Patrick Leahy: “there are currently 21 qualified nominees on the Senate calendar who have been reported favorably by the Judiciary…”

“there are currently 21 qualified nominees on the Senate calendar who have been reported favorably by the Judiciary Committee. Ten of those nominations would fill judicial emergency vacancies, which have been without a judge for over 18 months. We have been trying for days, weeks, months and in some cases years to get votes on these nominees. The Majority Leader has yet to call up the nomination of Judge Richard Paez to the Ninth Circuit. That nomination was first received by the Senate back in January 1996, almost three years ago. His nomination was delayed at every stage and this is now the judicial nomination that has been pending the longest on the Senate Executive Calendar this year, seven months. Over the last few days the Majority Leader has repeatedly indicated that he would be calling up this nomination, but he has not done so. I have heard rumors that some on the Republican side planned to filibuster this nomination. I cannot recall a judicial nomination being successfully filibustered. I do recall earlier this year when the Republican Chairman of the Judiciary Committee and I noted how improper it would be to filibuster a judicial nomination.”