The Mobile Press-Register reports that Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL) has issued a "blanket hold," preventing "Senate action on executive branch nominations."
A hold can be overcome with 60 votes, but Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA) was sworn in today, marking the end of the supermajority held by Senate Democrats.
First Read notes the hold is blocking 70 nominations "because (among other things) the administration won't act on an earmark to build an FBI center in his state of Alabama to analyze improvised explosive devices."