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Scuttlebutt Has It That A Hold Has Been Placed On the Nomination of Jon Jarvis as National Park Service Director

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By Kurt Repanshek - August 8th, 2009

There's scuttlebutt going around that the Senate never got to vote on Jon Jarvis's nomination as director of the National Park Service this week because one senator placed a "hold" on his nomination.

Since senators can do this quite anonymously, it's not easy to find out which one did the deed, which often is used as a ploy by the senator in question to get something he wants from the administration.

What some are saying is that the senator in question is none other than Sen. Tom Coburn, a Republican from Oklahoma who was behind the move to change Park Service regulations pertaining to carrying concealed weapons in the parks. Apparently, Sen. Coburn was livid when he realized that the rule change wasn't immediate and would not take effect until next February.

Whether he indeed placed the hold on Mr. Jarvis as retaliation -- even though the delay was specifically outlined in the legislation that he amended to make the change -- is hard to know. But it certainly sounds like the good doctor has some motivation.

Comments

Submitted by Bill Wade on August 8, 2009 - 5:13pm.

We've heard the same thing, and to make Senator Coburn even more of an aggravating so-and-so, we've heard that the hold has nothing to do with guns, with Jarvis or even with the NPS, but has something to do with border security issues. Since Coburn held the credit card right legislation with his guns amendment, it's not out of the question he's holding the Jarvis confirmation hostage for some other pet-scheme he's pushing.

Bill Wade
Chair, Executive Council
Coalition of National Park Service Retirees


Submitted by admin on August 8, 2009 - 10:15pm.

Makes you want to move to OK just to vote against him!


Submitted by admin on August 10, 2009 - 11:18am.

Read more about Dr. No and his (in)famous use of the hold: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/28/washington/28coburn.html


Submitted by admin on August 11, 2009 - 9:32am.

Frank, Beamis, et al:

The LA Time recently published an article you might be interested in:
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-ellis9-2009aug09,0,...

"From the very beginning of our national history, Americans have been arguing about the proper role of government. Put succinctly, the dispute is between those who regard government as "them" and those who see it as "us."...."


Submitted by admin on August 11, 2009 - 1:41pm.

All of the above rhetorical back and forth is nice to debate, but the bottom line is that Jarvis will be an excellent head for the NPS, that the 'hold' has nothing to do with him as an individual but is just a procedural power play, and this nonsense needs to stop.

Surely there is leverage we can apply to these mouthbreathers to get Jon Jarvis confirmed.


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