NOW Applauds Victory in First Estrada Vote, Encourages Senators to Stand Firm

March 6, 2003

"Round one goes to the good guys," said National Organization for Women (NOW) President Kim Gandy when the Senate refused to cut off debate on the nomination of Miguel Estrada. "This is a stunning setback for the Bush Administration's court packing agenda. Preventing the Republican push to end debate on Estrada is a huge victory—for the time being. Senators will have to face more votes, but they've paved important ground in proving that they can—and will—stand up against the Bush juggernaut." Miguel Estrada is a controversial nominee for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, the second most powerful court in the country. He is backed by ultraconservatives and staunchly opposed by NOW and other advocates for an independent judiciary.

"With Republicans pledging to weary the Democrats by repeatedly bringing up the vote on Estrada until there is a crack in their armor, we urge filibustering senators to hold firm," said Gandy. "NOW activists in Nebraska, Georgia, Florida and Louisiana are bitterly disappointed that their senators (Nelson, Nelson, Miller and Breaux) were willing to support a nominee to one of the highest courts in the country without a full examination of his record. We praise those refusing to invoke cloture for taking their advice and consent duties seriously and refusing to rubber-stamp a nominee whose views on our fundamental rights are unknown."

"Civil rights organizations across the board have opposed Estrada's nomination, largely due to his refusal to answer vital questions about his judicial philosophy during his Judiciary Committee hearing," said Gandy. "NOW supports and encourages a continued filibuster against his nomination."

"Across the country feminists and other activists are cheering on the senators who have finally taken a strong stand against a Bush nominee for the federal bench," Gandy said. "The Senate's 55 to 44 vote fell five votes short of the 60 needed to stop debate on this stealth nominee. Now the entire country knows that the Senate supporters of women's rights indeed have enough votes and power to sustain a filibuster—and they're not afraid to use it."

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