Letter to the Hon. Chuck Schumer, Senate Minority Leader - Senate Must Act on Supreme Court Nominee

Letter

Dear Leader Schumer,

The United States Senate has a duty set forth in the Constitution of the United States to review presidential appointments to the Supreme Court. As you are aware, the Senate alone has the power to provide "advice and consent" for appointments to our judiciary. I urge you to swiftly hold a vote on the nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch.

It is critically important for the Senate to act on the vacancy on the Supreme Court. Ensuring faith in our governing institutions should be a priority of every elected official regardless of political affiliation. The judgement provided by our nation's highest court delivers a finality to questions regarding constitutionality. The vacancy on the Court following the passing of Justice Antonin Scalia threatens the consistency of federal law.

Last year, I spoke in favor of hearings for Judge Merrick Garland, a qualified jurist who deserved full consideration before the Senate. As elected members of Congress, we swore an oath to carry out the duties compelled by the Constitution, and we have reached a critical point where people must be put before politics.

The time is now for the Senate to act on the President's nomination of Judge Gorsuch, a brilliant jurist with rigorous academic credentials. As one of the 12 current Democratic Senators present for the unanimous confirmation of Judge Gorsuch to the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals in 2006, I urge you to allow his nomination to receive an up-or-down vote by the Senate. It is vital to our system of government to have a strong independent judiciary where good people are willing to serve, put aside their personal politics, and provide an unbiased interpretation of the law.

Sincerely,

Brian K. Fitzpatrick

Member of Congress

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