Judicial Nominations

Floor Speech

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Mr. BENNET. Mr. President, I rise to discuss the President's nominees for the Federal bench. I strongly believe that women should be in charge of their own healthcare decisions. Family planning choices are deeply personal, and women should be free to make the choice that is right for them, their family, faith, personal beliefs, or medical needs. As States like Alabama, Georgia, and others attempt to roll back women's access to reproductive healthcare, it is more important than ever that we work together to protect this right.

Unfortunately, too many of President Trump's nominees to the Federal courts hold beliefs that fail to respect long-settled precedent on women's healthcare. For example, the Senate recently voted to confirm Sarah Pitlyk to a Federal district court. As an attorney, she defended Iowa's unconstitutional ban on abortions at 6 weeks. Pitlyk has also worked to defend the Trump administration's Title X gag rule, which prohibits healthcare providers who receive this critical funding from discussing the full range of family planning options with their patients. And finally, she lacked any meaningful trial experience. It is no wonder the American Bar Association found that she was unqualified to serve on the district court.

Despite Roe v. Wade being the law of the land, too many of President Trump's nominees have actively sought to undermine the rights of women to control their own reproductive health choices. Their amicus briefs, legal writings, and arguments demonstrate a hostility towards women's rights that are incompatible with the role of a Federal judge.

I will continue to evaluate President Trump's judicial nominees based on their stances on women's reproductive health and remain committed to voting for nominees who have a strong record on upholding constitutionally protected reproductive healthcare rights. Accordingly, had I been present in the Senate, I would have voted against the nominations of Michael Park to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, Dan Collins to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, Peter Phipps to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, Wendy Williams Berger to the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, Brian Buescher to the U.S. District Court for the District of Nebraska, Michael Liburdi to the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona, Sean Jordan to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, Brantley Starr to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Jeffrey Vincent Brown to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, and William Shaw Stickman IV to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, Stephen Menashi to serve on the Second Circuit Court of Appeals and Lawrence VanDyke to serve on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Moving forward, it is my hope that the President will nominate individuals who respect women's healthcare decisions.

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