shipp michael a. shipp of new jersey to be united states district judge. mr. leahy: i ask unanimous consent that the cloture motion be withdrawn and that there be time equally divided between now and the hour of 5:30 for debate by the usual form, that upon the use or yielding back of time the senate proceed to vote without intervening action or debate of the nomination, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate, and no further motions be in order, that any related statements be printed in the record, that the president be immediately notified of the senate's action and the senate then resume legislative session. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. leahy: now, mr. president would it always be that easy. i thank the distinguished presiding officer, distinguished for not only his service here in the senate but as governor of one of the most beautiful states -- one of the most beautiful states in the union. mr. president, before we begin, so many others have said this, it would be impossible

more appreciative if the minority republicans were also allowing a vote on the nomination of michael shipp for another vacancy in the same federal court in new jersey who was also voted out of the judiciary committee unanimously three months ago. i'm sure they would be even more appreciative if senate republicans would allow a vote on the nomination of judge patty shwartz to fill the vacancy of the third circuit court of appeals who was voted out of the judiciary committee more than four months ago and has the support of the senators from new jersey as well as republican governor chris christy. it's ironic because the efforts to stall votes on judicial nominees was significant -- with significant bipartisan support is all to the detriment of the american people. it's been a -- there have been tactics, there have been delays for the last three and a half years despite repeated appeals, bipartisan appeals urging them to work with us to help solve the judicial vacancy crisis. i have been here in the time of president ford, president carter, president reagan, president george h.w. bush, presid

further, that the cloture vote on the shipp nomination be at 5:30 on monday. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. reid: the next roll call vote, mr. president, will be at 5:30 on monday. if there's no further business to come before the senate, i ask it adjourn under the previous order. the presiding officer: the senate stands adjourned until senate stands adjourned until >> republican sponsored bill that would've cut taxes and jobs for the u.s. the bill sponsored by michigan democrat, debbie stabenow would've also denied tax deductions for business expenses occurred from outsourcing jobs. senate democrats spoke about that bill another upcoming items on the senate agenda at a news conference today on capitol hill. >> we in recent days have put forward three pieces of legislation to help the middle class. every one of them to republicans, they block. dealing with small business to give them a tax break. a bill to extend middle-class tax cuts for 98% of americans. and now, they're blocking us from even debating the bill that stops companies spread shipp

reestablishing the defensive perimeter -- i saw that he was reestablishing the defensive perimeter are ron shipp. you could tell there was an attack. the explosion had blown metal into the ship, nothing was pointed out word. there were four or drafts. it turns out, the to garbage barges had left at about 11:15. what we did not know was that al qaeda had been in that port for a number of months observing navy ships. the third barge masqueraded as the garbage barge. we were operating under peacetime rules of engagement. it did not exhibit a hostile intent. people thought it was the third garbage barge. it came down the side of the ship. it came to the exact same spot in the middle of the ship where the previous board had been. >> you say in your book that the guys smiled and then blew themselves up. what kind of people are they? >> you are seeing a very dedicated and focused enemy. they will stop at nothing to further their ideology, to try to get -- you have to remember what osama bin laden's entire declaration of war sad. he wanted all u.s. forces out of the middle east. >> i want to jump to 9/1

simon marks and chris shipp of itv. just tell me what is going on here.eople and their special relations with the brits, the british, causing trouble, and why are the british just jumping on this guy -- i don't know how to describe it. how do you describe it? >> chris, there is

simon marks and chris shipp of itv. just tell me what is going on here. why are the american people and their special relations with the brits, the british, causing trouble, and why are the british just jumping on this guy -- i don't know how to describe it. how do you describe it? >> chris, there is no question that there is nothing the british core enjoys more than having fresh meat to savage, particularly if that fresh meat happens to be a presidential candidate from the united states. i think mitt romney, and equally his team misread some of the very british tea leaves that existed going into this trip to london. there had been an enormous amount of moaning and whining about the olympics by ordinary brits over the course of the last several weeks. but the mayor of london, boris johnson, himself a conservative said to everybody about a week ago, it's time to put a sock in it. largely brits listened to that. but mitt did not. >> well we love boris johnson. i think i look like the guy anyway, so i like him a lot. let me ask you, chris. what do you think

the next vote will be monday in relation to the nomination of michael shipp. mr. mccain: madam president? the presiding officer: the senator from arizona. mr. mccain: i thank the distinguished majority leader and urge him however possible to bring up the defense authorization bill, which i hope we can do sooner rather than later, as we have done for the last 50 years. i thank the majority leader. mr. reid: madam president, if i can respond to my friend, i had a long conversation yesterday with the chairman of the committee who we're working with and the ranking member is senator mccain. i understand the importance of the legislation. i know senator mccain is working on that to try to narrow the focus of what we will do when we get on that bill. we will get on it. it's only a question of when. mr. mccain: i thank the majority leader. i would just like to mention to my friend from connecticut as we continue this colloquy. there is another aspect of this i would appreciate comments on. we all agree that bashar assad will go. we know that. now, the question is, how ma