[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 7]
[House]
[Page 9934]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                             ABUSE OF POWER

  (Ms. SOLIS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Ms. SOLIS. Madam Speaker, today I rise to denounce the Republican 
attack on our system of checks and balances that has existed in our 
country for well over 200 years.
  Led by the Senate majority leader, the Senate Republicans are 
creating an unnecessary showdown over judicial nominations that will 
hurt the American public and especially women.
  The truth is that since President Bush took office, the Senate has 
confirmed 208 of his judicial nominations and turned back only 10, 
which is a 95 percent confirmation rate.
  There are reasons the Democrats are concerned about the judicial 
nominations. As Chair of the Democratic Women's Working Group, I am 
concerned about the nominations of Janice Rogers Brown and Priscilla 
Owen to the circuit court seats. Both these nominees would come to the 
Federal bench with an agenda to roll back civil rights and labor 
protections, many of which would affect women and all Americans.
  We have held these values dear for many decades, and I cannot stand 
quiet and allow the Senate Republicans to abuse their power. 
Eliminating the filibuster would destroy the procedures that would 
protect democracy in this institution.
  The American public must stand up and be heard.

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