly knocked Republicans over the pace of nomination votes, particularly on judges. 
 
 
Reid on Friday said that "Republicans’ refusal to do their job has real world consequences, too." 
 
Republicans have defended the pace of nomination votes, saying Obama is being treated fairly. They note Obama has gotten more judges confirmed than President George W. Bush had at the same point in his tenure. 
 
Democrats have made "do your job" a rallying cry as they pressure Republicans to take up Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland. 
 
 
Though the GOP-controlled Senate is lagging behind on nomination confirmations, lawmakers have passed more legislation than the Democratic-controlled Senate did at the same point in the 113th, 112th or 111th congresses. 
 
According to the CRS report, the Senate has passed 230 bills or joint resolutions since January 2015. 
 
Senate leaders have battled back-and-forth over which party deserves credit for the uptick in legislative productivity, with Reid repeatedly saying Democrats have tried to be a "positive" minority. 
 
"Of the things that they’ve passed, the energy bill and the number of things that they’ve been able to get through, because we’re not filibustering," he told reporters during a conference call Thursday.