Patrick Leahy: “with last night's votes on two district court nominees, including Judge James Gardner to the United States District…”

“with last night's votes on two district court nominees, including Judge James Gardner to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the Senate has confirmed its 79th and 80th new judges since the change in majority last summer. In less than 15 months, we have confirmed more judges than the Republican majority confirmed in its final 30 months in the majority. We have been more than twice as productive as they were and Republicans are nonetheless complaining that we have not worked three or four times as fast as they did to fill vacancies that their inaction perpetuated. Similarly, in less than 15 months of Democratic control of the Judiciary Committee, we have confirmed more judicial nominees than Republicans did in the first 2 full years they controlled the Senate in 1995 and 1996, combined, and we have confirmed more judges than Republicans allowed to be confirmed in 1999 and 2000 combined. We have been more fair and more expeditious regarding judicial nominations than Republicans were during their prior 6 1/2 years of control of the Senate. Last night's vote is another example.”