Mr. President, I join the Nation in offering my heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Justice Scalia, who was an Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. For more than three decades, Justice Scalia devoted himself to the rule of law and public service at the highest levels. Whether you agreed or disagreed with his decisions, there is no debate about Justice Scalia's profound impact on the Supreme Court. He served his country with great honor. I was privileged to serve as a member of the Judiciary Committee when I first joined the Senate. I participated in confirmation hearings for judicial nominees for both President Bush and President Obama, including the hearings for Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan. The Constitution spells out quite clearly what happens when a vacancy occurs on the Supreme Court. Article II, section 2, of the Constitution states that the President ``shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint . . . Judges of the supreme Court.'' The American people twice elected President Obama to 4-year terms in office. Their voices have been heard very clearly. Elections have consequences, and President Obama must carry out the constitutional responsibilities and duties of his office by nominating a successor for Justice Scalia. The President is simply doing the job that the American people elected him to do. The President doesn't stop working simply because it is an election year.…
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