Circuit
このCircuitは名称ですが（United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit）、こうした意味で用いられることは知りませんでした。歴史的な臭いもプンプンします。ただの直感ですが、circuitにある「巡回地区」という意味から来たものでしょうか。
それにしても両院の対立はますます激しくなっているようです。２月がコワイ！（UG）
Senate Republicans Block Two Obama Nominees
Senate Republicans on Thursday blocked the confirmation of two of President Obama’s nominees, one to a powerful appeals court and another to a housing lending oversight post, setting up a confrontation with Democrats that could escalate into a larger fight over limiting the filibuster and restricting how far the minority party can go to thwart a president’s agenda.
The Senate voted 55 to 38 to move forward with the the nomination of Patricia Ann Millett to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, four votes short of the 60 required to break the Republican filibuster.
The vote to advance the nomination of Representative Mel Watt, Democrat of North Carolina, to become the head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency was 56 to 42, four votes short. Forty one Republicans opposed Mr. Watt, two supported him.
