Judicial Nominees (Text Only)

As Counsel Judge Alberto Gonzales stands by his side, President George W. Bush delivers remarks regarding his judicial nominations in the Rose Garden Friday, May 9, 2003. White House photo by Tina Hager.

The President's Call to Action on Judicial Nominees

On November 13, President Bush met with three of his judicial nominees in the Oval Office -- Justice Janice Rogers Brown of the Supreme Court of California, Judge Carolyn Kuhl of the Superior Court of California, and Justice Priscilla Owen of the Texas Supreme Court.

These judges are capable and qualified jurists who represent the President.s philosophy that judges should follow the law . not legislate from the bench. They enjoy bipartisan support and would be confirmed if given a vote. Yet they are being denied a chance to serve because a minority of Senators is denying them a simple up-or-down vote.

President Bush said, "Today's partisan action to block up-or-down votes on Justice Priscilla Owen, Judge Carolyn Kuhl, and Justice Janice Rogers Brown is inconsistent with the Senate's Constitutional responsibility and is just plain wrong. Once again, a partisan minority of Senators has thwarted the will of the majority and stood in the way of voting on superb judicial nominees. These obstructionist tactics are shameful, unfair, and have become all too common. At a time when the American people have important issues backlogged in the courts, partisan Senators are playing politics with the judicial process at the expense of timely justice for the American people."

Some in Senate Are Stalling Action

In this Presidency, Democratic Senators have forced more appeals court nominees to wait longer than a year for a hearing than in the last fifty years combined. In total, 15 of the President's appeals court nominees - including all four of the pending nominees to the Sixth Circuit - have waited in excess of a year for a hearing.
Sixteen of the President's 24 court of appeals nominees submitted in this Congress are still waiting for an up-or-down vote.
As a result, 11% of the federal appeals court seats are vacant, 63% of which have been classified as judicial emergencies.
These delays are unfair to the nominees, harmful to our justice system, and unfaithful to the Senate's constitutional responsibility to hold an up-or-down vote for every judicial nominee in a reasonable amount of time. They affect every American who seeks justice in our courts.

More »

	November 13, 2003 Broken Judicial Confirmation Process Discussed

	November 13, 2003 President Reiterates Call for Fairness in Judicial Confirmation Process

	October 30, 2003 President's Statement on Senate's Refusal to Allow Vote

	October 30, 2003 Counsel Alberto Gonzales Hosts "Ask the White House"

	September 9, 2003 Counsel Alberto Gonzales Hosts "Ask the White House"

	September 4, 2003 President's Statement on Miguel Estrada

	August 1, 2003 President Calls for Action on Judicial Nominees

	May 9, 2003 President Calls for Judicial Reform

	May 8, 2003 Counsel Alberto Gonzales Hosts "Ask the White House"


More News »

	May 12, 2003 White House Counsel Alberto Gonzales Explains the Judicial Crisis Video

		Briefing Excerpts 10/29/03

		Briefing Excerpts 09/16/03

		Briefing Excerpts 08/01/03

		Briefing Excerpts 04/30/03

		Briefing Excerpts 04/02/03

		Briefing Excerpts 03/03/03

		Briefing Excerpts 02/28/03

		Briefing Excerpts 02/25/03

More Briefings »

		Who is Priscilla Owen?