On the recordJuly 16, 2018
I thank the gentleman from the Fourth District of Georgia for sharing his analysis this evening. Indeed, he has raised some very important points that we need to consider and that I would like the American people to consider. There is a McConnell rule. That rule held up the nomination of Merrick Garland for almost a year. The context which that was done was that apparently there were going to be elections down the road and the American people should speak. Well, here we are less than 5 months out before there will be an election here in the United States of America. I think the people have an opportunity, and should use that opportunity through their franchise, to register their concerns about this nomination process. Nearly 150 years ago, Black Americans were granted the right to vote. It will be another 100 years before people of color could freely vote in every State, county, and city in the United States of America. We have fought tooth and nail for the most sacred power in America--the power to vote--and now that power is being challenged with the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. In 2012, Judge Kavanaugh wrote an opinion that upheld South Carolina's restrictive voter ID laws, despite knowing they would disenfranchise voters and disproportionately harm people of color. Voter ID laws are another thinly veiled attempt at preventing people of color from participating in elections.…
