Political Quotes

“Mr. President, as we return from Easter recess, judicial vacancies around the country remain at historically alarming levels, as they have for the last 3 years. With 1 out of every 9 Federal judgeships still vacant, and judicial vacancies around the country remaining at 95, we have serious work to do. I thank the majority leader for scheduling votes on two more nominations to fill judicial emergency vacancies. Roy Bale Dalton, Jr., has been nominated to fill a judgeship in the Middle District of Florida and Kevin Hunter Sharp has been nominated to fill a judgeship in the Middle District of Tennessee. Each nomination was reported unanimously by the Judiciary Committee more than a month ago. They both could be confirmed unanimously. With cooperation from both sides of the aisle, the Senate could consider the additional 13 judicial nominees ready for final Senate action. I had hoped that the Senate would have considered a number of them before taking its Easter recess 2 weeks ago. Among those nominees are another five to fill additional judicial emergency vacancies, three of them reported by the Judiciary Committee with bipartisan support, including one which was reported unanimously but remains stalled on the calendar awaiting final action. We should certainly have proceeded with the judicial nominees for whom there is no opposition and no reason for delay. That would have allowed us to confirm another seven nominees.…”