Greenaway Nomination

Floor Speech

GREENAWAY NOMINATION -- (Senate - January 25, 2010)

Mr. LAUTENBERG. Mr. President, tonight I wish to highlight what my colleague, Senator Menendez, talked about in getting on with the business of the Senate and defining what takes place in this body, this place of the people, where some say we shouldn't move quickly--we shouldn't move, period--on decisions that matter because, politically, our colleagues on the other side are determined to do whatever they can to bring down this administration's ability to function, including the majority's ability to function.

I rise to talk about a target that our Republican friends have in their sight and that is Judge Joseph A. Greenaway, Jr., of New Jersey. He exemplifies the dreams so many have about what can be accomplished in life. He is the son of a nurse and a carpenter. He rose from humble beginnings to attend Columbia University and Harvard Law School.

Joseph Greenaway is a well-qualified judge. He served on our district court for over a decade with distinction. His credentials and qualifications are beyond reproach, and there is no opposition to his nomination to the Third Circuit Court. Yet the Republicans blocked a vote--not cast a vote but blocked a vote--on his confirmation tonight. It is unconscionable. Let the Senate make its decision. Those on the other side who don't want to vote for him, let them say so. Let them say it with a vote. But, no, they insist on tying things up, which has been the manner of things here for some time now, since President Obama has taken office. This man and our country deserve better than what we are seeing.

Some of us in this Chamber came to Congress to move the country forward because we are so grateful to this Nation of ours that we want to make sure--and I speak for myself, but I am sure I speak for others--that we are so grateful for the opportunities that befell us and our families. I speak from personal experience. I come from parents who were brought here as immigrants when they were infants and had the opportunity to do well in business for a number of years after coming and being here for 25 years.

I want to do this job because I wish to help people. I know what it is like to be deprived of resources. It is painful. I saw it through my entire childhood. My father died when he was 43, without any insurance, without any help from the government to help my mother carry on while I was in the Army.

Unfortunately, our Republican colleagues have a different agenda. They are focused on bringing this Chamber to a standstill. They are focused on delay and stopping progress on nearly every issue. The filibuster used to be reserved for only the most controversial issues and was meant to allow enough time for debate. Now it is being abused, hijacked by Republicans who are more interested in political and procedural games than in legislating.
We have seen it in the health care bill, when one of our colleagues on the other side said that if they can defeat the health care bill President Obama produced with the Congress, they will have presented the Waterloo to President Obama's career.

It is terrible to have that kind of an attitude. Serve the people. Forget about stopping things. Talk about them and come out here on the floor and say why don't you want to help people. That is what we are talking about. Today we see an example in the simplest form.

Republicans have used the filibuster over 100 times since the start of this Congress. They have used it to block health care reform, funding for our troops, and even help for our veterans. They are using it to block well-qualified judges from serving on the Federal bench.

Republican obstructionism last year led to the lowest number of judicial confirmations in more than 50 years. Republicans sit on their hands and block the Senate from considering qualified nominees for months on end.

Last week, we finally had a vote on the confirmation of Beverly Martin to serve on the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals. She was unanimously supported in the Judiciary Committee and then forced to wait over 4 months on the Senate calendar for no good reason, except to chalk up another victory over progress. What was the final vote on her confirmation? It was 97 to 0. They would not let us vote, but there was a willingness to have everyone in the Chamber vote for her. No opposition, not a single dissenter.

Once again, we are witnessing a judge being caught in the crosshairs of the party of no.

Judge Greenaway was nominated to serve on the Third Circuit and voted unanimously out of the Judiciary Committee. Yet his nomination has languished for nearly 4 months. This is unreasonable. Judge Greenaway is an exceptional public servant and will be an excellent addition to the bench. Judge Greenaway started in public service as an assistant U.S. attorney in Newark in 1985. He distinguished himself prosecuting bank fraud and white-collar crime cases before being picked to head the narcotics division in the U.S. Attorney's office.

Since 1996, he has served on the U.S. District Court in Newark. In his tenure, he has demonstrated his firm commitment to the values we want to see in our judges--fairness, equity, and justice. These are the same values that will make him a success on the Third Circuit Court of Appeals.

Judge Greenaway has spent his career protecting New Jerseyans and their rights. That is why the American Bar Association--his peers--rated him ``unanimously well qualified'' for this position. That is why it is so incomprehensible to understand why they insist on not permitting us a vote. Let us vote. Maybe he won't be accepted by the Senate. Let us vote, by gosh. We ought to confirm him without further delay.

The Third Circuit Court has a vacancy that needs to be filled. This is a noncontroversial, well-qualified judge waiting and anxious to serve.

I call on my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, stop your obstructionism and let this vote move forward.

I thank the Chair and I yield the floor.

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