| Honoring The Honorable Rosemary Barkett |
March 25, 2013 |
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Mario Diaz-Balart, R-FL
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"Mr. Speaker, in recognition of Women’s History Month I rise today to honor Judge Rosemary Barkett, an outstanding individual and someone who has continuously supported the Miami community. Judge Barkett is currently serving as one of the twelve active judges on the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, which reviews federal cases originating in Alabama, Florida, and Georgia. She was nominated by President Bill Clinton and received her appointment in 1994. Judge Barkett earned her J.D. from the University of Florida Law School, where she became the first woman to be awarded the J. Hillis Miller Memorial Award as the outstanding senior graduate. After having practiced civil and trial law from 1971 to 1979, she was appointed to circuit court judge in the Fifteenth Judicial Court of Florida. After only 4 years she was elected as chief judge of the circuit, becoming the first woman chief judge in the State’s history. Two short years later she was appointed to serve on the Florida Supreme Court, again marking the first time in the State’s history that a woman had been named justice. Finally, in 1992 her colleagues chose her to become Florida’s first woman chief justice. Throughout the years, Judge Barkett has been consistently honored for her achievements. The recipient of seven honorary degrees from institutions of higher learning, she has also earned dozens of honors and awards from national and state professional, civic and charitable groups. Her contributions have also been uniquely recognized by the creation of the “Rosemary Barkett Outstanding Achievement Award”, given each year to two outstanding lawyers by the Florida Association of Women Lawyers, and the “Rosemary Barkett Award” which is presented by the Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers to a person who has demonstrated outstanding commitment to equal justice under law. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to pay tribute to the Honorable Judge Rosemary Barkett for her continued service to the Miami community and I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing this remarkable individual."
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| Executive Session |
February 13, 2013 |
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Patrick Leahy, D-VT
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"It makes no sense for Senate Republicans to have stalled nominations like that of William Kayatta, but this is their track record and their pattern over the last 4 years. Senate Republicans used to insist that the filibustering of judicial nominations was unconstitutional. The Constitution has not changed, but as soon as President Obama was elected they reversed course and filibustered President Obama’s very first judicial nomination. Judge David Hamilton of Indiana was a widely-respected 15-year veteran of the Federal bench nominated to the Seventh Circuit and was supported by Senator Dick Lugar, the longest-serving Republican in the Senate. They delayed his confirmation for 7 months. Senate Republicans then proceeded to obstruct and delay just about every circuit court nominee of this President, filibustering 10 of them. They delayed confirmation of Judge Albert Diaz of North Carolina to the Fourth Circuit for 11 months. They delayed confirmation of Judge Jane Stranch of Tennessee to the Sixth Circuit for 10 months. They delayed confirmation of Judge Ray Lohier of New York to the Second Circuit for 7 months. They delayed confirmation of Judge Scott Matheson of Utah to the Tenth Circuit and Judge James Wynn, Jr. of North Carolina to the Fourth Circuit for 6 months. They delayed confirmation of Judge Andre Davis of Maryland to the Fourth Circuit, Judge Henry Floyd of South Carolina to the Fourth Circuit, Judge Stephanie Thacker of West Virginia to the Fourth Circuit, and Judge Jacqueline Nguyen of California to the Ninth Circuit for 5 months. They delayed confirmation of Judge Adalberto Jordan of Florida to the Eleventh Circuit, Judge Beverly Martin of Georgia to the Eleventh Circuit, Judge Mary Murguia of Arizona to the Ninth Circuit, Judge Bernice Donald of Tennessee to the Sixth Circuit, Judge Barbara Keenan of Virginia to the Fourth Circuit, Judge Thomas Vanaskie of Pennsylvania to the Third Circuit, Judge Joseph Greenaway of New Jersey to the Third Circuit, Judge Denny Chin of New York to the Second Circuit, and Judge Chris Droney of Connecticut to the Second Circuit for 4 months. They delayed confirmation of Judge Paul Watford of California to the Ninth Circuit, Judge Andrew Hurwitz of Arizona to the Ninth Circuit, Judge Morgan Christen of Alaska to the Ninth Circuit, Judge Stephen Higginson of Louisiana to the Fifth Circuit, Judge Gerard Lynch of New York to the Second Circuit, Judge Susan Carney of Connecticut to the Second Circuit, and Judge Kathleen O’Malley of Ohio to the Federal Circuit for 3 months."
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| Nomination Discharged |
December 21, 2012 |
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Patrick Leahy, D-VT
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"It makes no sense for Senate Republicans to continue filibustering these nominations, but it fits with their track record over the last 4 years. Senate Republicans used to insist that the filibustering of judicial nominations was unconstitutional. The Constitution has not changed but as soon as President Obama was elected they reversed course and filibustered President Obama’s very first judicial nomination. Judge David Hamilton of Indiana was a widely-respected 15-year veteran of the Federal bench nominated to the Seventh Circuit and was supported by Senator Dick Lugar, the longest-serving Republican in the Senate. They delayed his confirmation for 7 months. Senate Republicans then proceeded to obstruct and delay just about every circuit court nominee of this President, filibustering 10 of them. They delayed confirmation of Judge Albert Diaz of North Carolina to the Fourth Circuit for 11 months. They delayed confirmation of Judge Jane Stranch of Tennessee to the Sixth Circuit for 10 months. They delayed confirmation of Judge Ray Lohier of New York to the Second Circuit for 7 months. They delayed confirmation of Judge Scott Matheson of Utah to the Tenth Circuit and Judge James Wynn, Jr. of North Carolina to the Fourth Circuit for 6 months. They delayed confirmation of Judge Andre Davis of Maryland to the Fourth Circuit, Judge Henry Floyd of South Carolina to the Fourth Circuit, Judge Stephanie Thacker of West Virginia to the Fourth Circuit, and Judge Jacqueline Nguyen of California to the Ninth Circuit for 5 months. They delayed confirmation of Judge Adalberto Jordan of Florida to the Eleventh Circuit, Judge Beverly Martin of Georgia to the Eleventh Circuit, Judge Mary Murguia of Arizona to the Ninth Circuit, Judge Bernice Donald of Tennessee to the Sixth Circuit, Judge Barbara Keenan of Virginia to the Fourth Circuit, Judge Thomas Vanaskie of Pennsylvania to the Third Circuit, Judge Joseph Greenaway of New Jersey to the Third Circuit, Judge Denny Chin of New York to the Second Circuit, and Judge Chris Droney of Connecticut to the Second Circuit for 4 months. They delayed confirmation of Judge Paul Watford of California to the Ninth Circuit, Judge Andrew Hurwitz of Arizona to the Ninth Circuit, Judge Morgan Christen of Alaska to the Ninth Circuit, Judge Stephen Higginson of Louisiana to the Fifth Circuit, Judge Gerard Lynch of New York to the Second Circuit, Judge Susan Carney of Connecticut to the Second Circuit, and Judge Kathleen O’Malley of Ohio to the Federal Circuit for 3 months."
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| Executive Session |
December 6, 2012 |
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Patrick Leahy, D-VT
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"Today, we will vote on two consensus nominees who were stalled for months for no good reason, and are finally receiving a vote. Judge Walker is nominated to fill a judicial vacancy on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida. He has served as a state court judge since 2009, and previously spent 10 years in private practice. After law school he clerked for Judge Emmett Ripley Cox on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit and Judge Robert L. Hinkle on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida. The nonpartisan ABA Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary unanimously rated him well qualified—its highest rating. Judge Walker’s nomination has the bipartisan support of his home state Senators, Democratic Senator Bill Nelson and Republican Senator Marco Rubio."
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| Executive Session |
July 30, 2012 |
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Patrick Leahy, D-VT
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"Senate Republicans used to insist that filibustering of judicial nominations was unconstitutional. The Constitution has not changed but as soon as President Obama was elected they reversed course and filibustered President Obama’s very first judicial nomination. Judge David Hamilton of Indiana was a widely respected 15-year veteran of the Federal bench nominated to the seventh circuit and was supported by Senator Dick Lugar, the longest-serving Republican in the Senate. They delayed his confirmation for 5 months. Senate Republicans then proceeded to obstruct and delay just about every circuit court nominee of this President, filibustering nine of them. They delayed confirmation of Judge Albert Diaz of North Carolina to the fourth circuit for 11 months. They delayed confirmation of Judge Jane Stranch of Tennessee to the sixth circuit for 10 months. They delayed confirmation of Judge Ray Lohier of New York to the second circuit for 7 months. They delayed confirmation of Judge Scott Matheson of Utah to the tenth circuit and Judge James Wynn, Jr. of North Carolina to the fourth circuit for 6 months. They delayed confirmation of Judge Andre Davis of Maryland to the fourth circuit, Judge Henry Floyd of South Carolina to the fourth circuit, Judge Stephanie Thacker of West Virginia to the fourth circuit, and Judge Jacqueline Nguyen of California to the ninth circuit for 5 months. They delayed confirmation of Judge Adalberto Jordan of Florida to the eleventh circuit, Judge Beverly Martin of Georgia to the eleventh circuit, Judge Mary Murguia of Arizona to the ninth circuit, Judge Bernice Donald of Tennessee to the sixth circuit, Judge Barbara Keenan of Virginia to the fourth circuit, Judge Thomas Vanaskie of Pennsylvania to the third circuit, Judge Joseph Greenaway of New Jersey to the third circuit, Judge Denny Chin of New York to the second circuit, and Judge Chris Droney of Connecticut to the second circuit for 4 months. They delayed confirmation of Judge Paul Watford of California to the ninth circuit, Judge Andrew Hurwitz of Arizona to the ninth circuit, Judge Morgan Christen of Alaska to the ninth circuit, Judge Stephen Higginson of Louisiana to the fifth circuit, Judge Gerard Lynch of New York to the second circuit, Judge Susan Carney of Connecticut to the second circuit, and Judge Kathleen O’Malley of Ohio to the Federal circuit for 3 months."
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