[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 23 (Monday, February 13, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Pages S554-S559]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          LEGISLATIVE SESSION

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                            MORNING BUSINESS

  Mr. LEAHY. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
resume legislative session and proceed to a period of morning business, 
with Senators permitted to speak for up to 10 minutes each; further, 
that the time postcloture count during morning business and any recess 
or adjournment of the Senate.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection? The Senator from Florida.
  Mr. NELSON of Florida. Reserving the right to object, and obviously I 
am not going to object, but I want to say to the Senate that this is an 
example--89 to 5--that debate has been cut off on a nomination that has 
the bipartisan support of Senator Rubio and myself of a judge from 
Florida. One Senator was holding up the works in that he would not 
agree to the consent that you dismiss the 30 hours of debate. That is 
now causing us to delay this action. Is it any wonder, I ask the 
distinguished chairman of the Judiciary Committee, that we cannot get 
things done around here when we see this kind of action even given this 
kind of bipartisan support of a judge?
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Vermont.
  Mr. LEAHY. Madam President, I have been here for 37 years. I could 
not agree more with the distinguished senior Senator from Florida. He 
notes that 4 months ago, when Judge Adelberto Jordan came out of the 
Senate Judiciary Committee with every single Republican and every 
single Democrat voting for him, after the work done by the 
distinguished senior Senator from Florida and his colleague from 
Florida, the Senator from Florida, Mr. Nelson, made a commitment that 
every single Democrat would vote for this Cuban American immediately. 
Four months later, having had the cloture vote the Senator from Florida 
just mentioned--there was overwhelming support for him--he is still 
being held up. This is beneath the Senate of the United States of 
America. I agree with the Senator from Florida.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from California.
  Mrs. BOXER. Madam President, do we have a unanimous consent request 
pending after the vote?

[[Page S559]]

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. A unanimous consent request is pending. Is 
there objection to the request?
  Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The Senator from California.

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