senate responsibility (and the republicans' efforts to destroy it)
Dear Mr. starzero:
Thank you for contacting me about President Bush's judicial nominees. I appreciate hearing from you.
As a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I carefully review the merits of each nominee. During this process, I evaluate the nominee's past record, professional competence, integrity, temperament, and judicial philosophy; his or her commitment to upholding the rights and protections established by the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and subsequent laws; and the background information and testimony collected in the course of the candidate's confirmation hearings.
It is important to ensure that fair and independent judges are appointed to the federal bench. The federal judiciary must reflect the diverse values, ideals, and views of all Americans. The nomination of mainstream, qualified judicial candidates with bipartisan support will increase the public's confidence that our courts are a forum that fairly considers claims affecting the lives and security of all Americans.
Attempts to eliminate Senators' ability to use a filibuster when they deem it necessary undermine a fundamental principle upon which our country was founded - the system of checks and balances. This mechanism was created to limit the power of the President and the majority party in Congress. It was designed to protect the rights of the minority and promote compromise among the branches of government. It guarantees that we meet our obligation to conduct the kind of debate necessary to ensure that candidates for the judiciary have broad support.
President Bush must respect the Senate's constitutional role in the judicial nomination process and seek our advice, not just our consent. The Constitution does not make the Senate a rubber stamp for the President's nominees. By working together, the President and the Senate can make progress on nominations as well as other important matters.
Thank you again for contacting me. Please feel free to stay in touch.
Sincerely,
Richard J. Durbin
Thank you for contacting me about President Bush's judicial nominees. I appreciate hearing from you.
As a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I carefully review the merits of each nominee. During this process, I evaluate the nominee's past record, professional competence, integrity, temperament, and judicial philosophy; his or her commitment to upholding the rights and protections established by the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and subsequent laws; and the background information and testimony collected in the course of the candidate's confirmation hearings.
It is important to ensure that fair and independent judges are appointed to the federal bench. The federal judiciary must reflect the diverse values, ideals, and views of all Americans. The nomination of mainstream, qualified judicial candidates with bipartisan support will increase the public's confidence that our courts are a forum that fairly considers claims affecting the lives and security of all Americans.
Attempts to eliminate Senators' ability to use a filibuster when they deem it necessary undermine a fundamental principle upon which our country was founded - the system of checks and balances. This mechanism was created to limit the power of the President and the majority party in Congress. It was designed to protect the rights of the minority and promote compromise among the branches of government. It guarantees that we meet our obligation to conduct the kind of debate necessary to ensure that candidates for the judiciary have broad support.
President Bush must respect the Senate's constitutional role in the judicial nomination process and seek our advice, not just our consent. The Constitution does not make the Senate a rubber stamp for the President's nominees. By working together, the President and the Senate can make progress on nominations as well as other important matters.
Thank you again for contacting me. Please feel free to stay in touch.
Sincerely,
Richard J. Durbin
posted by starzero at
10:02 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home