Tina Smith: “I rise to talk about my strong opposition to Judge Brett Kavanaugh's nomination to the Supreme Court. I want to…”

“I rise to talk about my strong opposition to Judge Brett Kavanaugh's nomination to the Supreme Court. I want to specifically focus on what his confirmation could mean for the future of voting rights in this country. The right to vote is our most sacred responsibility as citizens of this great Nation. Martin Luther King, Jr., called voting ``the foundation stone for political action.'' That is because when the right to vote is restricted, it undermines the very foundation of our democracy. If certain groups are barred or discouraged from voting, then our elected representatives cannot be held accountable for protecting the rights and interests of all of us. When you cast your vote, you decide who should be entrusted to protect all of your rights--your right to make private decisions about how and when to start a family, your right to organize and advocate for fair pay and safe working conditions, your right to affordable healthcare, and your right to breathe clean air and drink clean water. Yet, if Judge Kavanaugh is confirmed to the Supreme Court, there is no doubt he will help his friends in far-right special interest groups continue their coordinated campaign to make it harder for millions of Americans to vote. These are the very same groups who recommended his nomination to the President.…”