[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 62 (Thursday, May 12, 2005)]
[House]
[Page H3239]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      ABUSE OF CONGRESSIONAL POWER

  (Ms. WOOLSEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, it boggles my mind that Republicans 
continue to criticize Democrats for blocking judicial nominations. 
Their facts are deceiving. Their facts are inaccurate, and their 
actions to force through extremist judges are just one example of their 
abuse of power in the Congressional Chamber.

                              {time}  1430

  The fact is that 208 judges have been confirmed and 10 have been 
turned down because of extremist positions. That represents a 95 
percent approval rating. These same Members, by the way, blocked 65 of 
President Bill Clinton's nominees. These same Senators would like you 
to believe that the only way to get the judicial process moving is to 
eliminate the 200-year-old filibuster rule that grants Senators the 
ability to speak their minds if they feel an action is not right for 
the country.
  The Republican greed for power is eroding our political system. They 
should remember that a democracy is not a one-sided body of government. 
It is time for my Republican colleagues to respect that basic notion 
and end their abuse and their bullying in the Congress.

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