On the recordJuly 20, 2010
I am terribly disappointed. With this objection, Senate Republicans have further ratcheted up the obstruction and partisanship that has become commonplace this Congress with regard to judicial nominees. I had honestly hoped that working with the respected senior Senator from Tennessee, we would be able to obtain a standard time agreement. I am not asking any Republican Senator to vote for the nominee, but simply to vote. I am not asking Republican Senators to vote before they have had a chance to debate the nomination, only to agree to a reasonable time for debate. If they do not think 3 hours reasonable, I wish they would indicate what time they think they need for such a debate. During the past 2 years, their demands for time have gone unused in debates on the nominations. Often, hours will be demanded in opposition without any of it being used for that purpose. If it were just a matter of the number, I would hope we could have worked that out and reached an agreement.
