Executive Session

Floor Speech

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Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, the Senate will confirm two more of the President's judicial nominees. Both of these nominees are for seats termed "judicial emergencies." My Republican colleagues and I continue to demonstrate our cooperation. We have worked with the Democratic majority in moving consensus nominees through the committee and on to the Senate floor. With today's votes, we will have confirmed 17 judicial nominees in just 39 short days the Senate has been in session this Congress. Twelve of these confirmations were for those positions that are termed "judicial emergencies."

We have reported out of committee a total of 32 judicial nominees. That is 51 percent of the total nominees who have been submitted to the Senate by the President of the United States. To date we have held five nomination hearings with 21 judicial and executive nominees giving their testimony. We have another hearing scheduled for tomorrow, with four judicial nominees and one executive nominee on the agenda. With this productive pace, we have taken positive action on 60 percent of the judicial nominations sent to the committee this year by the President.

Today the Senate will consider two nominations: First, Vincent Briccetti, nominated to be U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of New York. He received a B.A. from Columbia University and a juris doctorate from Fordham University School of Law. The nominee began his legal career as a law clerk for the Honorable John M. Cannella, U.S. District Court for the Southern District New York.

After a short term in private practice, he served as an assistant U.S. attorney. That was also for the Southern District of New York. Later, he became a deputy chief appellate attorney. After working as an associate attorney in a law firm, the nominee started his own firm in 1992 and, as I report to my colleagues regularly on the ABA standing committee on the Federal judiciary, that committee has unanimously rated this nominee "well-qualified."

The second nominee is John Kronstadt, nominated to be U.S. District Judge, Central District of California. He received his B.A. from Cornell University and juris doctorate from Yale Law School. He began his legal career as law clerk to the Honorable William P. Gray, U.S. District Court, Central District of California. This nominee practiced law for nearly 24 years, most recently as a partner with Arnold & Porter.

On November 14, 2002, Gov. Gray Davis appointed Judge Kronstadt to the Los Angeles County Superior Court. There he presided over criminal, civil, and family law matters. Again, reporting on the American Bar Association rating of this nominee, the nominee had substantial majority "qualified," a minority, "well qualified."

I support these two nominees and urge my colleagues to support them as well. I congratulate each of the nominees for their achievement and, more importantly, for their long period of public service which will continue after their confirmation by the Senate.

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