On the recordFebruary 16, 2017
both of my unanimous consent requests have been rejected, as is the right of any Member. But still, there is a principle here--a principle of executing our responsibilities and a principle of transparency, a principle of understanding whether or not the individual before us is a fit character to serve in the office. So I am going to make a formal motion, which is allowed under the rules, to extend this debate. The rules call for 30 hours of debate but provide a clause that, by a vote, we can extend that debate. I propose we extend that debate for an additional 248 hours. That 248 hours would take us until Monday evening, on the evening we return. So again, no time is lost with the agenda before this body, but we would all have the chance to review those 3,000--or at least the first batch of those emails--to determine if there is information that is related to whether the nominee is fit or unfit to hold this office.
