January 28, 2003

The Honorable Orrin Hatch
Chairman, Senate Committee on the Judiciary
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510

The Honorable Patrick Leahy
Ranking Member, Senate Committee on the Judiciary
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510

RE: Nominees to the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit

Dear Chairman Hatch and Ranking Member Leahy:

Earthjustice, Community Rights Counsel, and other national environmental groups sent the attached September 23, 2002 letter to The Honorable Charles E. Schumer, Chair, Judiciary Subcommittee on Administrative Oversight and the Courts, regarding the Subcommittee's hearing on "The D.C. Circuit: The Importance of Balance on the Nation's Second Highest Court."

The letter sets out standards that we believe the Senate should apply in exercising its Constitutional advise and consent responsibility for lifetime nominations to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. We request, therefore, that you include the attached letter in the record of the full Committee on the Judiciary and the Senate in the current Congress, including specifically the consideration by the Committee and the Senate of pending nominees and any future nominees to this critically important court.

Thank you again for considering our views on the D.C. Circuit.

Sincerely yours,

Glenn P. Sugameli
Senior Legislative Counsel
Earthjustice

Doug Kendall
Executive Director
Community Rights Counsel

c: Members, Senate Committee on the Judiciary

 

CRC Note: The letter sent to Senator Schumer that is mentioned in the above letter can be read here.