On the recordFebruary 25, 2016
I will thank my colleague from Iowa. I hoped to get a chance to speak to him personally about another matter, but I will call him from the floor afterward. We will get in touch. Senator Hatch is here. I don't want to delay the proceedings of the Senate, but I would like an opportunity to respond on this issue that was raised by Senator Grassley. Senator Grassley of Iowa is my friend. Politicians say that sometimes and mean it, and say it sometimes and don't mean it. I mean it. We have become friends as neighboring States and sharing a lot of plane rides together, serving on the same committee, serving in the same body for a number of years, and I respect him very much. We have different points of view on many things, but we found common agreement on many other things. So I do respect him when I say that at the outset as I respond to his remarks. What is this about? This is about the passing of Justice Scalia and whether his seat on the Supreme Court will be filled, and if it will be filled, who will do it and when. The first place for us to turn when it comes to asking questions is the one document, the only document, that matters, the U.S. Constitution. It is this document that we literally all swore to uphold and defend, every one of us, Democrat and Republican. It is this document that is explicit, not making a suggestion but really spelling out the responsibilities when it comes to a vacancy on the Supreme Court, and it is article II section 2.…
