William H. Frist: “I have some brief remarks about confirmation of a new Supreme Court Justice. As we all have witnessed, the process is…”

“I have some brief remarks about confirmation of a new Supreme Court Justice. As we all have witnessed, the process is off to a great start. Consultation is well underway between the President of the United States and the Senate. It is ongoing. The President and his staff are reaching out to Senators from both parties to listen to their suggestions, both in person and through phone calls. To date, the administration, the President and his staff, have contacted directly more than 60 Senators, more than two-thirds of the Democratic caucus, every member of the Judiciary Committee. The President's approach has been bipartisan and open and unprecedented in scope. I commend him for that effort. As we look ahead, I encourage each Senator to reflect upon the nominee we will consider and the confirmation process we will undertake. As Senators, confirming a nominee to the Supreme Court is one of our highest constitutional duties. The new Justice, whomever the President chooses, will influence American law for years and years to come. He or she will impact the lives of millions of Americans. As Senators, we should ask ourselves, What kind of Justice does America expect on the Supreme Court?…”