Tuesday, May 24, 2005
Frist: It Ain't Over Yet
SEN. BILL FRIST, (R) MAJORITY LEADER: With this agreement, all options remain on the table, including the constitutional option. If it had been necessary to deploy the constitutional option, it would have been successful.
FRIST FLOOR STATEMENT ON JUDICIAL NOMINATIONS
US Senator William H. Frist, M.D.
May 24th, 2005 - Mr. President, though I am not a party to the memorandum of understanding signed last night by 14 of my colleagues, I have had the opportunity to further review the agreement in more detail. I believe the memorandum of understanding makes modest progress, but falls far short, of guaranteeing up or down votes on judicial nominees. It needs to be carefully monitored and executed in good faith.
Let me briefly share my thoughts on the understanding reached last night and my expectations going forward.
First, the memorandum of understanding begins to break the partisan obstruction of the past two years and guarantee fair up or down votes on several judicial nominees. Priscilla Owen, Janice Rogers Brown, and William Pryor all will receive the courtesy and fairness of up or down votes. I will continue to fight for other qualified nominees who have been waiting for votes and deserve the same courtesy and fairness.
Second, the agreement, if followed in good faith, will make filibusters of judicial nominees in the future, including Supreme Court nominees, almost impossible.
Third, let me be very clear: the Constitutional option remains on the table. I will not hesitate to use it if necessary. It has been and continues to be a last resort. My goal is restoring the principle of fair up or down votes on judicial nominees. However, if the minority again acts in bad faith – if they resume their campaign of routine judicial obstruction – I will ask all 100 senators to decide whether judicial nominees deserve fair up-or-down votes.
So let us begin today to execute this memorandum of understanding. This afternoon, I expect the Senate to confirm Priscilla Owen and by the end of the week to process Janice Rogers Brown and William Pryor. We will work with the Minority Leader, the Judiciary Committee and other Senators to move forward expeditiously on other nominees, including those from the Sixth Circuit and Tom Griffith.
This has been a very significant debate. By exposing the injustice of judicial obstruction in the last Congress, we have made progress on restoring a core Constitutional principle: all judicial nominees deserve fair up or down votes. I hope that progress continues.
SEN. BILL FRIST, (R) MAJORITY LEADER: With this agreement, all options remain on the table, including the constitutional option. If it had been necessary to deploy the constitutional option, it would have been successful.
FRIST FLOOR STATEMENT ON JUDICIAL NOMINATIONS
US Senator William H. Frist, M.D.
May 24th, 2005 - Mr. President, though I am not a party to the memorandum of understanding signed last night by 14 of my colleagues, I have had the opportunity to further review the agreement in more detail. I believe the memorandum of understanding makes modest progress, but falls far short, of guaranteeing up or down votes on judicial nominees. It needs to be carefully monitored and executed in good faith.
Let me briefly share my thoughts on the understanding reached last night and my expectations going forward.
First, the memorandum of understanding begins to break the partisan obstruction of the past two years and guarantee fair up or down votes on several judicial nominees. Priscilla Owen, Janice Rogers Brown, and William Pryor all will receive the courtesy and fairness of up or down votes. I will continue to fight for other qualified nominees who have been waiting for votes and deserve the same courtesy and fairness.
Second, the agreement, if followed in good faith, will make filibusters of judicial nominees in the future, including Supreme Court nominees, almost impossible.
Third, let me be very clear: the Constitutional option remains on the table. I will not hesitate to use it if necessary. It has been and continues to be a last resort. My goal is restoring the principle of fair up or down votes on judicial nominees. However, if the minority again acts in bad faith – if they resume their campaign of routine judicial obstruction – I will ask all 100 senators to decide whether judicial nominees deserve fair up-or-down votes.
So let us begin today to execute this memorandum of understanding. This afternoon, I expect the Senate to confirm Priscilla Owen and by the end of the week to process Janice Rogers Brown and William Pryor. We will work with the Minority Leader, the Judiciary Committee and other Senators to move forward expeditiously on other nominees, including those from the Sixth Circuit and Tom Griffith.
This has been a very significant debate. By exposing the injustice of judicial obstruction in the last Congress, we have made progress on restoring a core Constitutional principle: all judicial nominees deserve fair up or down votes. I hope that progress continues.
