WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Angus S. King, Jr. (I-Maine) hailed the Senate Judiciary Committee’s vote to approve the nomination of William Kayatta to serve as a judge on the 1st Circuit Court of Appeals.  With the Committee’s endorsement, the nomination will now be placed on the Senate’s Executive Calendar to be called up for a vote before the entire body at a time determined by the Majority Leader.

“I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Bill personally and following his nomination closely for the past year,” said Senator King. “He is clearly a brilliant lawyer and an exceptionally well-qualified candidate, and it is an extraordinary testament to his credentials that the Senate Judiciary Committee has now twice endorsed his nomination with strong bipartisan support.  I urge the Majority and Minority Leaders to quickly bring his nomination to the floor for a confirmation vote by the entire Senate.”

BACKGROUND: A resident of Cape Elizabeth, Kayatta was originally nominated for the judgeship last year by the President, but never received a vote from the Senate after being approved by Judiciary Committee with strong bipartisan support. Senator King met with Mr. Kayatta in December of 2011, and following the reactivation of Kayatta’s nomination by the President earlier this year, Senator King urged his colleagues to expedite the nomination process.

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