Nancy Pelosi urges Loretta Lynch confirmation

WASHINGTON, April 22 (UPI) -- Senate Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, urged the Senate to confirm Loretta Lynch as attorney general, a move she said would be "great for America."

Pelosi gathered with other Democratic leaders and members of the Congressional Black Congress on Wednesday to encourage the Judiciary Committee to act fast on Lynch's confirmation.

President Barack Obama nominated Lynch for the position 165 days ago and she has been waiting longer than each of the eight previous attorney generals did. The vote has been delayed most recently over an abortion debate tied to a human-trafficking bill.

"She should be confirmed ... because she is brilliant, because she is capable, because she is experienced, because she has demonstrated her leadership whether it is fighting corruption, human trafficking, terrorism, you name it, and promoting civil rights," Pelosi said.

Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said Tuesday Lynch's confirmation should be soon, in the next day or so.

Pelosi said she hopes that's true.

"I was thinking how wonderful the daughter of a North Carolina preacher and a civil rights activist soon will be the first African-American woman to serve as attorney general," Pelosi said. "How great for America that she will be the top legal official in America."

Congressional Black Caucus Chairman G.K. Butterfield also spoke, saying politics is the only thing preventing the vote.

Lynch's "credentials are impeccable, her moral character is beyond reproach. In this entire confirmation process not a single individual has questioned Ms. Lynch's qualifications to serve in this important position."