For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
February 20, 2004
Statement on Appointment of William H. Pryor Jr.
Statement by the President
Today, I exercised my constitutional authority to appoint William
H. Pryor Jr. to serve on the United States Court of Appeals for the
Eleventh Circuit. Bill Pryor has served as the Attorney General of
Alabama since 1997 and has had a distinguished career as a public
servant and practicing attorney. His impressive record demonstrates
his devotion to the rule of law and to treating all people equally
under the law. He has received widespread bipartisan support from
those who know him and know his record. I am proud to name this
leading American lawyer to the appellate bench.
Attorney General Pryor was nominated more than 10 months ago, but
still has not received an up-or-down vote in the Senate. A bipartisan
majority of Senators supports his confirmation. If Attorney General
Pryor were given a vote on the floor of the Senate, he would be
confirmed. But a minority of Democratic Senators has been using
unprecedented obstructionist tactics to prevent him and other qualified
nominees from receiving up-or-down votes. Their tactics are
inconsistent with the Senate's constitutional responsibility and are
hurting our judicial system.
As a result of today's recess appointment, Attorney General Pryor
will fill a seat on the Eleventh Circuit that has been designated a
judicial emergency. He will perform a valuable service on a court that
needs more judges to do its work with the efficiency the American
people deserve and expect. Again I call on those in the Senate who are
playing politics with the American judicial system to stop so that my
nominees receive the up-or-down votes they deserve.
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