[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 67 (Wednesday, April 17, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Page S2823]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          MAYORKAS IMPEACHMENT

  Ms. COLLINS. Madam President, I opposed Majority Leader Schumer's 
constitutional points of order because I have concerns about the 
precedents they set for future impeachments.
  Once a majority of the House of Representatives votes to adopt 
Articles of Impeachment, the Senate should fulfill its constitutional 
role to ``try all impeachments.'' Simply ending an impeachment 
proceeding without any consideration of the substance of the 
allegations--as the Senate Democratic majority did today--sets a 
terrible precedent that could be exploited in the future. Today, not 
only did the Senate fail to perform its constitutional duty, but it 
also set an additional precedent that something as serious as a felony 
is not a high crime or misdemeanor under the Constitution. That is why 
I voted against both points of order. Let me make clear that my votes 
today do not reflect my views on the merits of this matter, which I 
would only consider after a presentation of the evidence at trial.
  I believe the Senate will come to regret today's votes to shirk our 
constitutional responsibility and inappropriately short-circuit the 
constitutional process for considering Articles of Impeachment adopted 
by the House of Representatives.

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