Patrick Leahy: “I have previously included in the Record on July 31 a letter dated July 14 to Senator Lott from the presidents of seven…”

“I have previously included in the Record on July 31 a letter dated July 14 to Senator Lott from the presidents of seven national legal associations similarly urging the Senate to act to preserve the integrity of our justice system by fulfilling its constitutional responsibility to expedite the confirmation process for federal judges so that longstanding vacancies could be filled. These bar association presidents noted the "looming crisis in the Nation brought on by the extraordinary number of vacant federal judicial positions." Last month also saw the publication of a report by People for the American Way entitled "Justice Delayed, Justice Denied: The Right Wing Attack on the Independent Judiciary." This report concludes that the campaign attacking the legitimacy of the judiciary and pressuring the Senate not to process the judicial nominees of the President is resulting in the judiciary not having the judges it needs to fulfil its responsibilities: Dockets are backing up, cases are going unheard for years at a time, justice is being delayed.”