Senate clears way for Priscilla Owen

[ScreamingEagle]

In a vote of 81 to 18 the Senate closed off debate today on Priscilla Owen and a vote to confirm Owen should happen soon.

U.S. Senate Clears Way for Confirmation of Bush Nominee Owen
May 24 (Bloomberg) --

The U.S. Senate cleared the way for the expected confirmation of President George W. Bush's nomination of Texas Supreme Court Justice Priscilla Owen to a federal appeals court.

By an 81-18 vote, the Senate closed off debate on Owen's nomination. It follows an agreement worked out last night by moderate Democrats and Republicans to avert a showdown over judicial filibusters. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, a Tennessee Republican, said he will press for a vote to confirm Owen as soon as possible. She was named to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals based in New Orleans.

The vote sets the stage for the end of a four-year fight over Owen, one of 10 appeals court nominees whose confirmation was blocked in Bush's first term by a filibuster. The parliamentary tactic permits unlimited debate unless 60 of the Senate's 100 members vote to force an up-or-down vote on the appointee. Republicans control the Senate 55-45.

Democrats who had filibustered to block a vote on Owen called her views opposing abortion rights and favoring corporate power extreme.

``I'm pleased that the Senate is moving forward on my judicial nominees that were being blocked,'' Bush told a crowd in Rochester, New York, today where he gave a speech on Social Security. ``It's about time we're making some progress.''

As part of last night's agreement, the Senate also will vote on the federal appeals court nominations of Janice Rogers Brown of the California Supreme Court and William H. Pryor Jr., a former Alabama attorney general.

Democrats made no commitment on blocking two other Bush nominees, William G. Myers III and Henry Saad, and pledged in the future to use the filibuster only in ``extraordinary circumstances,'' including for any Supreme Court vacancy. The agreement is meant to last until the congressional session is completed at the end of 2006.

 

[ScreamingEagle]

One down, nine to go.

Senate OKs Owen for appeals court
5/26/2005 12:15:35 AM
Daily Journal
By Shailagh Murray
The Washington Post


WASHINGTON - The Senate Wednesday approved the nomination of Priscilla Owen as a federal appellate judge, ending a four-year battle over the Texas jurist and marking the first tangible results of a bipartisan Senate agreement on judicial appointees.

But the 55 to 43 vote fell mainly along party lines, a reminder of the deep ideological divisions that persists over President Bush's judicial nominations, despite the deal forged on Monday by 14 Republican and Democratic senators that averted a showdown over efforts to change a rule to deny the Democrats' the right to filibuster.

The deal allowed up or down votes on Owen and two others whose nominations have been held up for years - William Pryor Jr. of Alabama and Janice Rogers Brown of California. However, the fate of a handful of other nominees, including William G. Myers III and Henry Saad - remains in doubt. Lawmakers say the big question now is whether the agreement - reached without the backing of Senate leaders - will stick once Owen, Pryor and Brown are all approved.
........

Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., said in a written statement that "We cannot stop with this single step," and revived the so-called "nuclear option" - a threat to deny Democrats their right to filibuster judicial nominations - if the Democrats violate the agreement.

"We must give fair up or down votes to other previously blocked nominees," he added. "It is the only way to close this miserable and unprecedented chapter in Senate history."

Democratic Leader Harry Reid said he was "ready to put all this behind us and move on" and that he "would hope the president would move on."
.........

At a press conference Wednesday Tony Perkins, president of the conservative Family Research Council, voiced "anger and disgust" with the seven GOP negotiators and accused them of betraying the conservative voters who helped strengthen the GOP's hold on the Senate last year.

"Monday night's compromise does not resolve this battle over the judiciary and the President's right to nominate judges of his choice," Perkins told reporters. "However, the day of decision is coming."

http://www.djournal.com/pages/story.asp?ID=194041&pub=1&div=News