Arlen Specter: “finally, a brief comment on judicial nominations. During the course of the 109th Congress, the Senate confirmed two…”

“finally, a brief comment on judicial nominations. During the course of the 109th Congress, the Senate confirmed two Supreme Court Justices, Chief Justice Roberts and Justice Alito, 16 Court of Appeals judges, 35 District Court judges, and 1 Court of International Trade judge. At the close of the 109th Congress, there were 13 District Court nominees on the Executive Calendar, but were held up on a technicality. I am pleased to say that Senator Leahy advised me earlier today he is going to put those 13 nominees on the first executive session of the Judiciary Committee next week, so they will be confirmed. There was no objection raised to them in the last Congress, except they were tied up on a concern raised by one Senator about a nominee for the Western District of Michigan. In the last Congress, we were also able to confirm a number of judges--circuit judges, who have been held up for a long period of time: Priscilla Owen, pending since 2001; Janice Rogers Brown, pending since 2003; William Pryor, pending since 2003; Brett Kavanaugh, pending since 2003.”