Patrick Leahy: “I want to commend our two leaders. I have been working with Senator Daschle for months, as well as with the White House…”

“I want to commend our two leaders. I have been working with Senator Daschle for months, as well as with the White House, to find a way out of the impasse in judicial confirmations. Senator Frist and I have spoken at length about this, and he has been working on it, as well. I was delighted to see the meeting that Senator Daschle, Senator Frist, and Mr. Card had today in which the White House agreed to no more recess appointments of judges. I think we have demonstrated our good faith. In the 17 months that the Democrats were in charge of the Senate, we confirmed 100 of President Bush's nominees to lifetime positions on the Federal bench. And the Republicans, during the 23 months that they have been in charge of the Senate, they have confirmed another 73 plus one today. With this agreement, I think we should be in a position to confirm another two dozen judicial nominees and achieve a total this is outstanding for a Presidential term. So I commend my friend from Tennessee. I commend my friend from South Dakota. And I appreciate their work in helping achieve this arrangement. I am pleased that the Senate has now received assurances from the White House that the President will not further abuse the recess appointment power by making judicial recess appointments this presidential term.”