Today on the steps of the United States Supreme Court, U.S. Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Martin Heinrich (D-NM) and Edward Markey (D-MA) joined NextGen Climate Vice President Andrea Purse, Green for All Founder Van Jones, League of Conservation Voters Senior Vice President Tiernan Sittenfeld and Clean Water Action National Political Director Nancy Leeds to demand that Senate Republicans move forward with hearings and an up-or-down vote on Judge Merrick Garland's nomination to the Supreme Court.
The crucial environmental issues of our time deserve to be heard by a full bench, and climate champions from across the country joined together to call on GOP Senators to do their job.
"Whether the issue is environmental protection or women's health or workers' rights, Americans deserve a fully-functioning Supreme Court," Senator Boxer said. "It's time to fill this vacancy. It's time to give Judge Garland the hearings and vote he deserves. It's time for Senate Republicans to do their jobs!"
"From immigration to health care, the Supreme Court will make key rulings on some of the biggest issues we face," said Senator Schatz. "There are cases currently before the Court that would have a big impact on the environment and the commitments we've made to combat climate change. We are not attempting to predetermine the outcome in those cases, although we feel strongly that we have the law on our side. It is about the Senate doing its job to ensure a functioning Court. It's time for Senate Republicans to end the political games, fulfill their constitutional duty, and join us in restoring the Supreme Court to its full strength."
"If we are going to meet our moral obligation to act on climate change, we can't afford to wait on confirming the next Supreme Court justice," said Senator Heinrich. "Challenges to the President's Clean Power Plan will ultimately end up being heard before the U.S. Supreme Court. This is precisely the type of case that the American people cannot have end in a 4-4 tie. It is my sincere hope that Republicans will end their obstructionism and take their jobs and constitutional duties seriously. There are no excuses not to hold hearings, conduct interviews and, ultimately, give Merrick Garland an up or down vote."
"Landmark rulings on the Clean Water Act and the Clean Air Act explain why just one vacancy on this Supreme Court has such enormous impact and why the stakes are so high," said Senator Markey. "We simply cannot afford to have a vacancy on the Supreme Court for the sake of environmental and climate protections. The Supreme Court deliberates the most important environmental cases in our nation's history and we need to field an entire team to decide them. Republican Senators should do their job and act on the President's nominee."
"With their outrageous obstruction of Judge Garland's nomination, Senate Republicans are playing politics with the future of our families and our climate," said Andrea Purse of NextGen Climate. "We are standing with millions of Americans to demand Republicans start doing their jobs by holding public hearings and an up-or-down vote on this nomination."
"Our message today is simple: it's long past time for Senator McConnell, Senator Grassley and other Republican senators to do their job," said Tiernan Sittenfeld of the League of Conservation Voters. "They are playing partisan politics at its very worst and have sunk to a new low with their extreme and unprecedented obstruction. The courts have a major impact on the lives of everyday Americans, including our right to clean air, clean water, and a healthy planet, and LCV is more engaged in this vacancy fight than ever before because the stakes have never been higher."
"It's past time for the Senate to do its job," said Nancy Leeds of Clean Water Action. "Americans expect the Senate to fulfill its constitutional duties and hold confirmation hearings. The issues facing the court impact too many people and are too important for this game of political chicken."