Senate Proceeding on May 12th, 2011 :: 4:18:20 to 4:24:50
Total video length: 8 hours 26 minutes Stream Tools: Stream Overview | Edit Time

Note: MetaVid video transcripts may contain inaccuracies, help us build a more perfect archive

Views:155 Duration: 0:06:30 Discussion

Previous speech:

Next speech:

4:18:08 to 4:18:29( Edit History Discussion )

Chuck Grassley: quorum call: the presiding officer: the senator from iowa. a senator: i ask that the calling of the quorum be suspended. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. grassley: i want to address the senate on the nomination for michael judge, western district virginia.

4:18:20 to 4:24:50( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Chuck Grassley

4:18:30 to 4:18:50( Edit History Discussion )

Chuck Grassley: since we have returned from the april recess, we've done very little else other than consider judicial nominations. this will be the third judicial nominee to be confirmed in the last three days, and the 23rd confirmed this year. in fact, after today, we will have confirmed six judges in

4:18:51 to 4:19:13( Edit History Discussion )

Chuck Grassley: just eight days. now, i know that the liberal interest groups have been pressuring the other side to consider more nominees, even though we have been moving at a very brisk pace this entire congress, but it is surprising to me, with all the issues facing the nation at home and abroad, that we would spend two

4:19:14 to 4:19:35( Edit History Discussion )

Chuck Grassley: weeks on the floor considering little else. our economy continues to struggle, millions of americans remain out of work and are unable to find jobs. the unemployment rate remains at approximately 9%. those who do have jobs are finding it more and more

4:19:36 to 4:19:57( Edit History Discussion )

Chuck Grassley: difficult to get to work as gas prices are over $4 a gallon and inching even higher. our nation is facing significant national security issues, and every single day our national debt continues to climb to unsustainable levels. these are incredibly important issues.

4:19:58 to 4:20:21( Edit History Discussion )

Chuck Grassley: i wouldn't go so far as to say that the majority doesn't care about the issues facing our nation. perhaps they are simply out of ideas, but as americans continue to struggle in this economy, it is difficult to understand why we would spend two weeks voting on hardly anything but judicial nominations. as i said, the senate has been

4:20:22 to 4:20:42( Edit History Discussion )

Chuck Grassley: moving swiftly this year on those nominations. we have confirmed 23 nominees in just the 49 days. that is a rate of one judge almost every other day that the senate has been in session since convening in january. however, the senate must not place quantity

4:20:43 to 4:21:04( Edit History Discussion )

Chuck Grassley: quality confirm. these lifetime appointments are too important to the federal judiciary people rubber stamp these nominations. so i was surprised during one of our recent debates to hear o of my colleagues on the committee come to the senate floor and imply otherwise.

4:21:05 to 4:21:27( Edit History Discussion )

Chuck Grassley: during the debate on the confirmation of edward chen, a reference was made to what was characterized as the senate's long-standing tradition, a deference to home state senators with regard to the federal district court nominations. that senator stated that at his

4:21:28 to 4:21:48( Edit History Discussion )

Chuck Grassley: time in the senate where a federal district court nominee is backed by the two home state senators, it is usually almost pro forma that the nominee is confirmed. now, the fact is that home state senators do have a great deal to say in who should serve the

4:21:49 to 4:22:09( Edit History Discussion )

Chuck Grassley: country on the bench. that is part of the advice and consent process. but there are 100 voices in this body, and we speak for the american people who come before these jurists. we must ensure that they're fit to serve as impartial arbiters. i do not consider the confirmation process for a

4:22:10 to 4:22:32( Edit History Discussion )

Chuck Grassley: federal judicial nominee to be a pro forma process. i will continue to give careful scrutiny to all nominees, regardless of home state support. i do not consider it delay or obstruction to fulfill that duty. if the other side chooses to do so, of course, that's up to them, but i will not simply

4:22:33 to 4:22:54( Edit History Discussion )

Chuck Grassley: rubber stamp those nominees. we will continue to process the nominees fairly and with a standard the people rightly hold us to. i support t michael francis urbanski is nominated for u.s. district judge, western district virginia.

4:22:55 to 4:23:18( Edit History Discussion )

Chuck Grassley: he presently serves as a u.s. magistrate judge in the same district. judge urbanski received his b.a. with high honors from william and mary in 1978 and his juris doctorate from university of virginia school of law in 1978. upon graduation, he served as a

4:23:19 to 4:23:41( Edit History Discussion )

Chuck Grassley: law clerk to the honorable james t. court western district virginia. from 1982-2004, judge urbanski worked in private practice, first as an associate at the washington, d.c., office of vincent and alkin, and then in the firms of woods-rogers where

4:23:42 to 4:24:06( Edit History Discussion )

Chuck Grassley: he became a principal in 1989. in 2003, the nominee was appointed to his present position. in 2010, chief judge james jones appointed the nominee to chair an advisory committee on the new local rules adopted in the western district. the american bar association committee on the federal judiciary has given judge

4:24:07 to 4:24:26( Edit History Discussion )

Chuck Grassley: urbanski their highest rating -- unanimously well qualified. i'm pleased to support this experienced nominee and i urge my colleagues to do the same. mr. pr absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll.