The Senate voted today to invoke cloture on the nomination of Michelle Friedland to the US Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit. Friedland was first nominated by President Obama on August 3, 2013 to fill a seat designated as a judicial emergency by the Administrative Office of the US Courts.

“Today’s vote is an important step towards addressing our country’s judicial vacancy crisis,” said Marge Baker, Executive Vice President of People For the American Way. “It’s especially important that the Senate move forward to confirm Circuit Court judges, who often have the final say on some of the most important issues that Americans face.”

Friedland’s nomination has been one of many nominations caught up in Republicans’ blanket obstruction of all judicial nominees over the past several months, and President Obama was forced to renominate her this year. After today’s vote, Friedland still faces 30 hours of potential “post-cloture debate,” unless Republicans allow the Senate move forward on the nomination more expeditiously.

“It’s time for the GOP to stop its campaign of obstruction and allow timely, yes-or-no votes on all of the nominees on the Senate’s calendar, and, in particular, the vitally important circuit court nominees,” said Baker. “Despite the recent change in the Senate’s rules, Republicans have continued to obstruct the confirmation of President Obama’s well-qualified judicial nominees. These delay tactics from Republicans don’t just hobble what could be an efficient, effective process; they deprive Americans of the fully functioning justice system they deserve.

“We applaud Senator Reid’s focus on clearing the backlog of these nominees. It’s important that we continue to move forward despite the GOP’s obstruction. Confirming the 31 nominees currently on the Senate’s calendar would fill more than one third of the nation’s current judicial vacancies.”

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