Stop secret holds

Dear Friend,

Right now we are facing one of the biggest threats to Senate progress, and, frankly, to democratic Senate elections we've ever faced: Secrecy.

In the next few weeks, the Senate will likely vote on its rules, and whether to stop secret holds. And, as you can imagine, there are many who want to see it fail -- especially all of those who have benefited from the clandestine sabotage we're trying to stop.

Those senators who are still undecided need a push -- and we need you to help us give it to them. And we don't have any time to lose.

Add your name to our call to pass the "Stop Secret Holds" bill. If we can demonstrate overwhelming grassroots support for this bill, we can overcome those who are aligned against us.

The use of "anonymous holds," the arcane procedure that allows a single senator to secretly torpedo any piece of legislation, has skyrocketed in the last few years. And with its rise, our ability to pass strong legislation -- and hold senators accountable for their actions -- has nosedived.

The bill would end this practice by taking the "secret" out of secret holds by requiring every senator who puts a hold on legislation to come out in the open and identify themselves.

Senators who want to hide something are using secret holds at an unprecedented rate. And it is costing us all in very concrete and specific ways.

Click here to visit StopSecretHolds.com, and see half a dozen real-world examples where secret holds have cost us in the last decade. When you see these, you'll see why we need to take action.

These anonymous holds are endangering our ability to get urgently needed legislation through the Senate. But, even more importantly, the practice endangers the very basis of our representative democracy.

In politics, your record is the report card voters use to choose their representatives. If senators are allowed to continue to avoid public scrutiny, we can't hold them accountable. And without accountability, democracy fails.

The era of Senate secret holds must end -- and end now. The American people simply can't wait any longer to know which of their representatives are holding up pieces of legislation.

Join us, and thousands of grassroots supporters: Join the call to pass the "Stop Secret Holds" bill -- sign your name now.

Thank you for your help. Together we can make our democracy stronger, break through the logjam that is blocking progress, and start insisting on transparent accountability.

We're glad you're with us in this fight.

Sincerely,

Claire McCaskill
U.S. Senator
Dick Durbin
U.S. Senator
Sheldon Whitehouse
U.S. Senator

Paid for by McCaskill for Missouri 2012

Paid for by Friends of Dick Durbin

Paid for by Whitehouse for Senate

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