the question is is it the sense of the senate that debate on the nomination of norman l. eisen of the district of columbia to be ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of the united states to the czech republic shall be brought to a close. the yeas and nays are mandatory. under the rule, the clerk will call the roll. mr. kerry: mr. president, i would simply ask unanimous consent before the clerk calls the roll, that before the aponte vote, there be two minutes equally divided of debate. the presiding officer: is there objection? seeing none, without any objection, it is granted. mr. kerry: i thank the chair. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. vote: vote: vote: the presiding officer: are there any senators wishing to vote or change their vote? if not, on this vote, the yeas are 70, the nays are 16. three-fifths of the senators duly chosen and sworn having voted in the affirmative, the motion is agreed to. the presiding officer: under the previous order, the question occurs on the nomination. mr. kerry: were the yeas and nays ordered? i would ask we have a

the clerk: nomination, department of state,the norman l. eisen of the district of columbia to be be ambassador to the czech republic. cloture motion. we, the undersigned senators hereby move to bring to a close the debate on the nomination of norman l. eisen of the district of columbia to be ambassador to the czech republic, signed by 17 senators. mr. reid: i ask unanimous consent the names not be read. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. the clerk: nomination, department of state, maury aponte of the district of columbia to be ambassador to the republic of el salvador. cloture motion, we the undersigned senators in accordance with provisions of rule 22 of the standing rules of the senate hereby move to bring to a vote the nomination of carmen aponte to be ambassador to el salvador signed by 17 senators. mr. reid: madam president, i ask that reading of the names not be necessary. i ask unanimous consent that the mandatory quorum call under rule 2 be waived. and that on monday, december 12, at 4:30 p.m., senate proceed to executive sessi

the clerk: nominations, department of state, norman l. eisen of the district of columbia to be ambassador extraordinary of the united states of america to the czech republic. mari carmen aponte of the district of columbia to be ambassador extraordinary of the united states of america to the republic of el salvador. the presiding officer: under the previous order there will be one hour of debate equally divided in the usual form. the senator from iowa. mr. grassley: the president announced mr. eisen's nomination to be ambassador to the czech republic on june 28, 2010. on september 20, 2010, i provided public notice of my intention to object to the nomination. in other words, as i always do when i put a hold on something, a bill or nomination, i put a reason in the congressional record so that everybody knows that it's me, i'm not a secret holds guy. the reason for my objection is not related to the substance of his duty as ambassador. i objected to his nomination because of the way mr. eisen handled the controversial firing of gerald walpen and