Two Democratic senators are saying they will delay a confirmation vote for Susan Bodine, President Donald Trump's pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency's enforcement office.
Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., and Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., expressed concerns to Bodine in a letter about her work with the EPA.
The full Senate has not taken up her nomination, while earlier in September, EPA administrator Scott Pruitt hired Bodine as special counsel to "work closely" with the enforcement office, according to The Hill.
"Your appointment creates the appearance, and perhaps the effect, of circumventing the Senate's constitutional advice and consent responsibility for the position to which you have been nominated," Sheldon and Whitehouse wrote.
"Your improper involvement in EPA enforcement decisions could provide grounds for subjects of EPA actions to challenge the legal validity of those actions in court," the senators said in their letter.
The Democrats said until they get answers from Bodine, they would not agree to requests to shorten debate time to process Bodine's nomination.
Whitehouse and Merkley quoted Bodine in the letter having said she would respond to any member of Congress of either party.
"Now that you are an employee of EPA, we expect you will act on that philosophy," they wrote.
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