Home > News & Policies > April 2003

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
April 1, 2003

Statement by the Press Secretary

The President commends the Senate for voting on the nomination of Tim Tymkovich and confirming him to be a Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit. Mr. Tymkovich is known by those who have worked with him for his integrity, intellect, and excellence, and he has strong bipartisan support in Colorado. He has served the people of Colorado with distinction, including as the state's former Solicitor General and as counsel to the Governor's Columbine Review Commission. He will make an outstanding Court of Appeals judge.

As the President and Senators of both political parties have stated, all judicial nominees should receive a timely up-or-down vote in the Senate. Mr. Tymkovich was nominated on May 25, 2001, and waited more than 22 months for his vote. Six of the 11 nominees the President submitted to the Senate on May 9, 2001, still have not received votes. The delays in the Senate confirmation process have created a vacancy crisis in the federal courts that is harming the American people. The President calls on the Senate to perform its Constitutional responsibility to hold timely up-or-down votes on all judicial nominees, no matter who is President or which party controls the Senate.