and now the second of tonight's quick comments. i'll handle this one. once again, your senate to the high bidder. action on these nominees -- inaction on these nominees is a disservice to the american people enacted by members of the opposing party who choose to block the process for political gain. the year was 2005. the nominees were president bush's. the opposition senators choosing to block the process for political gains were democrats. now another senator is holding up president obama's nominees choosing to block the process for political gain. this other senator has put a blanket hold on 70 to 80 of them from appointees at homeland security to appointees to the department of justice intel division because he wants of all things an earmark. a $35 billion contract for tankers is going to the american firm boeing. this senators is delaying the counterterrorism employees because he wants the contract taken from boeing and given instead to the makers of airbus a firm based in france.