David Thomas: “on the issue we have before us, obviously, we have many things to do. We have met this morning and we have been working…”

“on the issue we have before us, obviously, we have many things to do. We have met this morning and we have been working on an economic stimulus package, which is very necessary and important. We also need to do the ordinary work that is always before the Congress--the appropriations. I continue to hear all the time from the other side of the aisle that we just can't do all these things; we have too much and we can't do these things at the same time. It doesn't mean you have to give up working on the floor on issues such as appropriations. You can go ahead in a committee and do some things with the judiciary and get some of those things out here. In my State, we happen to have four appointees, all of whom were nominated prior to the August recess. None of them has even had hearings. That is a problem with the committee, not a problem on the floor. It is a problem with moving forward. As we move into this matter of internal terrorism, and so on, the U.S. attorneys are going to be very important, as are U.S. marshals. Do we have them? No. There is no reason we don't have to do one or the other. We can do both of them. Frankly, the constant talk that we hear that we didn't do as many when you were in the majority is immaterial, whether that is right or wrong. The fact is, here is where we are, and we have 50-some judges waiting to be approved, with very few in. In the Tenth Circuit, we have 4 vacancies out of 12. There is no movement to do anything about that.”