Patrick Leahy: “Today, we vote to confirm another district court nominee of President Bush, Frank Dennis Saylor, IV, to the U.S.…”

“Today, we vote to confirm another district court nominee of President Bush, Frank Dennis Saylor, IV, to the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts. Mr. Saylor is a partner at the firm of Procter Goodwin. He is supported by both of his home-State Senators, who deserve much credit for his confirmation today. Today's confirmation will make the 77th judge confirmed this Congress and the 177th judicial nominee named by this President to be confirmed by the Senate. We confirmed 100 in the 17 months that Democrats led the Senate. We are now confirming the 77th in the other 24 months that have transpired during this most divisive presidency. With 77 judicial confirmations this Congress, the Senate has confirmed more Federal judges than were confirmed during the entire 2 years of 1995 and 1996, when Republicans controlled the Senate and President Clinton was in the White House. It also exceeds the two-year total for the last 2 years of the Clinton administration in 1999 and 2000, when Republicans controlled the Senate. So, we have exceeded the totals for the last two Congresses leading up to presidential elections. With 177 total confirmations for President Bush in 3 1/2 years, the Senate has confirmed more lifetime judicial appointees of this President than were allowed to be confirmed in President Clinton's entire term from 1997 through 2000.”