[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 41 (Thursday, March 7, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1717-S1718]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          JUDICIAL NOMINATIONS

  Mr. McCONNELL. Now on another matter, already this week the Senate 
has confirmed two more well qualified judicial nominees. Soon, Allison 
Rushing and Chad Readler will take their respective seats on the Fourth 
and Sixth Circuit Courts of Appeals, and later today the Senate will 
vote on confirmation of Eric Murphy, also to the Sixth Circuit. 
Together, these nominees bring decades of legal experience, prestigious 
clerkships, and the recognition of their peers. They will be charged 
with upholding the Constitution and the rule of law, and each is well 
equipped to do exactly that.
  Now, my colleagues need no reminder of Senate Democrats' historic 
obstruction of nominations over the past 2 years. Under this 
administration, 135 nominations have required a cloture vote--135 
nominations have required a cloture vote--and five times more were 
required during the first 2 years than in the same period of the last 
six administrations combined--combined.
  The final nomination we will consider this week captures what I am 
talking about perfectly. John Fleming was nominated by the President to 
serve as Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development on 
June 20 of last year. This is an Assistant Secretary of Commerce.
  Mr. Fleming has an impressive record. When the Environment and Public 
Works Committee first considered his nomination last summer, a 
significant bipartisan majority voted to favorably report his 
nomination. This is an Assistant Secretary of Commerce out of committee 
on a bipartisan basis last summer, but partisan obstruction ran out the 
clock. The nomination was sent back to the President at the end of the 
Congress.
  So earlier this year Mr. Fleming was resubmitted, returned to the 
same committee, and was favorably reported by the same bipartisan 
margin. But the obstruction still wasn't finished. Here

[[Page S1718]]

on the floor, I had to file cloture to ensure he would get a vote. I am 
pleased that cloture could be withdrawn yesterday, and we will be happy 
to vote on the confirmation today, just as happened last week on 
another nomination, but I am sorry these cloture filings and wasted 
time were needed for these uncontroversial and impressive nominees. I 
am sorry the case studies of pointless obstruction just keep on piling 
up.

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