[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 115 (Tuesday, July 10, 2018)]
[House]
[Page H5995]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUPREME COURT NOMINEES

  (Mr. RASKIN asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. RASKIN. Mr. Speaker, I represent the Eighth Congressional 
District in Maryland, and I want to give you a tale of two of my 
constituents.
  One is Merrick Garland of Bethesda, the chief judge of the D.C. Court 
of Appeals, who was nominated to the Supreme Court in March of 2016. A 
celebrated judge who had more judicial experience under his belt than 
anyone ever nominated to the Supreme Court before, a graduate of 
Harvard College and Harvard Law School, Judge Garland was often 
described as the most qualified person ever nominated to the Court.
  But Senator McConnell and the GOP in the Senate vowed they would have 
no hearings, no action, and no vote on his nomination because there was 
an election coming up in 9 months and the people should be heard. This 
was unprecedented, but, fair enough, if that is the new standard.
  Now, I have another constituent, Brett Kavanaugh of Chevy Chase, who 
serves on the exact same court as Judge Garland does and who has been 
nominated to the Supreme Court only 4 months before a national 
election. He is a graduate of Yale College and Yale Law School. But the 
Senate now says that they are going to speed through hearings and a 
vote on Judge Kavanaugh's nomination.
  Why? Is he better qualified?
  Not even Judge Kavanaugh would say that.
  Why is it?
  We have one-party control of the House, the Senate, the White House, 
and the Supreme Court. This is nothing but a power play here in 
Washington. They are doing it simply because they can do it, and it is 
wrong.
  We should have one standard that governs nominations from both 
parties.

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