Senate nomination pact averts meltdown — for now

July 17, 2013 at 10:57a.m.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A bipartisan Senate pact has smoothed the confirmation path for a batch of President Barack Obama’s nominations and removed, for now, a Democratic threat to impose procedural changes weakening minority Republicans’ clout. Yet there are no guarantees that the conflict won’t flare anew the next time a White House appointment stirs controversy. A day after both parties celebrated an agreement averting a bitter fight over Senate rules, the chamber planned to vote today on one of Obama’s picks, Fred Hochberg to be president of the Export-Import Bank.