Cord Byrd: “yesterday I voted to invoke cloture on the nomination of Priscilla Owen to sit on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the…”

“yesterday I voted to invoke cloture on the nomination of Priscilla Owen to sit on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Today I shall vote to confirm her nomination by an up-or-down vote. I voted to invoke cloture on this nominee and have committed to do so on a number of other pending nominees to preserve the right of extended debate in the Senate. For 200 years, Senators have enjoyed the right to speak at length on matters dear to them. This essential right has been rightfully employed for generations to protect minority rights--both in the Senate and nationwide. It would have been a travesty to have permitted this cherished right of extended debate to be extinguished simply as the result of a political squabble over a handful of judges. While passions over these seven judges have run high, it is necessary for the Senate to look at the bigger picture and stop this partisan bickering over these few judges. Now is the time for logic and reason. Now is the time for cooler heads to prevail to address the truly weighty matters that confront our nation--matters like the need of every American to obtain necessary health care, sufficient pension benefits, and affordable energy.…”