Patrick Leahy: “I am delighted that the majority leader has decided to take up the nomination of Donald M. Middlebrooks to be a U.S.…”

“I am delighted that the majority leader has decided to take up the nomination of Donald M. Middlebrooks to be a U.S. District Judge for the southern district of Florida. Mr. Middlebrooks is a well-qualified nominee. The Judiciary Committee unanimously reported his judicial nomination to the full Senate more than 4 weeks ago. The southern district of Florida desperately needs him to manage its growing backlog of cases. We first received Donald Middlebrooks' nomination in September 1996. He was not accorded a hearing last Congress and the President renominated him on the first day of this Congress for the same vacancy on the district court for the southern district of Florida, which vacancy has existed since October 1992. This is another of the judicial emergency vacancies that we did not fill last year. It has been vacant for more than 4½ years. He has the support of both Senator Graham and Senator Mack and was reported by the Judiciary Committee to the Senate on April 17. With this confirmation, the Senate has confirmed three Federal judges this year--the same amount of times we have gone on vacation in 1997. At this rate, we are falling farther and farther behind and more and more vacancies are continuing to mount over longer and longer times to the detriment of more Americans and the national cause of prompt justice. We must do better.”