On the recordMay 11, 2016
I thank the Chair. Judicial Nominations Mr. President, the Executive Calendar is sitting here on the table for each Member of the Senate to take a look at. I have renamed it. It is no longer the Executive Calendar; it is the political obituaries. These are men and women who have been nominated to serve in positions of our government, who are excited about the opportunity to be public servants, many of whom have gone through extensive background checks, FBI checks, with staff having taken a look at their resumes, asked hard questions, demanded answers, and put these nominees through hearings. Many went through extensive periods of investigation and hearings and then were reported--20 of them, 20 judicial nominees--by the Senate Judiciary Committee to the floor of the Senate. Were they controversial? No. All 20 came to the floor by unanimous vote. Think about it. Here is a Senate divided--54 Republicans and 46 Democrats--and 20 judicial nominees made it through what I just described to the Executive Calendar of the Senate, Wednesday, May 11, 2016. And there they sit, day after weary day, month after weary month, thinking they might have a chance to serve this Nation but realizing the clock is running out. What do I mean by that? In this Congress we have approved 17 judges--2 circuit judges, those at the appellate level, and 15 at the district level. Twenty still sit on the calendar.…
