Political Quotes

“Madam President, today the Senate will finally consider the nomination of Judge Edward Chen to fill a judicial emergency vacancy on the District Court for the Northern District of California. Since 2001, Judge Chen has been a well-respected Federal Magistrate Judge on the court to which he is now nominated to serve as a Federal District Judge. His nomination has received the strong and consistent support of his home state Senators, Senator Feinstein and Senator Boxer, since he was first nominated over 21 months ago. When he is confirmed, Judge Chen will be only the second Asian Pacific American to serve on the district court bench in the 150-year history of the Northern District of California. The debate and vote we have today are long overdue. We are finally able to consider Judge Chen's nomination because of the vote the Senate took last week toward restoring a longstanding tradition of deference to home state Senators with regard to Federal District Court nominations. The Senate turned away from a precipice when 11 Republican Senators joined in voting to end a filibuster of the nomination of Jack McConnell to the District Court for the District of Rhode Island. In doing so, a super majority of the Senate came together to reject a new standard, which I believe is being unfairly applied to President Obama's district court nominees.…”