Force senators out from the shadows:
Pass the Secret Holds Elimination Act now

Senators with something to hide are using “secret holds” at an unprecedented rate to sabotage legislation and nominations that they don’t want to see the light of day.

Senators Wyden, Grassley, and McCaskill’s bill would take the “secret” out of the secret holds process by forcing senators to identify themselves when they want to stop progress, and could be up for a vote soon. We have to act now.

Help us make sure this bill passes: Add your name to our petition now!

Claire McCaskill
U.S. Senator

Dick Durbin
U.S. Senator

Sheldon Whitehouse
U.S. Senator

How are secret holds a threat to Senate progress?

Secret holds cost us a searchable database of government contacts and grants — a tool that would have given spending transparency, and would have put the spotlight on lobbyist windfalls.1

Secret holds delayed over 120 presidential nominees since President Obama took office.2

Secret holds allowed a sole senator, Richard Shelby of Alabama, to hold 70 nominations hostage earlier this year.3

Secret holds prevented the deciding vote on the Tennessee Valley Authority needed to pass a plan to replace antiquated coal plants.4

Secret holds blocked the confirmation process for the Secretary of Labor from beginning for over a month.5

Secret holds prevented one of the Federal Reserve’s board members from taking his seat — right when we need all hands on deck on our economic issues.6

1Houston Chronicle, 8/23/06; 2NPR News, 6/3/10; 3Washington Post, 2/6/10; 4Chattanooga Times Free Press, 6/6/10; 5Los Angeles Times, 1/24/09; 6Bloomberg Businessweek, 8/6/10

Victory!

On January 27, the U.S. Senate voted to ban secret holds.

Thank you for your help bringing more transparency and openness to our government!

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1-25 of 20926 signatures
Number Date Name
20926 Thu May 03 15:53:40 EDT 2012 Anonymous
20925 Fri Aug 26 15:50:07 EDT 2011 Anonymous
20924 Wed Aug 10 14:11:41 EDT 2011 denise pompl
20923 Wed Aug 10 14:11:39 EDT 2011 denise pompl
20922 Tue Jul 26 18:16:39 EDT 2011 Beth Wood
20921 Tue Jun 07 23:50:37 EDT 2011 jesus martinez
20920 Wed May 25 17:23:19 EDT 2011 Barbara Conger
20919 Wed May 25 15:18:59 EDT 2011 Carol Ryan
20918 Sat May 14 13:25:34 EDT 2011 Constance Berra
20917 Wed Mar 23 13:09:44 EDT 2011 Paul Haider
20916 Sat Mar 19 15:25:55 EDT 2011 Martin Kornbluh
20915 Thu Feb 10 15:43:51 EST 2011 stephen landon
20914 Wed Feb 09 21:55:51 EST 2011 Martin Kornbluh
20913 Sun Feb 06 13:53:48 EST 2011 Susan Ayer
20912 Thu Feb 03 06:20:18 EST 2011 les trebony
20911 Sun Jan 30 08:51:59 EST 2011 Lisa Schulz
20910 Thu Jan 27 20:24:05 EST 2011 kathleen gavan
20909 Thu Jan 27 18:34:18 EST 2011 Tom Corey
20908 Thu Jan 27 18:34:16 EST 2011 Tom Corey
20907 Thu Jan 27 16:57:22 EST 2011 KATHY HINKLE
20906 Thu Jan 27 16:45:27 EST 2011 Noren Kirksey
20905 Thu Jan 27 16:45:26 EST 2011 Noren Kirksey
20904 Thu Jan 27 16:05:42 EST 2011 William Lindsay
20903 Thu Jan 27 16:00:55 EST 2011 Anonymous
20902 Thu Jan 27 12:45:17 EST 2011 Art Quallo
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