Political Quotes

“Mr. President, today we are finally going to vote on the nominations of Gregg Costa and David Guaderrama to fill judicial emergency vacancies on the U.S. District Courts for the Southern and Western Districts of Texas. Both of these nominees to fill judicial emergency vacancies have the support of their home state Republican Senators. Their nominations were reported unanimously by the Judiciary Committee over four and a half months ago. Senator Cornyn, who is on the Senate Judiciary Committee, strongly supports both of these nominees. The senior Senator from Texas, Senator Hutchison, supports these nominees. There was a unanimous vote in the Judiciary Committee. Still it has taken another four and one-half months to get them before the Senate for final consideration. These are judicial emergency vacancies. I mention that because these are more examples of what I have been concerned about for the last few years. Senate Republicans have refused to move promptly to confirm consensus nominees. These are not ideologically driven nominees. These are nominees, like so many of President Obama's nominees, who are highly qualified. They enjoy bipartisan support, but they are made to wait and wait before finally being able to be confirmed. This is a destructive development. It is a new practice in the Senate. I can say this as one who has served here during the Presidencies of Presidents Ford, Carter, Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Clinton, George W. Bush, and now President Obama.…”