Byron Dorgan: “In the summer of 1991, we had 110 vacancies in the Federal courts. That has now been reduced to 47 vacancies. Why is…”

“In the summer of 1991, we had 110 vacancies in the Federal courts. That has now been reduced to 47 vacancies. Why is that the case? Because we have been processing nominations from the White House for Federal judgeships and approving new Federal judges for lifetime appointments. We have voted. We have had votes on 123 of President Bush's Federal judges who have been confirmed. I have voted for 120 of the 123. Incidentally, of those 123, 2 of them were North Dakota Federal judges. I recognized that the openings in the Fargo and the Bismarck district would be filled by President Bush, would be filled by Republicans. The process worked the way it should work and the way I believe it should always work in that circumstance; that is, the White House and Senator Conrad and I worked together to find candidates, a list of qualified candidates in North Dakota from which the President would select.”