After Push from Senator Baldwin, Senate Judiciary Committee Schedules Hearing for 7th Circuit Court Nominee Donald Schott
“I don’t believe we have completed our responsibility until this nominee is confirmed and I will continue to push for a vote so we can finish the job we were elected to do.”
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last month, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin called on Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles Grassley to hold a hearing and advance Donald Schott’s nomination to the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. Wisconsin’s seat on the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals is over six years old and is the longest-standing federal circuit court vacancy in the country.
On April 12th, Senator Baldwin wrote to Grassley, “The people of Wisconsin and the entire Seventh Circuit deserve a fully-functioning court to ensure the swift and thorough administration of justice.”
Yesterday, the Senate Judiciary Committee announced that Schott’s nomination would be taken up at a hearing next Wednesday, May 18th at 10 a.m.
“This is an important step forward towards putting an end to the longest standing federal circuit court vacancy in the country,” said Senator Baldwin. “It also an opportunity for Senator Johnson to join me in supporting this nomination and returning the Seventh Circuit court to full strength. I don’t believe we have completed our responsibility until this nominee is confirmed by the Senate and I will continue to push for a vote so we can finish the job we were elected to do.”
Based on Schott’s bipartisan, majority support from the Wisconsin Federal Nominating Commission, President Obama nominated him to the 7th Circuit on January 12, 2016.
A bipartisan group of former Wisconsin State Bar Presidents also support Senate action on the Schott nomination and in January sent a letter to Chairman Grassley asking that he take up the nomination and give Schott a vote as soon as possible.
