Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2015

Floor Speech

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Mr. DONNELLY. Madam President, I rise today to talk about the vacancy on the U.S. Supreme Court. Following the passing of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia--and our condolences to his family and our gratitude for all his hard work on behalf of his country--the time has now come for the President to nominate a new Justice and for the Senate to do its job and to review, consider, and either confirm or reject the President's nominee. That is our job.

Hoosiers don't ask much, but they do expect common sense. Do your job; treat people fairly. That is what we expect from neighbors, friends, and family, and it is certainly what we expect from those elected to serve us in Washington.

Back home in Indiana, we have a proud tradition of Senators who have embodied that approach by looking beyond partisanship and giving full and fair consideration to a President's nominee. They don't have to vote yes, they don't have to vote no, but we should at least listen and do our job. That is what the people of Indiana elected me to do. That is what people across the country elect my colleagues in the Senate to do, even when the timing is inconvenient for one side or the other.

The confirmation of a Supreme Court Justice should not be taken lightly, and it deserves careful consideration and open debate.

Senators, using their best judgment, are free to ultimately reject whomever the President nominates. But to refuse to hold a hearing? To refuse to consider any candidate? I know my colleague from Maine talk about Aristotle or Aquinas. They might be two good candidates for the Supreme Court. But to not consider any candidate before the President has even chosen a nominee is a dereliction of our most basic duty to faithfully serve our country.

Some of my colleagues have been steadfast in promising they would not meet with a nominee, let alone hold a hearing or allow a vote--would not even meet. Common sense tells you that is not right. I hope they will reconsider their position.

U.S. Senators, myself included, were elected to do a job, to do a job for our Nation--not only when it is convenient, but every day, every day we have been hired by the people back home to work here to stand for our country. That job includes considering and voting on nominees to the Supreme Court. Let's do the job we were elected to do.

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