Orrin Hatch: “I rise to discuss the vacancy created by the death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. Those of us who knew the…”

“I rise to discuss the vacancy created by the death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. Those of us who knew the late Justice well are still mourning the loss of a dear friend, and the Nation is feeling the loss of one of the greatest jurists in its history. We will never find a true replacement for Justice Scalia, only a successor to his legacy. We owe it to the late Justice's extraordinary legacy of service to ensure that we treat confirmation of his successor properly. My friends in the Democratic minority have settled upon one mantra above all others in addressing this vacancy; that the Senate must ``do its job.'' While I have no doubt this talking point has been poll tested and refined to serve as the most effective political attack possible, the truth is that this point is completely uncontroversial. I have not heard a single one of my Republican colleagues argue that the Senate should not do its job with respect to the Supreme Court vacancy. Where we have a legitimate difference of opinion is how the Senate can best do its job. Article II, section 2 of the Constitution divides the appointment process into two--two--distinct roles: the power of the President to nominate and the power of the Senate to provide its advice and consent. Despite the wild claims of some of my Democratic friends to the contrary, the Constitution does not define how the Senate is to go about its duty to provide advice and consent.…”