U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson of Florida told the American Bar Association on Feb. 8 that he will ask Sen. Harry Reid to urge Pres. Barack Obama to make recess appointments to the federal bench during the one-week Presidents Day Congressional recess, by-passing Senate confirmation hearings.

He said more than 70 nominations of federal judges are stalled in the Senate.  “I hope that Harry Reid, our majority leader, is going to convince the White House that this coming Friday – blizzards permitting – that as we go into the week-long Presidents’ Day recess to make recess appointments of all those existing nominees,” said Nelson, addressing the ABA House of Delegates during its Midyear Meeting in Orlando.

Nelson noted that some delays in seating judges are caused by the White House vetting process, which he said is “slow as molasses,” and that recess appointments are “not the way that the government is supposed to function.”   But he cited recess appointments of controversial nominees by Pres. George Bush, and he said the 70 stalled nominees have bi-partisan support.

Nelson also urged increased funding for the Legal Services Corporation, which provides grants to civil legal aid programs around the country.  A “priority is providing robust funding for legal services for the poor.  With difficult economic conditions bringing an influx of clients to the Legal Services Corporation, we have worked in Congress to increase their funding,” he said, noting that LSC has reported that “for every one person who is helped by their programs, someone else is turned away.  And they found that in helping people facing foreclosure, they turn away two people for every one person served.”

For video excerpts of Nelson’s speech, click here and to read his prepared speech text, click here.

The 2010 Midyear Meeting of the 555-member ABA House of Delegates takes place Feb. 8 and 9 to consider proposals for policy on a wide range of national legal issues.