[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 119 (Thursday, July 10, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4303-S4304]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                          Judicial Nominations

  Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, last Friday, President Trump signed into 
law our historic legislation to deliver safety and prosperity for the 
American people. Every Democrat in this Chamber voted against it.
  So, once again, Democrats do what they do: They turn to the courts to 
try to undo what Congress has done. This time, it is about the 
government funding of Planned Parenthood.

[[Page S4304]]

  Now, we just heard the minority leader come to the floor and say: 
People want fair judges who will uphold the law. By Monday afternoon, 
Democrats had filed a lawsuit in Boston, MA, challenging the very law 
that was just signed on the Fourth of July.
  Now, I have spoken about this Massachusetts district court in the 
past. Look, this is one of the Democrats' favorite venues when they 
want to obstruct the law--the law of the land. That is because 11 of 
the 13 judges were appointed by Democrat Presidents.
  Well, by Monday evening, an unelected district court judge appointed 
by President Obama granted a temporary injunction--there they go again, 
another temporary injunction--blocking the law of the land. The judge 
did not issue a legal opinion or explain her decision. Instead, this 
one, lone judge, who has a history of radical rulings and partisan 
activism from the bench, halted the duly enacted law. As a result, 
millions of taxpayer dollars could be forced to be spent. This is money 
that taxpayers will never be able to recover.
  One judge in one district trying to dictate and derail national 
policy and a national law--this is another example of radicals in robes 
undermining the elected branches of our government.
  As Law Professor Elizabeth Foley recently wrote in the Wall Street 
Journal, the separation of powers is ``under assault by rogue judges 
claiming national power.''
  Over 40 nationwide injunctions have been filed against the Trump 
administration in the first 6 months. Thirty-five of them were issued 
by district courts in just four States and the District of Columbia--
California, Massachusetts, Maryland, and Washington State. This is 
nearly triple the number of injunctions that President Biden faced his 
entire 4 years in office.
  Look, Democrats continue to use the courts to try to reverse 
President Trump's popular policies. Democrats aren't seeking an 
unbiased review; they are using the courts as a political tool. It is 
not how the Constitution is supposed to work.
  Even Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan, an Obama appointee, has 
opposed nationwide injunctions. In 2022, Justice Kagan said:

       It just can't be right that one district judge can stop a 
     nationwide policy in its tracks and leave it stopped for the 
     years it takes to go through the normal process.

  I agree with Justice Kagan.
  The Supreme Court has recently and repeatedly taken steps to rein in 
these radical judges. The Supreme Court has overturned 11 injunctions 
against the administration just since January. That includes Tuesday's 
8-to-1 order in the case of Trump v. American Federation of Government 
Employees.
  This abuse of the courts needs to end. That is why I support the 
Judicial Relief Clarification Act. This legislation was written by the 
chairman of the Judiciary Committee, Chuck Grassley of Iowa. His 
legislation would limit lower courts from using sweeping injunctions to 
block national policies.
  Additionally, the Senate must move quickly to confirm judges who 
apply the laws as written, not judges who try to legislate from the 
bench.
  Later today, we are going to begin the process of confirming 
President Trump's first judicial nominee this term. It is for President 
Trump's nominee to serve on the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. Her 
name is Whitney Hermandorfer. She is smart. She is tough. She is ready 
to serve. She has the full backing of her home State Senators, Senator 
Blackburn and Senator Hagerty of Tennessee. She also has the support of 
the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, Senator Grassley.
  Mr. President, the Constitution is clear: Congress controls Federal 
spending. The power of the purse belongs to Congress--doesn't belong to 
unelected district court judges with a gavel and a grudge.
  The American people deserve better. Enough is enough. It is time to 
restore constitutional order. It is time to rein in rogue judges. It is 
time to confirm judges who respect the rule of law.