Senate Democrats are are trying to get a unanimous consent agreement for the Senate to debate and vote on the nomination of Gerard Lynch to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit.

Lynch's nomination is relatively non-contentious. The Senate Judiciary Committee approved the nomination by voice vote on June 11.

There are four appellate court nominations, including Lynch's, and one district court nomination pending on the Senate's executive calendar.

Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick J. Leahy dropped a bill today that would create dozens of new appellate and district court judgeships.

"After years of debate and federal courts struggling to adjudicate cases despite the overwhelming burden of heavy caseloads, the time to enact a comprehensive federal judgeship bill is long overdue," Leahy said.

The legislation would establish four new judgeships on the 9th Circuit; two on the 2nd Circuit; and one judgeship each in the 1st, 3rd and 6th Circuit courts. It would create one temporary slot on the 3rd, 8th and 9th Circuit benches. The bill also would establish 38 permanent new district court seats across the country.