Memorandum on judicial nominations and filibusters [US Senate]

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Memorandum on judicial nominations and filibusters [US Senate]

May 24, 2005 10:10:00 am

Memorandum of Understanding on Judicial Nominations, US Senate, May 23, 2005 [agreement endorsed by 7 Republican and 7 Democratic Senators to avoid the "nuclear option" banning judicial filibusters so long as certain Bush judicial nominees are moved forward]. Excerpt:

Signatories will exercise their responsibilities under the Advice and Consent Clause of the United States Constitution in good faith. Nominees should only be filibustered under extraordinary circumstances, and each signatory must use his or her own discretion and judgment in determining whether such circumstances exist….In light of the spirit and continuing commitments made in this agreement, we commit to oppose the rules changes in the 109th Congress, which we understand to be any amendment to or interpretation of the Rules of the Senate that would force a vote on a judicial nomination by means other than unanimous consent or Rule XXII.

Read the full text of the memorandum [PDF]. Reported in JURIST's Paper Chase here.

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