[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 37 (Thursday, March 2, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Page S1546]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              NOMINATIONS

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, on yet another matter, the Senate has 
been working to put the President's Cabinet in place with several 
important agencies that serve the American people. I am pleased to 
share that, by the end of the week, we will have confirmed even more 
nominees, including Representative Zinke, whom we approved yesterday, 
as well as Dr. Ben Carson and Gov. Rick Perry. Both Carson and Perry 
received bipartisan support in committee, and I expect to see the same 
when the Senate votes to confirm them. Once we do, Dr. Carson can begin 
bringing much needed reforms to the Department of Housing and Urban 
Development, while Governor Perry can begin leading on smarter policies 
at the Energy Department.
  I also look forward to confirming another important nomination before 
the Senate. Judge Neil Gorsuch continues to earn praise from both sides 
of the aisle, including many on the political left. President Obama's 
legal mentor calls Gorsuch ``brilliant.''
  His former Solicitor General praises Gorsuch for his ``fairness.''
  Alan Dershowitz says Gorsuch is ``highly credentialed'' and ``hard to 
oppose on the merits.''
  Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg recently had praise for the judge, too, 
complimenting his collegiality and excellent writing abilities.
  Judge Gorsuch has received wide support in his local community as 
well, with more than 200 Colorado lawyers from across the political 
spectrum voicing their support for his nomination. Here is what they 
said in a letter to Colorado's Senators just last week. They wrote:

       We know Judge Gorsuch to be a person of utmost character. 
     He is fair, decent, and honest, both as a judge and a person. 
     His record shows that he believes strongly in the 
     independence of the judiciary. Judge Gorsuch has a well-
     earned reputation as an excellent jurist. He voted with the 
     majority in 98 percent of the cases he heard on the Tenth 
     Circuit, a great portion of which were joined by judges 
     appointed by Democratic presidents.
       We all agree that Judge Gorsuch is exceptionally well-
     qualified to join the Supreme Court. He deserves an up or 
     down vote.

  That is from 200 Colorado lawyers.
  It is praise that has been reiterated by other Coloradans as well. 
Here is how the Colorado Springs Gazette put it this week in an 
editorial supporting the nomination. The paper said:

       To vote against Judge Gorsuch would favor . . . party over 
     someone who clearly ranks among the top-qualified nominees in 
     the court's history.

  The considerable praise we have heard regarding Judge Gorsuch is not 
surprising when we consider the reputation he has earned across his 
State, in the Federal judiciary, and among those who have worked with 
him through the years. That includes Judge John Kane, a senior district 
court judge in Colorado appointed by President Carter. He also shared 
his view this week on what type of jurist Judge Gorsuch has been, and 
will continue to be, if confirmed to the Supreme Court. Here is what he 
had to say. This is a Carter appointee:

       [Judge Gorsuch's] opinions, concurrences and dissents are 
     clear, cogent and mercifully to the point. I have been 
     affirmed and reversed by him and in each instance I thought 
     he was right and fair.

  Let me repeat what Judge Kane, a Carter appointee, said:

       I have been affirmed and reversed by him and in each 
     instance I thought he was right and fair.

  Judge Kane added that Judge Gorsuch's ``writings indicate a strong 
respect for tradition and precedent'' and, he said, ``I don't find his 
decisions reflecting any sort of ideological bias.''
  ``I am very comfortable with this nomination,'' Judge Kane concluded, 
and ``I'm not sure we could expect better, or that better presently 
exists.''
  Let me say that again. This is a Carter appointee to Federal courts. 
He said: ``I'm not sure we could expect better, or that better 
presently exists.''
  In other words, no one is better.
  It is high acclaim from someone who not only has professional 
experience with the nominee before us but also someone who, as a judge 
himself, has a clear-eyed understanding of the standards a jurist must 
uphold.
  In the coming days, we can expect to see more examples of bipartisan 
support for Judge Gorsuch. He is an outstanding nominee. He is both 
well qualified and well respected, and he deserves fair consideration 
and an up-or-down vote.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Mississippi.

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