[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 7]
[House]
[Page 10135]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   LOOKING AHEAD TO THE SUPREME COURT

  (Mr. CROWLEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, the extreme action Senate Republicans want 
to take later this week has nothing to do with seven judges who have 
yet to be approved by the Senate. No, the Senate has approved more of 
President Bush's nominees than any President since President Reagan. In 
fact, he has had so much success that he is now presiding over the 
lowest court vacancy rate in 15 years.
  The Republican power grab is about clearing the way for a Supreme 
Court nominee who only needs 51 votes instead of 60 votes.
  Conservative Senate Republicans do not want a David Souter or a 
Stephen Breyer, judges who were confirmed with nearly unanimous 
bipartisan support. Instead, they want a Clarence Thomas, who was 
confirmed with only 52 votes and has since been proven to be an 
extremist on the Court.
  Mr. Speaker, Senate Republicans are preparing to blow up 200 years of 
tradition in the U.S. Senate, abusing their power now, so they can have 
greater control over the judiciary later on. That is not how our 
Founding Fathers envisioned the checks and balances that exist between 
the branches of our government. The sad fact is, I do not think my 
colleagues on the other side of the aisle care.

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