Washington, DC – U.S. Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) took to the Senate floor today in an attempt to use a procedural maneuver to break Senate gridlock on pending judicial nominees, including the nomination of Julien Neals to the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey. During the discussion on the Senate floor, Sen. Booker challenged the obstruction of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY).
Julien Neals was nominated by President Obama in February of 2015. The Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on his nomination on September 30, 2015, and his nominated was voted out of Committee by unanimous voice vote on November 5, 2015. However, a full Senate vote on his nomination has been pending for more than 10 months.
Earlier this month, Sen. Booker also joined a number of his Senate colleagues to ask for unanimous consent to confirm pending judicial nominees supported by both Senate Democrats and Republicans.
Senator Booker’s floor speech can be viewed here.