Chuck Schumer: “I commend the former chairman of our committee, Senator Hatch, and Senator Specter for their observations about the…”

“I commend the former chairman of our committee, Senator Hatch, and Senator Specter for their observations about the dilemma in which we find ourselves. Senator Specter and Senator Hatch both received a good deal of criticism from a number of Members on this side of the aisle for moving too many Democratic judges during the period when President Clinton was in the White House and the Republicans were in the majority in the Senate. We should listen to them when they engage in this debate. Senator Specter, in particular, was very sympathetic to moving Democratic nominees out of committee and has offered today to discuss a resolution he is going to submit that I think provides a solid bipartisan way to begin to resolve this dilemma in which we find ourselves. I do want to say something about the Sixth Circuit. The Sixth Circuit is made up of Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee. It is currently 50 percent vacant. It basically cannot function.”