Hoyer Remarks at Press Conference Urging Senate Majority Leader McConnell to Hold a Vote on the Confirmation of Loretta Lynch Without Delay

WASHINGTON, DC – House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) delivered the following remarks today at a press conference with Representative Sheila Jackson Lee and other House Democrats to urge Senate Republicans to stop delaying the confirmation of Loretta Lynch as Attorney General:

“Thank you very much, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee. We appreciate your leadership on this, and Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers and former Ways and Means Ranking Member Charlie Rangel, two of the senior Members of the Congress of the United States who have been here a long time. And, although, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee said I knew about the procedures, nobody knows the procedures better than my friends Mr. Conyers and Mr. Rangel, who understand that regular order works for the best interest of our country. Who understand that the Republicans told us that if they were in charge, they were going to pursue regular order and would not combine controversial issues with noncontroversial issues, and Republicans accused others of having done that to the detriment of our country. That’s what is happening is here.

“By a bipartisan vote, Attorney General designate Loretta Lynch was given significant bipartisan support out of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Senator McConnell said he was going to bring a confirmation vote to the Floor. Now there is a history, of course. Janet Reno had to wait twenty-nine days for confirmation. Senator Ashcroft, forty-two days. Attorney General Mukasey, fifty-three days. Attorney General Gonzales, eighty-six days, and Eric Holder, sixty-four days. One hundred and thirty-one days and counting is where we are for Loretta Lynch, all because Senate Republicans want to hold hostage, once again, an issue with bipartisan support – the confirmation of the Attorney General, which is necessary to give stable leadership to the Justice Department. America is about justice for all, and having leadership in the Department that is responsible for ensuring justice for all ought to be a priority, not 131 days and holding.

“So, I am very pleased to join with my colleagues in urging – yes, demanding – Senator McConnell to bring this confirmation to the Senate Floor. And if he does so, there is no one who doubts that it will be on a bipartisan basis and very handily confirmed. Why? Because she is extraordinarily well-qualified, she has incredible experience, and everybody agrees she will do an outstanding job. I thank my colleagues for their leadership.”