The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights

In his State of the Union speech last night, President Obama called on the Senate to end the partisan gridlock that is blocking or delaying the confirmation of qualified judges and other executive branch appointments.

Earlier this week, U.S. District Judge John Bates upheld the constitutionality of a key provision of the Voting Rights Act (VRA) in a case brought by Shelby County, Alabama.

Recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions reveal a growing trend toward limiting Americans’ access to the courts, according to witnesses testifying at a recent Senate Judiciary Committee hearing.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Monday that overcrowding in California prisons, which has led to grossly unsanitary conditions and inadequate access to medical and mental health care, violates constitutional protections against cruel and unusual punishment.

In a letter to U.S. Senators, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights today called for the confirmation of Professor Goodwin Liu to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

"Professor Liu’s stellar background, his intellectual honesty and independence, and his utmost respect for the Constitution and its values all make him an outstanding candidate," wrote Wade Henderson, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference, and Nancy Zirkin, executive vice president of The Leadership Conference.

They urged senators to vote "yes" on both cloture and final confirmation of Liu. A large number of civil and human rights organizations are also supporting Liu’s confirmation.

Liu's nomination has languished for more than a year as some senators employed an unprecedented level of obstructionist tactics to slow down many of President Obama’s nominees.

Read the full letter.