dana. >> dana: american businessman paul whalen assaulted by a fellow inmate in a labor camp. s serving a 16 year sentence for espionage charges that he denies and our government denies. his family says whalen is a target in prison because he is an american. paul whalen's brother, david, joins us now. i understand he was working at a sewing table when this happened, david. >> yes, very much like the one that you just showed the clip sitting at a sewing machine trying to get his work done and asked another -- another inmate to move out of the way to paul so complete what he was doing and he was punched in the face. >> there was an attempt to hit him a second time. i understand paul stood up to block the second hit. how did you find out about this and do you know how he is doing today? >> paul is able to speak to our parents in 15-minute phone calls once a day. after this happened he let our friends know and parents know and they communicated it to the state department. he is worried as that video clip showed there are sharp shears in that room. metal they used for cutting thread

paul lansalota, captain joshua lasky, captain donald marks, captain craig mattingly, captain andrew t. miller, captain lincoln m. rifestick, captain frank rhodes iv, captain thomas schultz, captain todd whalencaptain forest o. young. the presiding officer: is there an objection? mr. tuberville: mr. president. the presiding officer: the senator from alabama. mr. tuberville: i object. the presiding officer: the objection is heard. mr. kaine: mr. president, i ask to make the same request with respect to calendar item 98 to be rear admiral lower half, captain julie m. trainer. the presiding officer: is there an objection? mr. tuberville: mr. president. the presiding officer: the senator from alabama. mr. tuberville: i object. the presiding officer: the objection is heard. mr. kaine: mr. president, ski that it be in order to make the same request with respect to calendar item 99, two individuals nominated to be rear admiral, casey j. moten and rear admiral stephen tetford. the presiding officer: is there an objection? mr. tuberville: mr. president. the presiding officer: the senator from alabama. mr. tuberville: i objects. the presiding officer: the objection is heard. mr. kaine: i make the same