Abortion Provisions Hold Up Trafficking Bill, Republicans Hold Up Obama's Attorney General in Protest

Jonah Hicap Friday, March 20, 2015

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) holds a news conference after the weekly party caucus policy luncheons at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, on March 10, 2015. | REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has threatened to delay the confirmation vote on Attorney General nominee Loretta Lynch if Democrats continue to block the human trafficking bill, which is being opposed for its supposed anti-abortion provisions.

"We can't pass the trafficking bill right now," McConnell told CNN. "And I wanted to hold a vote on the Attorney General. But if I can't get this bill through first then I'm going to have to delay the confirmation vote."

In response, Democratic Sen. Harry Reid said McConnell should keep his word to bring Lynch's nomination up for vote this week, saying she has been waiting to be confirmed for 127 days already.

"By continuing to stall Lynch's nomination Republicans are failing yet another basic test of their ability to govern," Reid said in a statement.

Democrats last week objected to anti-abortion provisions in the anti-human trafficking bill, according to Reuters.

McConnell insisted that the language had been in the bill all along.

"This will have an impact on the timing of considering a new attorney general," McConnell said. "I had hoped to turn to her next week but if we can't finish the trafficking bill she will be put off again," he warned.

Last month, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted for Lynch to replace Attorney General Eric Holder, a move that would allow her confirmation by the Senate.

Senate Republicans delayed Lynch's nomination last month because of her support to President Obama's executive actions on immigration, which is now a subject of a lawsuit in Texas.

"I think the Attorney General nominee is suffering from the President's actions, there's no question about it," McConnell admitted, according to Reuters.

Senate Republicans are opposing the executive actions, branding them as an "overreach" by the President.

Reid said Lynch is highly qualified for the position of Attorney General. "Lynch's nomination can be brought to the floor at any time," he said. "There is nothing stopping the Senate from confirming Lynch and continuing to debate the trafficking bill this week, except Senator McConnell's unwillingness to bring her nomination up for a vote," he said.