Russ Feingold: “for 25 years, the bipartisan Wisconsin Federal Nominating Commission has been recommending high-quality candidates for…”

“for 25 years, the bipartisan Wisconsin Federal Nominating Commission has been recommending high-quality candidates for Federal judgeships in our State. First created in 1979 by Senators William Proxmire and Gaylord Nelson, the Commission is an independent panel selected by Wisconsin elected officials and the State Bar of Wisconsin to review applications for Federal District Court and Court of Appeals vacancies in Wisconsin, as well as U.S. attorney vacancies. The composition of the Commission assures that selections for these important positions will be made based on merit, not politics. Senator Kohl and I have worked hard to maintain and strengthen the Commission throughout our time in the Senate, and I am very proud that it has survived for the past quarter century, under Presidents and Wisconsin Senators from both political parties. I am pleased to put the spotlight on the Commission today, on the occasion of the floor vote on Justice Diane Sykes, who is the latest product of this bipartisan process.”