Political Quotes

“last Tuesday, the Committee on Rules and Administration favorably reported S. Res. 138, a proposal to amend the Senate's cloture rule. The committee's action represents an important milestone on the road to filibuster reform. It brings the Senate one key step closer to ending filibusters on nominations. On May 9 of this year, I introduced S. Res. 138, along with a bipartisan group of 11 cosponsors. Our purpose was to respond to a disturbing change in the way the Senate considers nominations. Lengthy and apparently implacable filibusters have erupted on two judicial nominations. Although it has long been clear that a majority of Senators stand ready to confirm Miguel Estrada and Priscilla Owen, it is increasingly obvious that a minority of Senators never intends to permit these nominations to come to a vote. Beyond these filibusters are the expressed threats to filibuster additional nominees, threats that may well materialize after the Senate reconvenes in July. Given the record already established this year, we have every reason to take these threats seriously and to imagine they will be executed. Killing judicial nominations by filibuster is not simply business as usual in the Senate. Up until now, no judicial nomination has ever been rejected in that fashion.”