WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Sam Brownback today made the following statement expressing his concern with the agreement reached by 14 senators regarding President Bush’s judicial nominees.

“Some progress was made yesterday, but I am not satisfied with this agreement,” Brownback said. “For four years we have been working to get an up or down vote on the president’s nominees—to have them approved by a majority of the Senate, as required by the Constitution, not a super-majority as required by the Democrats. We have showed every restraint in not rushing through this. Now that we have exhausted all other options, it is time to move forward in the process.

“It’s important to note that the Constitutional option is still on the table. If one of the president’s nominees is filibustered at any point in the future, I will support the Senate leadership’s implementation of the Constitutional option.

“All of the president’s nominees—both now and in the future—deserve a fair up or down vote, regardless of whether some members of the Senate feel they can be filibustered based on whatever they define to be extraordinary circumstances.”