[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 57 (Monday, April 20, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2259-S2260]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            LYNCH NOMINATION

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, it has been 164 days--164 very long, long 
days, especially for a woman by the name of Loretta Lynch. Her 
nomination is languishing here in the Republican limbo that they have 
created. For 6 months Senate Republicans have looked for any and every 
reason to push back confirmation of this good woman to be Attorney 
General.
  Does anyone know why? Can a single Republican Senator tell us why? 
The answer is no. Her qualifications are impeccable. She has some 
bipartisan support. But again, for unknown reasons, Republican support 
seems to be disappearing. Is there a single Republican Senator who can 
come here to the Senate floor and give an explanation that does not 
absolutely smack of political foolishness?
  Republicans do not know why Loretta Lynch has not yet been 
confirmed--just listen to what Congressman Peter King said. By the way, 
Peter King is a Republican from New York.

       All you've heard from our party for a very long time is how 
     much contempt they have for Holder. Now they're presented 
     with Loretta Lynch, who is by far the best attorney general 
     they could ever have expected this President to appoint, and 
     they still hold the thing up. . . . And for what? Because 
     they think it scores them a few political points? With whom?

  That is the irony of it all. Republicans have held Ms. Lynch's 
nomination hostage for nothing more than political purposes. Here is 
something I will read to the people within the sound of my voice, which 
is a direct quote from the New York Daily News editorial.

       The Republicans in the Senate, the meanest and most narrow-
     minded among them occasionally acting as if they want the 
     Democrats to have the White House into the next century, need 
     to free Loretta Lynch this week.
       They need to stop using abortion language in an anti-
     trafficking bill for cover, they need to stop using Lynch's 
     support for President Obama on immigration as cover, they 
     need to stop insulting Lynch the way they have for months as 
     they have delayed a vote on confirming her as our next 
     attorney general for the simple reason that they can.
       The issue here was never Loretta Lynch's policies, always 
     about President Obama's. They have used her to get at him, 
     because to the end they remain obsessed with getting at him. 
     No wonder Jeb Bush stood up for Lynch in New Hampshire. Bush 
     didn't just show grace in doing that, he also showed more 
     common sense than his brother showed in eight years as 
     President.
       Jeb Bush has to know that Sen. Mitch McConnell hijacking 
     this process does him absolutely no good, the way it does him 
     no good to have McConnell as an important voice and face of 
     the Republican Party. As long as McConnell is, too many 
     voters completely wide-open about the upcoming Presidential 
     campaign will continue to think the party is still owned and 
     operated by scrubs who think they can push around Loretta 
     Lynch for sport.

  ``Pushing around Loretta Lynch for sport'' is certainly how it seems. 
How else can you explain the Republicans changing the subject every 
time her name comes up? Every time Ms. Lynch's confirmation is 
discussed, they change the subject. Every time when asked, Republicans 
deflect: ``next Congress'' or ``after Keystone'' or ``after we try and 
shut down Homeland Security,'' and, of course, the newest, ``after 
trafficking.''
  President Obama put it best last Friday when he said:

       Nobody can describe a reason for it beyond political 
     gamesmanship in the Senate. I have

[[Page S2260]]

     to say that there are times where the dysfunction in the 
     Senate just goes too far. This is an example of it.

  He said: ``This is embarrassing.''
  It is embarrassing. It is embarrassing for the Senate and for our 
Nation. Even Republicans--I should say some Republicans--are 
embarrassed. They know there is no rationale for delaying a vote for 
America's chief law enforcement officer. There is no reason that we 
cannot confirm Loretta Lynch today--right now, even. There is nothing 
preventing the majority leader from coming to the Senate floor 
immediately and moving the Senate into executive session for 
consideration of Ms. Lynch's nomination.
  Why then is the majority leader determined to make her wait until 
after the trafficking legislation is approved? Why? We are now spending 
the first 2 weeks of this current work period finishing two matters--
human trafficking and her nomination. These two matters could have been 
completed months ago. Everyone is aware of what has transpired with the 
human trafficking bill.
  It is sufficient to say that Republicans tried to pull a fast one on 
the American people. Republicans attempted to broaden a precedent that 
traditionally prevents Federal funds for paying for abortion, except in 
cases of rape, incest, and when the life of the mother is at risk. This 
is commonly known as the Hyde language. The Hyde language has applied 
to taxpayer dollars. Republicans want to change that to apply to 
nontaxpayer dollars.
  It was a failed political ploy, and it is no surprise, then, that the 
Republicans are scrambling to save their necks after trying to dupe 
American women. My Republican colleagues appear to be close to seeing 
the light on human trafficking, and there seems to be a path forward. 
But there is no guarantee that we can do it. As of right now, we do not 
have an agreement in place to put the finishing touches on our work on 
the bill. But we are working on that goal. The progress we have made is 
due almost entirely to the good-faith efforts of Senators Murray, 
Leahy, and Amy Klobuchar.
  When are Republicans going to see the light on Loretta Lynch? When 
will the majority leader realize he continues to obstruct a qualified 
nominee for absolutely no reason? The Senate should turn to a vote on 
Ms. Lynch's nomination immediately. Every day that passes without a 
newly confirmed Attorney General proves once and again that Republicans 
cannot lead and they certainly cannot govern.

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