For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
December 23, 2004

Statement on Judicial Nominations

An effective and efficient judicial system is vital to ensuring justice for all Americans. The President nominated highly qualified individuals to the Federal courts during his first term, but the Senate failed to vote on many nominations. Unfortunately, this only exacerbates the issue of judicial vacancies, compounds the backlog of cases, and delays timely justice for the American people. The Senate has a Constitutional obligation to vote up or down on a President's judicial nominees and the President looks forward to working with the new Senate to ensure a well-functioning and independent judiciary. When the Senate reconvenes, the President intends to nominate again the following 20 individuals who did not receive up or down votes in the President's first term, 16 of whom were nominated more than a year ago:

Court of Appeals:

Terrence W. Boyle (4th Circuit) (first nominated May 9, 2001) Priscilla Richman Owen (5th Circuit) (first nominated May 9, 2001) David W. McKeague (6th Circuit) (first nominated November 8, 2001) Susan Bieke Neilson (6th Circuit) (first nominated November 8, 2001) Henry W. Saad (6th Circuit) (first nominated November 8, 2001) Richard A. Griffin (6th Circuit) (first nominated June 26, 2002) William H. Pryor (11th Circuit) (first nominated April 9, 2003) William Gerry Myers, III (9th Circuit) (first nominated May 15, 2003) Janice Rogers Brown (District of Columbia Circuit) (first nominated July 25, 2003) Brett M. Kavanaugh (District of Columbia Circuit) (first nominated July 25, 2003) William James Haynes, II (4th Circuit) (first nominated September 29, 2003) Thomas B. Griffith (District of Columbia Circuit) (first nominated May 10, 2004)

District Courts:

James C. Dever, III (Eastern District, North Carolina) (first nominated May 22, 2002) Thomas L. Ludington (Eastern District, Michigan) (first nominated September 12, 2002) Robert J. Conrad (Western District, North Carolina) (first nominated April 28, 2003) Daniel P. Ryan (Eastern District, Michigan) (first nominated April 28, 2003) Peter G. Sheridan (New Jersey) (first nominated November 5, 2003) Paul A. Crotty (Southern District, New York) (first nominated September 7, 2004) Sean F. Cox (Eastern District, Michigan) (first nominated September 10, 2004)

J. Michael Seabright (Hawaii) (first nominated September 15, 2004)

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