[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 57 (Wednesday, May 4, 2005)]
[House]
[Pages H2886-H2887]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           JUDICIAL NOMINEES

  (Mr. CHABOT asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. CHABOT. Mr. Speaker, as an elected official from the First 
District of Ohio, I took an oath to uphold the Constitution. In taking 
the oath, I have an obligation to ensure that the Constitution and the 
intent of the Founding Fathers is protected. The American people 
deserve to know that the Constitution, the intent of the Founders, and 
214 years of tradition are being jeopardized by use, or the threatened 
use, of the filibuster on judicial nominations. Never before has a 
judicial nominee with clear majority support been denied an up-or-down 
vote. The filibuster is not part of the Constitution, nor is it even 
part of the original Senate rules. However, the use of the filibuster 
on judicial nominations threatens the very principles on

[[Page H2887]]

which this country was founded by forcing the Constitution to yield to 
a Senate rule, a predicament that should be untenable to all of us who 
have sworn to uphold that most sacred document.
  The filibuster has been and continues to be useful when it comes to 
legislation. It should remain. However, judicial nominees deserve more 
and the American people deserve more. They deserve what the 
Constitution calls for, an up-or-down vote.

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