Political Quotes

“one of the most consequential duties of the Senate is the consideration of a Supreme Court nominee. This is the Congress's opportunity to shape the direction of the Federal courts and to defend a judiciary that is focused on laws, not policy. For those of us who have been called to this role for a limited time, this work is important. It will outlast us by decades. None of us should take this duty lightly. With the appointment of Justice Gorsuch last year and now a record 22 judges to the courts of appeals, the past 18 months have been among the most consequential for the judiciary in the history of the Nation--and that was before Justice Kennedy's retirement. As significant as these confirmations have been for the last year and a half in the judiciary, the current Supreme Court vacancy is arguably the most important task before the Senate this year. This vacancy is a remarkable opportunity to affirm the role of a judge under our constitutional system of republican self-government. Fundamentally, this shouldn't be an exercise in policymaking, as vital and important as policymaking can be. Making law is not the job of the courts in any way, shape, or form. Don't get me wrong. Setting goals and making policy can be very important, but it is done in the open, and it starts at home.…”