[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 4]
[Senate]
[Page 4934]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                            LYNCH NOMINATION

  Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, I think the American people deserve to 
see the contrast between how nominees were treated in the last decade, 
during the Bush administration, versus how they are treated in this 
decade, during the Obama administration.
  When former President Bush nominated John Ashcroft to be U.S. 
Attorney General, it was controversial. I was one of 42 Democrats who 
opposed the nomination. Yet it only took 42 days for John Ashcroft to 
get a vote on confirming his appointment because neither I nor other 
Democrats stood in the way and blocked actually having a vote.
  Now, I agree that was a different time, where filibusters were not 
used every single day on every single issue, unfortunately. But I 
remember that at that time our Republican colleagues came to the floor 
and said: Elections have consequences. When a President is elected, he 
or she has the opportunity to put forward their nominees and have a 
vote. Day after day people came to the floor and said: Just let us 
vote. Just let us vote. And we did let the vote happen.
  As of today, President Obama's nominee for Attorney General, Loretta 
Lynch, has waited 157 days and counting, and we intend to count the 
days. In fact, since the Judiciary Committee reported Loretta Lynch's 
nomination out of committee, she has now waited longer for a vote on 
the Senate floor than the last seven attorneys general combined--seven 
attorneys general combined. She has waited longer than seven attorneys 
general combined.
  The U.S. Senate has the constitutional responsibility to provide 
advice and consent to the President as it relates to his appointments. 
That is a serious responsibility and we are not asking that someone 
vote yes if they want to vote no. They have a right to vote no. We have 
had enough Members now come forward that it is clear she actually has 
the votes. We have had enough Members indicate they would support her 
that we know we could get a vote on the floor and that she would, in 
fact, be confirmed as the Attorney General. But everyone has the right 
to state their piece, to vote as their conscience would have them vote. 
Unfortunately, our Republican colleagues have so far withheld the 
respect given to other Presidents--to President Bush. They have 
withheld that from this President.
  If this is frustrating to me, I can only imagine how frustrating it 
is to Loretta Lynch, who I know is eager to get on with the work of our 
Nation's top law enforcement official. I had the opportunity to meet 
with Ms. Lynch in early December. She impressed me with her passion for 
upholding the rule of law and her belief that law enforcement could be 
a partner in building stronger and more cohesive communities. I talked 
to her about how the Justice Department could play a role in supporting 
ethnic diversity in communities such as Detroit and Flint and other 
communities across Michigan.
  Loretta Lynch understands the devastating effect racial profiling has 
had on the relationship between the police and the public, which is why 
I am pleased to learn of her support for police body cameras and so 
many other policies that would help in that regard. In addition, she 
understands the threat posed by those who would intimidate Americans 
from participating in elections.
  I regret Loretta Lynch has not yet been granted the opportunity to 
play her role in promoting access to the polls and preventing groups 
from being disenfranchised. I regret our FBI, with all it must do for 
the safety and security of Americans, does not have a permanent 
Attorney General to direct it. I regret there is not a permanent 
Attorney General to advise prosecutors about actions to take against 
banks that commit fraud against homeowners. I regret our Republican 
colleagues are continuing to perform the same stunts in the majority as 
they did in the minority: to govern by holding government functions 
hostage.
  Those who oppose the nomination have every right to vote no, every 
right to fight to defeat this nomination, but if they continue to 
refuse to give the advice and counsel and perform the duty they are 
sworn to uphold under the Constitution and continue to block a simple 
vote on a nomination from the President of the United States for 
Attorney General of this country, they are doing a disservice, I 
believe, to our country.
  We have heard so often from people they are so tired of Congress 
obstructing and not acting. I would urge colleagues to get on about the 
business of a nomination that has been held on this floor for too 
long--too long--and 157 days is too long. It does a disservice to all 
of us to see this continue. We need Loretta Lynch as our Attorney 
General.
  We have a lot of business to conduct in the Senate and a lot of very 
important topics coming up. We need to get about the business of 
allowing this vote. However it goes is how it goes. We have indicated, 
we have the votes if we are allowed to vote, but everyone has a right 
to express themselves. Let us put in place a competent, strong Attorney 
General for the country and then move on to other serious issues that 
we have to address in the Senate. It is time to vote.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Alabama.

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