Republican senators boycotted President Obama's nomination of Gina McCarthy to lead the Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday.

The party's committee members wrote a letter to the committee chairwoman Barbara Boxer claiming the EPA refused requests for further information on McCarthy.

"As you know, all Republicans on our EPW committee have asked EPA to honor five very reasonable and basic requests in conjunction with the nomination of Gina McCarthy which focus on openness and transparency," they wrote. "While you have allowed EPA adequate time to fully respond before and mark-up on the nomination, EPA has stonewalled on four of five categories. Because of this, no Republican member of the committee will attend [Thursday's] mark-up if it is held."

The absence of the Republican committee members left the panel without a quorum, forcing them to reschedule the mark-up.

Committee Chairwoman Barbara Boxer believes that the Republicans are making false accusations because they dislike the Obama administration.

"At this stage, their opposition to even to allowing us to vote shows how outside the mainstream they are, it shows how the obstructionist they are, it shows how their pledge to do better with women voters is false," she said. "How could you have a more qualified woman than Gina McCarthy? This is outrageous. Get out of the fringe lane."

Boxer plans on negotiating an agreement with Republicans to move forward with McCarthy.

President Obama encouraged America to remember the Sandy Hook massacre on Thursday.

During a press conference at The White House, Obama stressed the need for Americans to remember to advocate for change.

"Less than 100 days ago that happened and the entire country was shocked," he said. "And the entire country pledged we would do something about it and that this time we would be different. Shame on us if we've forgotten."

Last December, 20 children and 6 teachers lost their lives at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.

 Watch a clip of Obama's speech(below):

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After President Obama announced his support of gay marriage, his campaign received a huge amount of donations.

Officials refused to give an actual monetary amount on donations, but it is rumored that the campaign garnered $1 million within 90 minutes of his announcement.

Many gay rights supporters have expressed support for Obama's decision.

Dana Perlman, a lawyer, said, "This man has come out 100 percent for our community , and each and every member of the community must now step up and do everything he or she can do to see that he is reelected."

(Source)