[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 6]
[Senate]
[Page 8155]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




           DONALD TRUMP AND FILLING THE SUPREME COURT VACANCY

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, Senate Republicans are waiting with gleeful 
anticipation for Donald Trump to fill the vacancy on the Supreme Court. 
Donald Trump, who last week attacked a Federal judge because of his 
Mexican heritage--even though the judge was born in Indiana--said that 
District Judge Curiel shouldn't be allowed to preside on his case 
because of his ethnicity. Donald Trump, moments later, said that he 
would feel the same way if the judge were Muslim.
  This is the man--Donald Trump--for whom Senate Republicans are 
blocking a supremely qualified nominee for the Supreme Court, a man by 
the name of Merrick Garland. This is the man--Donald Trump--for whom 
Republicans are abdicating their constitutional responsibility. This is 
the man--Donald Trump--whom Senate Republicans want to determine the 
makeup of the Supreme Court for at least the next generation.
  The Senate Republicans are united in blocking Judge Merrick Garland's 
nomination to the Supreme Court. Republicans are united in refusing to 
provide their advice and consent to President Obama's nominee to the 
Supreme Court. The Republicans are united in doing it for Donald Trump. 
They say so. They should be ashamed.
  It is hard to imagine anything more humiliating than holding a 
Supreme Court seat open so that Donald Trump can fill that seat. Is 
this why my Republican colleagues entered public service--to march in 
lockstep behind a man who spews hate and attacks the basic rule of law 
in America?
  The Republican leader says: ``We know that Donald Trump will make the 
right kind of Supreme Court appointments.''
  This is sad for the Republican Party. If my Republican colleagues 
aren't embarrassed, they aren't thinking very well.
  President Obama has nominated a moderate, experienced, brilliant 
jurist to the Supreme Court, but instead of giving Judge Garland the 
impartial treatment he deserves, Republicans are refusing to do their 
jobs. And for what? So Donald Trump, a man who routinely insults 
Republican Senators to their faces, among others, denigrates Senator 
McCain's heroism, says people's heritage makes them unable to perform 
their jobs, and all the terrible stuff about women, handicapped 
people--we want this man to appoint someone to the Supreme Court? The 
Republicans should come to their senses. It is time to drop the charade 
and give Garland a fair hearing and a vote.

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