GOP Accuses Democrats of Stalling Judicial Nominees

The Senate Judiciary Committee approved its top Republican lawyer for the federal bench Thursday, even as tensions on Capitol Hill escalated over President Bush’s judicial nominations.

The committee unanimously approved the nomination of Republican Judiciary Counsel Sharon Prost to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, making her only the fifth judge approved by the committee this year. Prost’s nomination now goes on to the Senate, where she probably will face little opposition.

Republicans have been complaining since the Democrats’ Senate takeover in June that the chamber has not been moving fast enough on Bush’s nominations. Democrats accused the GOP on Thursday of holding up the Commerce-Justice-State appropriation bill until it gets assurances that more nominations are approved.

“It is inexplicable to me that we are at this moment, 5 p.m. in the afternoon, unable to go to another appropriations bill,” said Sen. Byron L. Dorgan (D-N.D.). “We have them ready to come to the floor. And we are being blocked . . . . It makes no sense to me. This Senate must do its work and must pass the appropriations bills, and it will have to be sooner or later. It would be much better if it was sooner.”

It wouldn’t be the first time Republicans have used the tactic.

Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) earlier this year refused to allow senators to vote on an Interior Department authorization bill until he got an agreement to a vote on five pending Interior nominees. Using similar threats, the GOP says it forced Democrats to move more than 70 nominees before the Senate left for its August break.

There are at least 107 vacancies in the federal court system, and there are 44 judicial nominations pending. Only four judges have been confirmed by the Senate this year.

Prost is well on the way to becoming the fifth, getting a standing ovation from the committee after her nomination was approved.

“Sharon truly is something of a modern Renaissance woman, with a breadth and depth of knowledge in a variety of areas,” said Sen. Orrin G. Hatch (R-Utah), the Judiciary panel’s top Republican. “Her background and education make her uniquely suited for service in the Federal Circuit, which, as you know, handles myriad issues ranging from veterans matters to patent cases to employment cases.”

Prost’s confirmation hearing came during the August recess, which was unusual for the Senate. Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick J. Leahy (D-Vt.) said he scheduled the recess hearing to show his determination to move forward on judicial nominations.