Progress Texas released a report with the Center for American Progress that highlights Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz's judicial vacancy crisis. The report, titled "Texas, Where are the Judges?" provides a comprehensive look at the process and problems that have come from inaction by Texas's two senators. 

The numbers are staggering: Texas's 10 judicial court vacancies have created a backlog of 12,000 cases that add up to over 19 years worth of cases that could have been heard if judges held those vacant seats.

From the Associated Press:

The report notes that only six judges have been appointed to U.S. District Court vacancies in Texas under Obama — and none since Cruz took office in January 2013. By contrast, 17 such vacancies had been filled by this point in Republican President George W. Bush's second term, when Cornyn and Cruz's predecessor, Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson, were in office. 

"Senators Cornyn and Cruz have allowed politics to cloud important needs to have judges to fill our federal courts," said Phillip Martin, deputy director of Austin-based Progress Texas, which compiled the report with the Center for American Progress in Washington.

We need qualified nominees that represent the cultural diversity of Texas - an area where we are currently failing:

[[{"fid":"1688","view_mode":"default","fields":{"format":"default","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"Texas US District Court Diversity Chart","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":"","field_folder[und]":"906"},"type":"media","attributes":{"alt":"Texas US District Court Diversity Chart","height":"244","width":"600","class":"media-element file-default"}}]]

That's the problem. Now what we need is for you to take action!

• Write a letter to Sens. Cornyn and Cruz urging them to nominate qualified judges to fill the vacant seats
• Submit a letter-to-the-editor to your local paper about the vacancy crisis
• Sign our Why Courts Matter petition to join up with our campaign
• Learn more about the judicial crisis and how you can get involved