On the recordApril 4, 2017
I would ask the Senator from Oregon, as well, through the Chair, in this situation where Senator McConnell, as the Republican Senate leader, has exercised his so-called nuclear option to stop Merrick Garland, President Obama's choice, from filling the vacancy on the Supreme Court, does the Senator from Oregon believe, as I do, that this is part of a concerted effort by the Republicans to take control of the Federal judiciary, the fact that we left the end of the last year with 30 Federal judicial nominees on the Senate calendar, nominees who had received a bipartisan vote in the Senate Judiciary Committee? They were left unresolved, unvoted on, when the Senate went out of session. Does the Senator from Oregon see as I do, a pattern of conduct on the Republican part when it comes to filling the courts?
