the United States of America has long been the world leader in invention and innovation. That leadership has propelled our economic growth, but we cannot remain complacent while expecting to stay on top. A Newsweek study last year found…

in the closing days of the 111th Congress, a brief flurry of activity led to the confirmation of 19 long-pending judicial nominations. Regrettably, the stalemate that had prevented the Senate from confirming a single nomination between…

the Senate boasts many persuasive voices, but there are few stronger than that of Senator Barbara Mikulski. To call her a trailblazer does not do justice to her long and storied career in Congress, representing the people of Maryland and…

as the 111th Congress draws to a close, Senate Republicans have finally consented to consider half of the judicial nominations that have been pending on the Senate's Executive Calendar, some for nearly a year, awaiting a final Senate vote…

at long last, the Senate is being allowed to consider long-pending, consensus judicial nominations. This action has been long overdue. President Obama has reached out and worked with Senators from both sides of the aisle in selecting…

I am deeply disappointed that H.R. 6523, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2011, includes a section to prohibit the transfer of terrorism suspects at Guantanamo Bay to the United States to face prosecution. This…

today, the Senate is finally being allowed to consider a judicial nomination that has been stalled since August-- the nomination of Judge Mary Murguia of Arizona to serve on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. I would…

as we approach the end of another year--and the end of the 111th Congress--millions of Americans continue to face growing threats to their privacy and security because of data security breaches involving their most sensitive personal…

I want to say a few words about one of the highly qualified nominees belatedly confirmed by the Senate today. Beryl Howell has been confirmed to fill a vacancy on the District Court for the District of Columbia. Many of us on the Judiciary…

We cannot turn our backs on these injured and ailing first responders. This is a defining issue of our American values--how we serve those who have sacrificed for our Nation.

President Obama nominated William J. Martinez to fill a judicial emergency vacancy on the District of Colorado last February. Mr. Martinez is a well-respected legal practitioner in Denver who has the strong support of both of his home…

as we approach the end of this Congress we are saying goodbye to people with whom we have been privileged to serve over the past years. We often talk about Senators who have completed their terms. In that regard, a number of my friends…

Today, the Senate is finally considering a judicial nomination that has been stalled since February on the Executive Calendar. The nomination of Benita Y. Pearson to serve on the Northern District of Ohio was reported favorably by the…

I strongly support the alternate engine for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. The evidence and the logic for an alternate engine easily overwhelm the flawed arguments that have been used to attack it. Investments in fighter engine competition…

I want to take a minute to call attention to a humanitarian disaster that has received only passing mention in the international press and which many Senators may be unaware of. On December 7, Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos…

Today the Senate will pass a measure to help State sentencing commissions make responsible decisions. The legislation we pass today will give State sentencing commissions, like that in Vermont, access to criminal history data in the…

the Senate will finally vote on the nomination of Carlton W. Reeves to fill an emergency vacancy on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi. Currently a partner in a Jackson, MI, law firm, Mr. Reeves is a former…

earlier this week, Republican Members who had pledged to support the fiscal year 2011 Omnibus appropriations bill changed their minds and chose instead to walk in lockstep with the House and Senate Republican leaders who believe that…

Today the Senate will finally consider two judicial nominations that have been stalled for months on the Executive Calendar after being reported unanimously by the Judiciary Committee. The first nomination is Albert Diaz of North Carolina…

while partisan rancor seems to have seized the Senate on so many issues this year, on at least one count, I am encouraged and hopeful. There may yet be sufficient bipartisan agreement to repeal the discriminatory don't ask, don't tell…

we will now finally have a vote on the nomination of Ellen L. Hollander to serve on the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland. Her nomination has been pending on the Senate's Executive Calendar since the Judicial Committee…

I have long argued in favor of greater diversity and localism in broadcasting. Today, Congress takes a positive step by making available more radio broadcast outlets for local content. I am pleased that Congress has finally passed and sent…

I wish to speak about that for a few minutes. While partisan rancor seems to have seized the Senate on so many occasions this year, on at least this one count I am encouraged and I am hopeful. There is yet sufficient bipartisan agreement…

last night, as snow fell in Washington, DC, the Senate freeze on confirming judges began to thaw a bit. I thank the leaders for clearing 4 of the 38 judicial nominations awaiting final action by the Senate. These nominations will fill a…

for nearly 2 years, the Senate Judiciary Committee has been examining serious issues in forensic science that go to the heart of our criminal justice system. The committee has studied the problem exhaustively, and we reached out to a wide…