On the recordOctober 20, 2011
I thank the distinguished senior Senator from Arizona. I want to say that he was chairman of the Commerce Committee and did a fine job. I am so appreciative that he put a perspective on the role of advice and consent in the Senate, because there are times when all of us have said the issues regarding a certain nomination are so great that they would not allow us to vote for confirmation. But that is not the case here. I do think Senator McCain made the eloquent statement that Mr. Bryson might not be his choice, but that is not the question before us. He is qualified for this job. He has the business background we need. We certainly need a Secretary of Commerce to be able to help our businesses grow and create jobs, and elections do have consequences. I thank the Senator from Arizona for taking the time to come and make that part of the record complete. I am pleased we are having this kind of discourse. I think the record will be complete, and I believe that when our colleagues think about the importance of the President having his nominee for this job, and the qualifications that Mr. Bryson has, even if you disagree on issues--which I certainly do, Senator McCain does, and Senator Barrasso does, and we are going to disagree on issues; that happens every day. But does it rise to the level of voting against this nomination? That is the question we have to answer. I thought Senator McCain answered it very well.…
