Political Quotes

“I thank the distinguished Senator from Ohio. We are finally going to vote on the long overdue confirmation of Judge Luis Felipe Restrepo to fill a judicial emergency vacancy on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the third circuit in Pennsylvania. He was nominated way over a year ago--nearly 14 months ago--with strong bipartisan support from home State Senators. This is a case where, unfortunately, the Republican leadership has subjected Judge Restrepo to totally unnecessary delay as part of their wholesale obstruction of judicial nominees. Their actions hurt not only the people of Pennsylvania, but also Americans across the country as judicial vacancies have remained unfilled nationwide after Republicans took over the Senate majority last year. I hope that today's vote and the agreement to vote on four district court nominees this work period signals a return to the Senate fulfilling its constitutional duty of providing advice and consent on the President's nominees. In all of 2015, Senate Republicans allowed votes on only 11 judicial nominations. This matched the record for confirming the fewest number of judicial nominees in more than half a century. I mention that because Democrats took the majority in the last 2 years of President Bush's term. We confirmed 40 judges during that year-- 40. I was chairman. I remember that very well.…”