John Cornyn: “at a time when it seems like too often debate on the President's nominees have shed more heat than light, it has been a…”

“at a time when it seems like too often debate on the President's nominees have shed more heat than light, it has been a delight for me to sit here, as the Chair has, and listen to the Senator from Arizona present in comprehensive detail the legal and constitutional framework for the Senate's authority to set its own rules by establishing precedents, passing standing rules, adopting standing orders by unanimous consent, and otherwise. It was an excellent presentation and, indeed, a strong case, and that is exactly why leading Senators on the other side of the aisle, including the former Democratic majority leader, the Senator from West Virginia, the Senator from Massachusetts, and the junior Senator from New York, have all stated, as recently as 2 years ago, that, of course, a majority of Senators has the power to set rules, precedents, and procedures. Indeed, that is why the power of the Senate majority to set rules, precedents, and procedures is known as the Byrd option or, as some have called it, the constitutional option. Let me begin my remarks by making one simple point. I would prefer the bipartisan option to the Byrd option every time. America works better, indeed the Senate works better, when we work together in a bipartisan way to try to solve the problems that come before the Congress. I would much prefer to stand up here, after waking each day, and conduct business in a bipartisan manner.…”