Pete Sessions: “I think it is important, in light of Senator Hatch's remarks and some of the criticisms we have heard of his leadership…”

“I think it is important, in light of Senator Hatch's remarks and some of the criticisms we have heard of his leadership in the Judiciary Committee a few days ago, that we recall a little history here on how we have handled judicial nominations in the past and why we are having problems today. The criticism of Judiciary Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch is simply unfair. He has stood foursquare for fairness, for constitutionality in the process, and for good public policy as we go about confirmations. That has been his record. When he chaired or was ranking member of the Judiciary Committee during the 8 years of President Clinton's administration, 377 Clinton nominees were confirmed to the bench. Only one nominee was voted down. No nominee was voted down in his committee. No nominee was filibustered in his committee. When President Clinton left office, there were 41 judicial nominees who had not yet been confirmed by this Senate. That is a very good record compared to the situation when former President Bush left office. The Democrats controlled the Senate at that time, and 61 of former President Bush's judicial nominees were left unconfirmed. Those numbers are indisputable.”