[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 129 (Thursday, September 18, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11720-S11721]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
JUDICIAL NOMINATIONS
Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, today, we vote to confirm 5 district court
nominees, including 4 nominees to the U.S. district courts in New York.
With today's confirmations, the Senate will now have confirmed 151
judicial nominees for this President. This stands in stark contrast to
what occurred with judicial nominees during the Clinton administration.
More than 3 years passed during President Clinton's second term, when
Republicans controlled the Senate, before the 150th judicial nominee
was confirmed. It also took more than three years from when the
Republicans gained control of the Senate majority in 1995 to confirm
150 judges for President Clinton.
Moreover, this President's nominees have been considered more
expeditiously than were his father's or President Reagan's. It took
President Reagan, during his first term, almost to the end of his
fourth year to get 150 of his judicial nominees confirmed, and that was
with a Senate that was controlled by the same party. President Reagan's
150th judicial nominee was not confirmed until September 17, 1984. It
also took President George H.W. Bush well into his fourth year to get
150 of his judicial nominees confirmed. His 150th judicial nominee was
not confirmed until April 8, 1992.
In contrast with the shifts in Senate control, it has effectively
taken just 2 years of rapid Senate action to confirm 150 judicial
nominees for this President. The fast and fair pace at which this
Senate has considered this President's nominees is also demonstrated by
how many circuit court nominees have been confirmed. We have now
confirmed 28 circuit court nominees for President Bush since July of
2001, which is more than were confirmed at this time in the third year
of President Reagan's first term, President George H.W. Bush's term, or
either of President Clinton's terms.
In contrast to how President Clinton's nominees were treated, the
confirmation process for these 5 district court nominees has been
expeditious and smooth. The 4 New York nominees come to us with broad
bipartisan support, including the support of their two home-state
Senators. Their confirmations today show how cooperation can work to
fill vacancies on the Federal bench with qualified, experienced and
diverse candidates.
All four New York nominees were given hearings at the end of July
under an agreement that allowed them to be on a hearing on an expedited
basis. This was an example of how the Democratic members of the
Judiciary Committee cooperated with the President and with the
Committee's Republican
[[Page S11721]]
majority. Given the nominees' bipartisan support, I expect them to be
unanimously confirmed today.
New York is an example of how a bipartisan process can work right to
equip the Federal bench with excellent and moderate judges. All 4 of
these nominees have impressive legal careers, and received the highest
rating from the American Bar Association.
Justice Feuerstein, nominated to the Eastern District of New York,
currently serves as a justice in the New York State Appellate Division
and has served as a judge in the New York State court system for
approximately 15 years. Justice Feuerstein also has a distinguished
record of service as a judge beyond her work on the bench, including
serving as director of the Nassau County Bar Association and as
president of the Women's Bar Association of the State of New York.
Mr. Castel, Mr. Holwell, and Mr. Robinson, nominated to the U.S.
District Court for the Southern District of New York, all have
significant litigation experience as well as commendable records of
providing legal services to disadvantaged persons. Peter Castel is
currently a partner at Cahill Gordon & Reindel and has litigated there
for over 20 years. Among other civic activities, Mr. Castel has served
on the board of directors for the Legal Aid Society.
Richard Holwell has been practicing for over 31 years as a litigation
attorney with White and Case in New York, where he has served as
executive partner of the global litigation practice and a member of the
firm's management board. He has dedicated hundreds of hours to pro bono
activities every year, and received a Pro Bono Award from the NAACP
Legal Defense and Education Fund for his services.
Stephen Robinson has significant experience in litigation and
investigations. He served as the first African-American U.S. Attorney
for Connecticut, appointed by former President Clinton, from 1998 to
2001. Prior to that, he had served as a litigator in private practice,
as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of New York, and
as a counsel and special assistant to the Director of the FBI. Mr.
Robinson has also served as secretary and a member of the board of
directors of MFY Legal Services, an organization that provides legal
services to the poor.
David Proctor is nominated to the U.S. District Court for the
Northern District of Alabama, and comes to us with experience as a
private practice attorney and the support of both of his home-state
Senators. Mr. Proctor is filling a new position that was just created
on July 15, 2003.
Finally, I would like to point out that there are now more active
George W. Bush appointees on the bench than there are active George
Herbert Walker Bush appointees. The President's father served 4 full
years. This President has served less than 3 and already has made as
much impact on the Federal courts across the country.
We are glad that the Republican leadership has now agreed to confirm
these consensus nominees. We have and will continue to work with the
Republican leadership and Administration. We would like to be more
helpful in the President's identification of nominees and advising him
on the selection of consensus nominees so that we can join together in
adding those confirmations to the 151 achieved as of today.
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