Frank Lautenberg: “I am pleased for our country and for this body that the Senate soundly rejected an abuse of power that would have done…”

“I am pleased for our country and for this body that the Senate soundly rejected an abuse of power that would have done irreparable harm to Congress and to our Nation's system of checks and balances. I salute my Republican colleagues who were able to stand up to their leadership and my Democratic colleagues who labored long and hard to prevent the majority from launching the so-called nuclear option. I am especially thankful for our Democratic leader, Harry Reid, who showed a steady leadership hand through these troubling days. As part of the agreement reached Monday night, Priscilla Owen, President Bush's nominee for the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, will get an up-or-down vote. It appears that she will be confirmed, which I hoped would not take place. Consistent with my voting record, while I respect my colleagues who worked hard to preserve the filibuster, I voted against invoking cloture on the Owen nomination yesterday and today I will vote against confirming her and urge my colleagues to do the same. I want to make it clear that I have nothing against her personally. Too often, Members on the other side of the aisle have depicted opposition to their radical nominees as a personal animus or a bias based on the nominees' sex or race or religion. That could not be further from the truth, which is obvious if one looks at my voting record.…”