Senate Must Act on Nominations to Federal Courts and Agencies

The Whitehouse is calling on the Senate to act on its nominations:

President Bush Calls On The Senate To Give A Prompt Vote To More Than 180 Highly-Qualified Nominees Now Awaiting Confirmation

Today, President Bush called on the Senate to fulfill its Constitutional duty to give pending nominations a prompt vote and ensure Federal courts and agencies have the personnel they need to best serve the American people.  There are more than 180 highly-qualified nominees awaiting a fair vote in the Senate.  Of these nominees, 30 have been waiting more than a year for a Senate vote, about half have been waiting 100 days or longer, and nine nominees have been waiting more than two years.  The Senate’s continued delay in confirming these nominees means good people are becoming increasingly discouraged from entering into public service. 

• The Senate Judiciary Committee currently has 28 pending nominations for Federal judgeships before it.  On February 21, the Committee will hold its first hearing for a circuit court nominee since September of last year.  Four district court nominees are scheduled for a hearing on February 12.  No judicial nominees are pending before the full Senate. 
• Approximately 160 non-judicial nominees continue to wait for the chance to serve our Nation.  The nominations before the Senate are for vital positions affecting issues from the economy, to public safety, to national security.  Some of these important agencies are unable to function until a nominee is confirmed.  Even after the tragedies at the Sago Mine in West Virginia and Crandall Canyon in Utah, the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission cannot decide cases because it has more vacancies than members
  . . .

See also: President Bush Discusses Pending Presidential Nominations, Urges Senate Confirmation