Orrin Hatch: “I get a little tired of some of these comments about judges when we put through 377 Clinton-Gore judges, only 5 fewer…”

“I get a little tired of some of these comments about judges when we put through 377 Clinton-Gore judges, only 5 fewer than Ronald Reagan, the all-time high. I get a little tired of the anguishing. There has never been, to my recollection, in my 24 years here, a time where we have not had problems at the end of a Presidential year. Whether the Democrats are in power or we are in power, there is always somebody, and others--quite a few people--who foul up the process. But that is where we are. And to further foul it up is just not in the cards. Senator Harkin has spoken at length about one nominee: Bonnie J. Campbell. Let me respond. It always is the case that some nominations "die" at the end of the Congress. In 1992, when Democrats controlled the Senate, Congress adjourned without having acted on 53 Bush nominations. I have a list here of the 53 Bush nominees whose nominations expired when the Senate adjourned in 1992, at the end of the 102nd Congress. By comparison, there are only 40 Clinton nominations that will expire when this Congress adjourns.”