[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 39, Number 18 (Monday, May 5, 2003)]
[Pages 515-516]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Statement on the Senate Filibuster on the Nomination of Priscilla Owen 
To Be a Judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth 
Circuit

May 1, 2003

    Priscilla Owen is an extraordinarily well-qualified nominee to the 
U.S. Court of Appeals. She has served with distinction on the Texas 
Supreme Court since 1995 and has strong bipartisan support including 
from three former Democrat Texas Supreme Court Justices with whom she 
served. She was unanimously rated ``well-qualified'' by the American Bar 
Association.
    Justice Owen has been waiting nearly 2 years for an up-or-down vote 
in the United States Senate. The decision today by 44 Senators to 
filibuster and block a vote on her nomination is shameful. This 
obstructionist tactic is an injustice and unfair to this good woman and 
unfaithful to the Senate's own obligations.
    Senate Democrats are now simultaneously filibustering two well-
qualified nominees to the U.S. Courts of Appeals. The Senate has a 
constitutional responsibility to exercise its advice and consent 
function and hold up-or-down votes on all judicial nominees within a 
reasonable time after nomination. Some Senate Democrats who once 
insisted that every appeals court nominee deserves a timely vote have 
now abandoned that responsibility in favor of partisan obstructionist 
tactics.
    In October of last year, I announced my plan for timely 
consideration of judicial nominees. Today I again call on the Senate to 
end the delays and to ensure that every judicial nominee receives an up-
or-down vote, no matter who is President or which party controls the 
Senate. Let each Senator

[[Page 516]]

vote as he or she thinks best, but give the nominees a vote.