"Senate Republicans continued a campaign to delay confirmation of President Obama’s second-term cabinet nominees on Thursday, blocking a committee vote on Gina McCarthy, the president’s pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency."

"The action came a day after Republicans on the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee threw a wrench in the nomination of Thomas E. Perez to be labor secretary, delaying it for at least a week.

 In both cases, Republican committee members said the nominees had failed to adequately respond to their questions.

The eight Republicans on the Environment and Public Works Committee, led by the ranking member Senator David Vitter of Louisiana, boycotted a committee meeting to protest what they called Ms. McCarthy’s “unresponsive answers” to more than 1,000 written questions about E.P.A. policies and internal practices."
 
John M. Broder reports for the New York Times May 9, 2013. [2]

SEE ALSO:

"Barbara Boxer Reveals EPA Email Aliases During Gina McCarthy Hearing" (AP) [3]

"Republicans Stage Boycott of Obama EPA Nominee Gina McCarthy" (US News & World Report) [4]

"Vitter Leads Boycott of EPA Nominee" (USA TODAY) [5]

"Republicans Boycott Vote on Obama's EPA Pick" (Mother Jones) [6]

"GOP Senators Boycott Vote On McCarthy for EPA" (AP) [7]

"McCarthy's Nomination in Doubt, Angering Democrats" (Politico) [8]

"Republican Senators Boycott Vote On EPA Nominee" (Los Angeles Times) [9]

"Gina McCarthy's EPA Nomination Blocked By Senate Republicans Who Miss Scheduled Vote" (Reuters) [10]

"GOP Throws Tantrum Over Obama’s EPA Nominee" (Grist) [11]

"GOP Forces Gridlock Over Obama’s Nominees for EPA, Labor" (National Journal) [12]