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The Progressive

NewsWire

A project of Common Dreams

For Immediate Release
Contact:

Drew Courtney or Miranda Blue
202-467-4999; media@pfaw.org

Senate Judiciary Committee Moves Judges Forward, Full Senate Still Gripped by GOP Obstruction

WASHINGTON

The Senate Judiciary Committee today approved another 11 of President Obama's judicial nominees, sending them to the full senate where they'll join 23 others waiting for approval. At today's hearing, 10 nominees were approved without any opposition, while one other was approved with only three dissenting votes.

Of the 34 nominees now pending on the floor:

* 19 of these (or 56%) are judicial emergencies
* 27 of these (or 79%) are women or people of color
* 27 of these (or 79%) were approved without opposition in committee

Unfortunately, GOP Senators have continued to obstruct all of President Obama's nominees, refusing up or down votes even on those who would be approved easily.

"Today's vote throws the GOP's obstruction of judicial nominees into even sharper relief," said Marge Baker, Executive Vice President of People For the American Way. "The Senate Judiciary Committee has been doing its work and expeditiously processing these nominees, but in the full Senate Republicans are playing politics with the federal judiciary. By refusing to allow votes on these nominees, the GOP is making it more difficult for ordinary Americans to find justice in the courts and throwing sand in the gears of government. If there's one thing we saw in the last election it's that Americans are sick and tired of political bickering, but Republican leaders are putting partisanship above doing their jobs."

People For the American Way works to build a democratic society that implements the ideals of freedom, equality, opportunity and justice for all. We encourage civic participation, defend fundamental rights, and fight to dismantle systemic barriers to equitable opportunity. We fight against right-wing extremism and the injustice it fosters.

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