mrs. mccaskill: mr.president? the presiding officer: the senator from missouri. mrs. mccaskill: mr. president, i rise this morning in the cause of common sense in how the senate works. we have had so many delays on nominations this year, just as a quick review of where we stand, we've had over 51 roll call votes on president obama's nominations to serve in government under his presidency. of those 51 votes, over 80% of them were by overwhelming margins, yet they sat on the calendar for more than three months on average. overwhelming support, sitting on the calendar for three months on average. for comparison here, at the similar point in the bush administration, there were eight nominees on the calendar. right now we have 107 nominees on the calendar. as i look at the list, i am confused because most of the people on the list, we don't know why they're sitting there. we don't know who's making them sit there. enter stage left, the anonymous hold. or as i like to call it, nobody can blame me because they

mr. president, i yield the floor. ms. mccaskill: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator mo is h recognized. ms. mccaskill: mr. president you i ask unanimous consent to speak as if in morning business. the presiding officer: without objection, so ordered. ms. mccaskill: you know, mr. president, i know that someone is going to be able to use the fig leaf and stand behind the argument that the amendment that was offered at the very last moment this afternoon was about something they cared about and that it's something that we need to vote on. and it is a subject matter that we care about, that we need to work on, but, really, it's pretty transparent what's going on here. that at the very last moment, when all of a sudden we were this close for everyone having to go on record about secret holds, that someone shot it out of the sky like a clay pigeon, and that's what this amendment did. now, -- so the argument is, well, you know, the wyden-grassley amendment on secret holds isn't really about financial reform bill. why does it get a chance to

mrs. mccaskill: first, let me say how grateful i am to senator cornyn for his patience. i will try to be very, very brief. i know he is waiting to address the underlying bill. i think that's everything that's been said -- that needs to be said has been said. i do -- i'll be interested in this vote. because there are a group of people right now that voted for a rule that simply said you've got to disclose your secret holds if a certain procedure takes place. and there's a bunch of people that voted for that that aren't doing it. i don't know how that computes. -- computes in the mind of a united states senate. i don't know how you vote for a rule that requires you to disclose and then you knowingly continue to keep a hold secret. i had a colleague tell me the other day that they had talked to a colleague across the aisle about a couple of judges that they desperately wanted to get released from the land of secret holds, and this colleague visited with a republican about it and the republican told her, well, the leader says he's got to get something for it. you've got to g

mr. chairman. and thanks to senator mccaskill for holding a special hearing on the tragedy that has taken place ine gulf of mexico. while i think it is clear to many of us that the mystical production is critical to our national security, so is the safety of our domestic oil production. that is what we are here to talk about. it is imperative that we get some answers as to what happened, what the response has been, and how another accident like this one in the gulf can be prevented. we appreciate you gentleman being here with us today to help answer those questions. we appreciate your expertise. i don't know how many of my questions have been addressed because i was absent for a little while. for public like to ask dr. beck. use of the valves were operated by hydraulic pressure and applying that pressure at a water depth of 5,000 feet can be very complicated and is an engineering marvel. what are the differences in how blowout preventers are installed and tested as well as operated at deep water levels? do you believe the blowout preventers are any less reliable in deep water than shallow water? >

mccaskill, lautenberg, menendez, burris and begich. and i hope that more will join us in cosponsoring this amendment and vote for it when it comes up for a vote. mr. president, i want to thank you for your attention and interest for your support. i yield the -- mr. president, i would ask unanimous consent that the senate proceed to executive session to consider en bloc the following nominations on the executive calendar numbers 832, 833, 834, and 835. that the nominations be confirmed en bloc, the motion to reconsider be laid on the table be considered made and laid upon the table en bloc, any statements relating to the nomination appear at the appropriate place in the record as if read, the president be immediately notified of the senate's action and the senate then resume legislative session. the presiding officer: without objection. the senate will stand adjourned until trsday, 9:30 a.m., may >> more cameras. good afternoon, welcome to the department of state. a number of things to talk about before taking your questions. obviously, we at department of state continue to do everything we can in support of the ongoing investigation of the attemp

mr. president, has wide and growing support both with consumer groups and legislators of all political persuasions. i want to thank senators bond, brown of massachusetts, brown of ohio, hagan, levin, lieberman, mccaskillward putting consumers back in control of their finances by offering americans annual access to their credit score when they access their free annual credit report. mr. president, i want to clarify here because this is what's important about this amendment. a credit report tells consumers what outstanding credit accounts they have open like student loans, credit cards, even perhaps a car or a home loan. unfortunately, it tells americans little else. your credit score, on the other hand, which our legislation makes available, has the critical information that consumers need to know. a credit score affects consumers' interest rates, monthly payments on home loans and could be the difference between whether a child is able to afford college or not. credit scores even affect a consumer's ability to buy a car, rent an apartment and get a phone or even internet service. in 2003, congress enacted legislation requiring the three major consumer credit reporting agencies to provide a free annual