Republican Abuse of Power in Senate

REPUBLICAN ABUSE OF POWER IN SENATE -- (House of Representatives - May 12, 2005)

(Ms. MATSUI asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, the power grab Senate Republicans are about to take is not about seven judges; it is about clearing the way for a Supreme Court nominee who only needs 51 votes instead of 60 votes.
Senate Republicans do not want a David Souter, an Anthony Kennedy, a Sandra Day O'Connor, a Ruth Bader Ginsberg or a Steven Breyer, all of whom were confirmed with nearly unanimous, bipartisan support.
If President Bush is successful with this extreme power grab in the Senate, he will be able to appoint extreme, right-wing judges to the court.
President Bush wants to turn the Senate into a second House of Representatives, rubber-stamping his agenda, and that is simply not what our Founding Fathers envisioned when they created two distinctly different congressional chambers.
Mr. Speaker, Democrats will fight to protect our constitutional checks and balances and basic fairness for the American people.
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