[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 39, Number 7 (Monday, February 17, 2003)]
[Page 187]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks Prior to a Meeting With Congressional Leaders

February 11, 2003

Judicial Nominee Miguel A. Estrada

    It's my pleasure to welcome members of both political parties from 
the House of Representatives to discuss how we can continue to make 
progress in welfare reform. The welfare law of 1996 made a significant 
difference in the lives of a lot of our fellow citizens. Our job now is 
to build on that progress, and I want to thank the Members for being 
here. I look forward to a good and fruitful discussion.
    I nominated a good man named Miguel Estrada for the Circuit Court 
here in Washington, DC. Miguel Estrada is highly qualified, extremely 
intelligent. He has the votes necessary to be confirmed. Yet a handful 
of Democrats in the Senate are playing politics with his nomination. And 
it's shameful politics. This man is highly qualified, and I expect him 
to be nominated. And I expect him to get fairer treatment than he's 
getting from those who are really playing against the spirit of the 
United States Senate. And so I call upon fair play in the Senate, for 
the sake of a good, sound judiciary.
    Thank you.

Note: The President spoke at 4:38 p.m. in the Cabinet Room at the White 
House. In his remarks, he referred to Miguel A. Estrada, nominee to be 
U.S. Circuit Judge for the District of Columbia Circuit. The Office of 
the Press Secretary also released a Spanish language transcript of these 
remarks.