Amy K. Matsui, Senior Counsel and Director of Women and the Courts

Amy K. Matsui is Senior Counsel and Director of Women and the Courts at the National Women’s Law Center. She works on economic issues affecting low- and moderate-income women and families, with special emphasis on federal and state tax policy and women’s retirement security. Her work with retirement savings policy and federal and state tax credits for working families comprises policy analysis, federal advocacy, and public education and outreach. She also directs the Center's advocacy efforts around federal judicial nominations and diversity in the federal judiciary. Ms. Matsui has worked at the Center since 2002. Prior to joining the Center, Ms. Matsui practiced commercial law in the private sector. She clerked for the Honorable Carolyn Dineen King, then-Chief Judge of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, in 2000. She is a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley, and Stanford Law School.

Expert in: Tax Credits Outreach, Judicial Nominations, Family Tax Credits, Social Security, Supreme Court, Judges & the Courts, Social Security & Retirement
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My Take

In the News: Reid Plans to Move Judges

Posted by Amy K. Matsui, Senior Counsel and Director of Women and the Courts | Posted on: March 02, 2012 at 02:37 pm

Only 5 judges have been confirmed thus far in 2012 – despite the fact that over ten percent of judicial seats are vacant and people around the country are waiting for justice. In a Politico article today, it was reported that “Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) is privately warning Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) that he may take extraordinary steps to move a laundry list of stalled nominees if the two men can’t reach a deal soon …” Negotiations were reportedly focusing on 14 nominees, and it was reported that, “As of earlier this week, McConnell had offered to give consent on only three of the judges, sources say.” In fact, after the article was posted, the Senate announced that votes on two nominees will take place next Tuesday. But that leaves 12 of those reportedly under discussion still waiting for their votes to be scheduled (and there are 6 more nominees, by the way, who have been approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee this year).

The 12 remaining nominees reportedly under discussion were approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee in 2011 but have not yet received votes. Eleven of them were voted out of committee with overwhelming bipartisan support – with only one “no” vote among them (the 12th nominee was approved by the committee along party lines). In addition to their strong qualifications and broad base of support, it should be noted that the confirmation of these nominees would continue to increase the diversity of the federal bench. Of the 12 nominees, 6 are women. Among them: Gina Groh, a nominee to a federal district court seat in West Virginia.

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Senate: Just Vote on Judges Already

Posted by Amy K. Matsui, Senior Counsel and Director of Women and the Courts | Posted on: March 01, 2012 at 04:08 pm

Despite the fact that there are 84 current judicial vacancies, the Senate has confirmed only five judges in 2012. This glacially slow pace belies not only the vacancy rate (and 34 judicial emergencies) but also the fact that there are 21 nominees ready for votes – including 14 who have been waiting for votes since last year. Case in point? Gina Groh, a state court judge nominated to a seat on the Northern District of West Virginia. She has been nominated to a seat that has been vacant since December 2006 – that’s right, for over five years. Yet a vote on Ms. Groh has, for no apparent reason, been held up since October.

On Tuesday, a number of Senators took to the floor to talk about the need to take action on judicial nominees like Ms. Groh. I was particularly struck by the floor statement made by Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota.

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Senator Reid Promises Action on Judges, and I Think The Senate Means Business

Posted by Amy K. Matsui, Senior Counsel and Director of Women and the Courts | Posted on: February 29, 2012 at 02:09 pm

Hear what Senators said on the floor yesterday to highlight the importance of moving the nominations process forward in the Senate:

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Free Tax Filing Assistance: Make Sure Families in Your Community Know Where to Go!

Posted by Amy K. Matsui, Senior Counsel and Director of Women and the Courts | Posted on: February 29, 2012 at 11:44 am

Last month, families received the tax documents they need to prepare their 2011 tax returns and claim valuable tax benefits for which they may be eligible. Now is the perfect time to let families know about free tax preparation services that may be available in their community.

There are three options families should be aware of: VITA and Tax-Aide sites, “facilitated self-assistance sites” (new this year), and the Free File Alliance.

VITA and Tax-Aide: The IRS sponsors the VITA program, which offers free tax help for families earning around $49,000 or less, and, in partnership with AARP, the Tax-Aide program, which assists elderly tax filers in communities around the country. In addition, the military coordinates VITA services. Many VITA or Tax Aide sites offer e-filing, which allows families to receive their refunds even faster.

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One Judge Confirmed; More to Come in March?

Posted by Amy K. Matsui, Senior Counsel and Director of Women and the Courts | Posted on: February 28, 2012 at 01:39 pm

Yesterday afternoon, the Senate confirmed Margo Brodie to a seat on the Eastern District of New York, by a vote of 86-2. In case you were wondering, the two “No” votes were by Senator Mike Lee of Utah, who has vowed to make the judicial confirmation process as difficult as possible in retaliation for President Obama’s January recess appointment of Richard Cordray to the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and Senator Jim DeMint of South Carolina. Now-Judge Brodie, the 59th female judge confirmed during the Obama Administration, was approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee without a single vote in opposition. Notwithstanding, she waited for a Senate vote for almost five months – for no apparent reason. Just another example of unprecedented obstruction at a time when 84 seats (including 33 judicial emergencies) remain vacant in the federal judiciary.

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