[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 178 (Monday, October 19, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6307-S6308]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                    Nomination of Amy Coney Barrett

  Mr. THUNE. Madam President, last week, the Judiciary Committee held 
its hearing on Judge Amy Coney Barrett's nomination, and it was easy to 
see why Judge Barrett is held in such high regard by her colleagues, 
students, and peers and why the American Bar Association gave her its 
highest rating of ``well qualified.''
  We knew long before the hearing that Judge Barrett possesses an 
extraordinary intelligence and a comprehensive command of the law. But 
over 3 days of testimony, Americans got to see her qualifications for 
themselves, and they saw why she has been described as ``a jurist of 
formidable intellect,'' a ``brilliant and conscientious lawyer,'' and 
``a staggering academic mind.'' Even the Democratic ranking member on 
the committee, the senior Senator from California, couldn't hide the 
fact that she was impressed.
  Most importantly, however, Americans saw that Judge Barrett 
understands the proper role of a judge in our system of government. As 
Judge Barrett made clear, she understands that the job of a judge is to 
interpret the law, not to make the law; to call balls and strikes, not 
to rewrite the rules of the game; or, as Judge Barrett said to the 
Democrat whip at the hearing last week: ``I apply the law. I follow the 
law. You make policy.''
  Judge Barrett has made it clear that when cases come before her on 
the Supreme Court, she will consider the facts, the law, and the 
Constitution, and nothing else--not her personal beliefs, not her 
political opinions, just the law and the Constitution. That is the kind 
of Justice that all of us--Democrat or Republican, liberal or 
conservative--should want.
  I could spend hours highlighting all the extraordinary tributes to 
Judge Barrett that have poured in since her nomination, from lawyers 
and scholars of every background and political persuasion, but I don't 
want to tie up the Senate floor. So I will just mention one piece of 
testimony that struck me in particular.
  As I mentioned, the American Bar Association released its rating of 
Judge Barrett last week, a rating that the Democratic leader, by the 
way, has called the ``gold standard''--the ``gold standard''--by which 
judicial candidates are judged. Well, the ABA gave Judge Barrett its 
highest possible rating--``well qualified.'' And the chairman of the 
American Bar Association's Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary, 
the ABA committee that issues these ratings, testified before the 
Judiciary Committee during Judge Barrett's hearing. I would like to 
read from the testimony that he submitted to the committee.

       Lawyers and judges uniformly praised the nominee's 
     integrity. Most remarkably, in interviews with individuals in 
     the legal profession and the community who know Judge 
     Barrett, whether for a few years or decades, not one person 
     uttered a negative word about her character. Accordingly, the 
     Standing Committee was not required to consider any negative 
     criticisms of Judge Barrett.

  His testimony went on:


[[Page S6308]]


  

       All of the experienced, dedicated, and knowledgeable 
     sitting judges, legal scholars, and lawyers who have worked 
     with or against Judge Barrett had high praise for her 
     intellect and ability to communicate clearly and effectively. 
     . . . Given the breadth, diversity, and strength of the 
     positive feedback we received from judges and lawyers of all 
     political persuasions and from so many parts of the 
     profession, the Standing Committee would have been hard-
     pressed to come to any conclusion other than that Judge 
     Barrett has demonstrated professional competence that is 
     exceptional.

  We are fortunate to have a nominee like Judge Barrett, and I look 
forward to confirming her to the Supreme Court in the very near future.