After days of grasping at procedural hurdles, Democrats held vigil against Betsy DeVos, Mr. Trump’s polarizing nominee for education secretary, and promised to spend the final 24 hours before her confirmation vote Tuesday reiterating their objections. Senator Patty Murray of Washington announced that Democrats would occupy the floor until the vote on Ms. DeVos’s nomination, which is expected around midday on Tuesday. Ms. Murray is the top Democrat on the committee that approved Ms. DeVos along a party-line vote, and one of her most strident opponents. Appearing later at a demonstration outside the Capitol, Ms. Murray urged protesters to pressure Republicans to oppose Ms. DeVos. Senator Chris Van Hollen, Democrat of Maryland, said Ms. DeVos had embraced a philosophy that abandoned poorer families.

Source: New York Times February 07, 2017 01:37 UTC