[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 125 (Thursday, July 20, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Page S3438]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                           U.S. Supreme Court

  Mr. President, and now finally on the SCOTUS ethics markup, the 
Supreme Court ethics markup, this morning, as I speak, the Judiciary 
Committee is holding votes to advance Supreme Court ethics reform 
legislation. I support Chairman Durbin, Senator Whitehouse, and the 
Judiciary Committee's work on SCOTUS ethics reform, and I look forward 
to working with them to make progress on this legislation.
  Holding Supreme Court Justices to high ethical standards should not 
be a partisan issue. On the contrary, both sides should leap at the 
opportunity to do whatever we can to protect the public's trust in our 
system of justice. It is an essential part of protecting our democracy.
  Right now, sadly, Americans' trust in the Supreme Court is 
understandably shaken. They see Supreme Court Justices accepting lavish 
gifts and vacations from billionaires and MAGA extremists--not your 
ordinary, run-of-the-mill billionaires but true ideologues who then 
support organizations and court suits to move America to the far right, 
and the Court seems to do it. Then they turn around, gut--these 
ideologues turn around, gut affirmative action, block student debt 
relief for millions of Americans, and green-light discrimination 
against the LGBTQ community. The hypocrisy, the appearance of a 
conflict of interest is sickening, and Americans clearly see right 
through it.
  The American people agree that Justices who sit on the highest Court 
in the land should be held to equally high ethical standards.
  So, again, to repeat, I support the efforts of Chairman Durbin and 
the Judiciary Committee, and I will work with them to make progress on 
this issue.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so 
ordered.