[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 94 (Thursday, June 7, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Page S3289]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            VOTE EXPLANATION

  Mr. BLUMENTHAL. Mr. President, I was unable to appear in the Chamber 
today to vote on the nomination of Kenneth L. Marcus, of Virginia, to 
be Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights at the Department of Education 
due to official business away from the Senate. I would like the record 
to show that I oppose his nomination and would have voted against his 
confirmation.
  Throughout his confirmation process and career, Mr. Marcus has 
demonstrated consistent disregard for the rights of the very students 
he would be expected to protect in this role: women, LGBTQ individuals 
immigrants, and students of color. It is clear that Mr. Marcus is in 
lockstep with the Department of Education in this regard. He has 
supported the Department's decision to dismantle critical title IX 
protections for survivors of sexual assault, stood in the way of LGBTQ 
students seeking an educational atmosphere free from discrimination, 
and refused to commit to protecting a child's constitutional right to 
an education regardless of immigration status.
  Mr. Marcus has made abundantly clear that he is unfit to serve as the 
Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights at the Department or Education. I 
would like the record to show that I oppose his nomination and would 
have voted nay during today's confirmation vote.
  (At the request of Mr. Durbin, the following statement was ordered to 
be printed in the Record.)

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