[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 39, Number 36 (Monday, September 8, 2003)]
[Page 1148]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
 Statement on the Withdrawal of the Nomination of Miguel A. Estrada To 
Be United States Court of Appeals Judge for the District of Columbia 
Circuit

 September 4, 2003

     It is with regret that, at the request of Miguel Estrada, I have 
today withdrawn his nomination to the United States Court of Appeals for 
the DC Circuit. I understand and respect his decision and wish Mr. 
Estrada and his family the best.
     Mr. Estrada received disgraceful treatment at the hands of 45 
United States Senators during the more than 2 years his nomination was 
pending. Despite his superb qualifications and the wide bipartisan 
support for his nomination, these Democrat Senators repeatedly blocked 
an up-or-down vote that would have led to Mr. Estrada's confirmation. 
The treatment of this fine man is an unfortunate chapter in the Senate's 
history.

Note: The Office of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish language 
version of this statement.