|
|
||
|
|
||
| Mr. HENSARLING. Madam Speaker, 2 years ago this month, I rose to express my outrage with Democrats over their treatment of my fellow Texan, Supreme Court Justice Priscilla Owen. Today, due to Democrats' continued obstruction, Justice Owen, a highly qualified nominee from the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, is still being denied a simple up-or-down vote in the Senate.
Madam Speaker, despite unanimously receiving the highest possible rating of the American Bar Association, despite the strong, bipartisan support of several former Texas Supreme Court Justices and 15 past presidents of the State Bar of Texas, Texas Supreme Court Justice Priscilla Owen has still not received a simple up-or-down vote for 4 years. For 4 years, Senate Democrats have worked to obstruct our Constitution. When Republicans were in power during President Clinton's term, no judicial nominee was ever deprived of a vote due to a filibuster. Now, after 200 years of American history, Democrats want to unilaterally change the rules. Madam Speaker, Justice Owen has a right to get a vote on her nomination. Basic fairness dictates it, as does our Constitution. |
