[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 46 (Wednesday, March 18, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Page S1592]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            LYNCH NOMINATION

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, instead of being bogged down in another 
Republican-contrived fight, I have proposed a path forward that is very 
simple and very direct. While we work toward an agreement to pass 
trafficking legislation--and there is work being done on that as we 
speak--we should move to the Executive Calendar and consider the 
nomination of a very fine person, Loretta Lynch.
  Democrats are fully committed to voting for Lynch's nomination and 
returning immediately to the trafficking bill. The Senate can do two 
things at the same time. We can certainly work on coming up with a path 
forward on trafficking and also do something to move forward and have a 
vote for a new Attorney General.
  The chief law enforcement officer of this country--the man who is now 
the Attorney General--said months ago he wants to leave. He has been 
winding down. It is not right for this country not to have a fully 
engaged Attorney General.
  I am disappointed that with all the work the Senate needs to 
accomplish, the majority leader is bound and determined to waste the 
rest of this week with the same votes we took yesterday. I was told we 
are going to have the same votes today that we had yesterday, and we 
will have the same votes on Thursday that we are going to have today 
and that we had on Tuesday.
  Albert Einstein, a genius, said the pure definition of insanity is 
somebody who does the same thing over and over again and comes up with 
the same result. It is insane to keep going forward on these votes that 
everyone knows are going to turn out the same way.

  Loretta Lynch has waited 130 days. There is no reason to delay her 
confirmation another minute. We can vote for her confirmation now and 
move back to the trafficking bill right now.

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