Nomination of Amy Coney Barrett
Floor Speech
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Mr. YOUNG. Mr. President, 1 month ago, Judge Amy Coney Barrett was selected by President Trump to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court, filling the vacancy created by the passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Since then, Judge Barrett has more than proven her qualifications for this job. A respected Federal judge, educator, and public servant, Judge Barrett has conducted herself throughout this process with poise and integrity. She has certainly demonstrated her intellect, her legal acumen, and her commitment to the Constitution of the United States. She is, clearly, a brilliant jurist who interprets the Constitution as written and carefully weighs the facts of a given case.
Despite the Senate Democrats' repeated attempts to drag her into the political fray, Judge Barrett has proven that she will make her decisions based on the law rather than politics.
When I met with Judge Barrett earlier this month, I was assured that she would be guided by the law and precedents and be faithful to the Constitution. As Judge Barrett herself has said more than once, ``A judge is obligated to apply the law as it is and not as she wishes it would be.'' She is obliged to follow the law even when her personal preferences cut the other way or when she will experience great public criticism for doing so--the law, not politics.
As a fellow Hoosier, I have had the privilege of getting to know Judge Barrett and her family over the last several years, since she was nominated to fill a vacancy on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. When I met the then-Notre Dame Law School professor, it was abundantly clear that she was a star. My colleague at the time, former Democratic Indiana Senator Joe Donnelly, agreed with that assessment. A brilliant legal scholar, Judge Barrett was and is held in the highest regard by her peers in the legal world.
Judge Barrett's qualifications outshined personal attacks and religious bigotry, and she was confirmed by a bipartisan majority to that circuit court, and as a judge, she has more than proven her legal credentials. She has heard more than 600 cases and authored nearly 100 opinions. I should note she is the first woman from Indiana ever to serve on that esteemed court.
As I said, when I introduced Judge Barrett before the Senate Judiciary Committee earlier this month, I was proud to cast my vote for Judge Barrett in 2017, and I look forward to doing so again for Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. Three years ago, I did not hear a single credible criticism--not a single one--of Judge Barrett based on her legal qualifications, and I haven't heard one at any time throughout this confirmation process.
The Democrats have tried to make this process about anything other than Judge Barrett's qualifications. Alarmingly, they have made threats about what the consequences will be if we move forward.
First, they threatened to pack the Supreme Court if we confirmed this nominee, but we all know they were talking about this long before--long before--Justice Ginsburg's passing. By way of example, my colleague from California Senator Harris said: ``We are on the verge of a crisis of confidence in the Supreme Court . . . and everything is on the table.'' That is a quote from March of this year.
Senator Harris isn't alone. She just happens to be the most prominent at this point. In fact, according to the Washington Post, 11 Democratic Presidential candidates--5 of whom were sitting U.S. Senators--said they were in favor of or open to packing the Court.
Second, they have threatened to eliminate the legislative filibuster if we confirm this nominee. Now, folks, they wanted to get rid of the 60-vote threshold long before this vacancy on the Supreme Court ever occurred. Again, I will use Senator Harris by way of example: ``I am prepared to get rid of the filibuster to pass a Green New Deal.'' That was in September of 2019.
There are 18 Democrats who ran for President of the United States who supported that move, including 6 sitting U.S. Senators and 2 Governors who are now running for the Senate.
Third, they have threatened to add States to the Union if we confirm this nominee. We know that has been on the far-left's wish list for years.
These idle threats aren't going to stop us from carrying out the will of the American people, though, and confirming Judge Barrett. When we confirm Judge Barrett this week, she will be the fifth woman and the first mother of school-age children to serve as a Supreme Court Justice. She will also be the only current Justice to have received a law degree from an esteemed law school other than Harvard or Yale.
I will tell you, Hoosiers are extremely proud of Judge Amy Coney Barrett and the trail she has blazed for others. She is a role model for young women everywhere, including, I might say, my own three young daughters. I am incredibly proud that our next Supreme Court Justice will be one who hails from America's heartland--from the great State of Indiana.
I urge my colleagues to come together and carry out the will of the American people by swiftly voting to confirm Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court of the United States.
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