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CVA Applauds Chairman Grassley’s Move to Restore Judicial Processes

By Concerned Veterans for America

Arlington, VA – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) announced his decision to ignore the Senate “blue slip” tradition and allow his committee to move forward with a confirmation hearing for David Stras, nominee to the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Senator Al Franken (D-MN), Stras’ home-state senator, opted not to return his “blue slip” for Stras based on partisan politics – thereby blocking the Senate Judiciary Committee from moving forward with a confirmation hearing. With this move, Grassley has signaled he is willing to ignore the archaic tradition and end needless obstruction around lower courts nominees.

Concerned Veterans for America (CVA) Executive Director Dan Caldwell issued the following statement:

“The American judicial system should not be hindered by any one senator’s political agenda. We applaud Chairman Grassley’s decision to restore the judicial process intended under our Constitution and move forward with confirming David Stras, a highly qualified nominee for the lower courts. The blue slip process is an outdated Senate tradition that is being abused for partisan politics. With over a hundred federal court vacancies, America is suffering from a judicial crisis and a Senate tradition should not stand between Americans and a fully functioning judiciary.”

There are currently over a hundred vacancies in lower courts across the country. President Trump has nominated several qualified candidates to fill those positions.

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