Chris Coons: “I rise today to join my Democratic colleagues on the floor in opposition to this Chamber's inability to do its job and…”

“I rise today to join my Democratic colleagues on the floor in opposition to this Chamber's inability to do its job and fulfill our constitutional obligation by holding a public hearing and taking a vote on President Obama's nomination of Chief Judge Merrick Garland to the U.S. Supreme Court. As this body appears to apparently head home for the next month and a half, let me share yet another reason why it is so important that we put partisan politics aside and do our jobs. As a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, I have had the opportunity to travel to many other countries. Just this past June, I spent a week in South Africa to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Robert F. Kennedy's ``Ripples of Hope'' speech in Cape Town. Robert F. Kennedy, a former Senator himself, inspired the early, nascent anti-apartheid movement in South Africa with this uplifting and challenging speech. Just earlier today, I had a chance to meet with a friend from South Africa with whom I connected on that trip. I had a reminder in our conversation--a reminder that what we do teaches, engages, and challenges much of the rest of the world. The United States and South Africa, although we are very different countries with different histories, are similar in important ways. What struck me on this trip to South Africa back in June and in the months since has been some of our important similarities and our important current challenges.…”