Political Quotes

“I believe Senator Harkin is coming in the next few minutes. In the meantime, I thought I would comment on the legislation that has been before the body since late last week--to reduce the number of Senate confirmations of Presidential nominations, so the Senate can exercise its constitutional duty of advice and consent more effectively. This all goes back to our U.S. Constitution, article II, section 2, which says that one of the most important duties of the Senate is ``its advice and consent responsibility.'' That is one of the well-known functions of the Senate. Many have written about advice and consent. The Constitution says the President shall nominate, with the advice and consent of the Senate, ambassadors, ministers, judges, and other officers of the United States. Today, there are about 1,400 of those officers. When President Kennedy was President, there were about 286, more or less. Under President Clinton, there were about 914, more or less. It continually goes up. This includes a large number of part-time advisory positions, such as the Library Advisory Board and a variety of other boards. That is why the Founders put into the Constitution another provision, which says Congress may, by law, vest the appointment of such inferior officers as they think proper in the President alone, in the courts of law, and heads of departments.…”