Political Quotes

“Mr. President, we continue to work to bring down the number of judicial vacancies that have remained at historically alarming levels for the last 3 years. One in every nine Federal judgeships remains vacant as judicial vacancies stand at 96. I thank the majority leader for scheduling votes on two more judicial emergency vacancies. Vincent Briccetti has been nominated to fill a judgeship in the Southern District of New York and John Kronstadt to fill a judgeship in the Central District of California. I believe they both could be confirmed unanimously. They were reported by the Judiciary Committee unanimously more than one month ago. With cooperation from both sides of the aisle, the Senate could consider many more of the 17 judicial nominees currently ready for final action, and could do so before the Senate takes its Easter recess at the end of this week. Doing so would fulfill our responsibility to help address the vacancies crisis that puts at serious risk the ability of Americans to get a fair and timely hearing for their cases in Federal court. All 17 of the judicial nominations pending on the Senate's Executive Calendar were reported by a majority of the Judiciary Committee after members had an opportunity to review thoroughly extensive materials provided in response to our questionnaire, to question the nominees at a hearing, and to send written follow-up questions to the nominees. All of them are ready for final Senate action.…”