It is Time for Votes on Judicial Nominees

IT IS TIME FOR VOTES ON JUDICIAL NOMINEES -- (House of Representatives - May 23, 2005)

(Mr. WILSON of South Carolina asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, Senator JIM DEMINT published an excellent op-ed in The State newspaper yesterday that the Senate has an obligation to ensure timely up-and-down votes for all nominees, regardless of who is President or which party is in power.

Ensuring that our courthouses are filled with well-qualified judges is one of the most important responsibilities of the U.S. Senate. As Senator DeMint notes, the majority of Americans trust the Senate's judgment on judicial nominees, and it is unfair for a minority of Senators to ignore the will of the American people. If the minority's case against these nominees is so strong, they should be able to convince other Senators to oppose the nominees during a fair up-and-down vote.

This week, Majority Leader BILL FRIST will lead the Senate to vote on the constitutional option, which will restore a 200-year tradition to ensure that each nominee receives a fair vote. After years of debate on this topic, it is time for the Senate to follow the will of the American people.

In conclusion, God bless our troops and we will never forget September 11.

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