Mr. President, this week the Senate will fulfill one of our most important responsibilities: advice and consent for a nominee to the Supreme Court. The stakes don't get much higher than a lifetime appointment to a court of final appeal, especially if the court has presumed over the last two generations to take more and more political and moral questions out of the hands of the people. President Trump has nominated Judge Neil Gorsuch, a distinguished jurist who understands the critical but limited role of the Federal courts in our constitutional system. To my knowledge, no Senator genuinely disputes his eminent qualifications, his judicial temperament, and his outstanding record over the last decade on the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals. Indeed, Judge Gorsuch would appear headed toward an easy, noncontroversial confirmation based on the comments by Democratic Senators. The senior Senator from Colorado introduced Judge Gorsuch at his confirmation hearings with this high praise: I have no doubt that . . . Judge Gorsuch has profound respect for an independent judiciary and the vital role it plays as a check on the executive and legislative branches. I may not always agree with his rulings, but I believe Judge Gorsuch is unquestionably committed to the rule of law.…
On the recordApril 4, 2017
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