Judiciary Committee Reports Four Nominations

 

WASHINGTON (Thursday, May 22, 2008) – The Senate Judiciary Committee today unanimously reported four nominations to the Senate for consideration, including two nominations for lifetime appointments to the Federal bench. 

 

Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) has advanced the Committee’s consideration of President Bush’s nominations to fill vacancies at the Department of Justice and on the Federal bench.  The Judiciary Committee has held seven hearings for 21 judicial and executive nominations this year, and has reported 20 nominations to the Senate floor since January.  The Committee today reported the nominations of Elisebeth Cook to be Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legal Policy at the Department of Justice, and William Wilkins to be a U.S. Attorney for South Carolina.  The Committee also reported two judicial nominations, that of G. Murray Snow for a district judgeship in Arizona, and William T. Lawrence for a seat in the southern district of Indiana.  There are now five judicial nominations pending on the Senate’s executive calendar.

 

“The progress the Committee makes today by reporting two judicial nominations, as well as two executive nominations, is an example of what we can accomplish by working together,” said Leahy.

 

The Senate has confirmed 46 judicial nominations during this Congress, including eight nominations to fill circuit court vacancies, and 30 nominations to fill high ranking, executive positions.  Vacancy rates on the Federal bench are the lowest in over a decade, and circuit court vacancies have been reduced by 65.7 percent during the Bush administration, from 32 to 11.  There are fewer vacancies on 10 of the 13 Federal circuit benches, and seven circuits are without a single vacancy. 

 

On May 7, the Committee held a hearing for nominees to fill the final two vacancies on the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals.  The Committee is expected to vote on the nominations after the Memorial Day recess.  

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