[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 123 (Thursday, July 20, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Page S4090]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                               Healthcare

  Mr. President, I also share Leader Schumer's remarks and concerns 
about the current status of the healthcare bill as we understand it.
  I urge my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to vote down the 
motion to proceed so that we can have regular order and so that we can 
hear from stakeholders and the American people about how changes in 
healthcare would impact them and what ideas they have for us to be able 
to lower costs and make sure that all Americans have access to truly 
affordable, high-quality care.
  Mr. President, I also rise to oppose the nomination of Attorney John 
K. Bush to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.
  An independent and impartial judiciary is critical to our democracy 
and to our march toward progress. Our Founders established our court 
system to serve as an independent arbiter that would protect the rights 
of every American and ensure equal justice under our laws. 
Unfortunately, it is clear that Mr. Bush lacks the impartiality and 
commitment to equal justice for every American that is needed to 
qualify for a lifetime appointment on the Sixth Circuit Court of 
Appeals.
  President Trump's nomination of Mr. Bush represents yet another 
attempt by this administration to undermine the rights of American 
women to make their own healthcare decisions and to control their own 
destinies. To fully participate not only in our economy but also in our 
democracy, women must be recognized for their capacity to make their 
own healthcare decisions, just as men are, and they must have the full 
independence to do so, just as men do. Mr. Bush has made it clear that 
he fundamentally disagrees with that principle and that he does not 
support a woman's constitutionally protected right to have a safe and 
legal abortion. Hiding behind a pseudonym on an online blog, Mr. Bush 
has gone so far as to compare a woman's right to make her own 
reproductive health decisions to slavery, saying they are ``the two 
greatest tragedies in our country.'' The fact that someone nominated 
for the bench would believe something like this is nothing short of 
appalling.

  Mr. Bush has also criticized essential programs that women and their 
families depend on, referring to programs like the Women, Infants, and 
Children Program--otherwise known as WIC--and grants to combat violence 
against women as ``wasteful.''
  I also have real concerns with Mr. Bush's record when it comes to the 
rights of LGBTQ Americans. Mr. Bush has made clear that he is 
vehemently opposed to marriage equality, calling it a ``no-compromise'' 
position. In 2011, he criticized the State Department for an 
announcement that led to more equal treatment of same-sex parents, and 
he has even used an offensive, anti-gay slur in a quote that he chose 
to use in public remarks.
  Mr. Bush's deeply offensive public statements and his record indicate 
that he is an individual who is focused on extreme partisanship and who 
does not recognize the basic equality of all Americans. His statements 
and his actions tell us that he is not committed to the concept of 
equal justice under our laws. This is unacceptable for someone seeking 
a lifetime appointment to a job that requires sound judgment, 
objectivity, and, more than anything else, an essential commitment to 
fairness.
  I will oppose Mr. Bush's nomination to the Sixth Circuit Court of 
Appeals, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.
  Thank you, Mr. President.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. WHITEHOUSE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. WHITEHOUSE. I ask unanimous consent to be allowed to speak as in 
morning business for up to 15 minutes.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.