WASHINGTON - President Bush vented frustration anew Saturday over the Senate's failure to vote on more than 180 of his nominations, including more than two dozen to the federal bench.

"Some have been waiting for more than a year," said Bush, who invited many of the nominees to the White House for an event on Thursday. "As a result, careers have been put on hold, families have been placed in limbo and our government has been deprived of the service of these fine nominees."

Democrats counter that Bush is equally responsible for the stalemate between the White House and Capitol Hill over presidential nominees to lead government agencies, preside over U.S. courts and serve on commissions. They say that in some cases, Bush has nominated people who have no chance of being approved by a Democratic-led Congress.

Bush cited Senate delays in voting on 28 of his federal judicial nominees.

"Three of my nominees for the Court of Appeals have waited nearly 600 days," he said. "These delays are irresponsible, they undermine the cause of justice, and I call on the United States Senate to give these nominees the up-or-down vote they deserve."

The president also mentioned other nominees to the Federal Reserve Board, the Federal Aviation Administration and the Justice Department but didn't mention his nomination of Steven Bradbury for assistant attorney general _ a choice that is especially controversial.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23086027/