Blog: The importance of a strong conservative Supreme Court justice

Statement

By Rep. Billy Long,

In late June, Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy announced he would retire after 30 years of service. Appointed by President Reagan in 1988, Justice Kennedy has spent the last several decades as a swing vote on the Supreme Court, deciding cases ranging from free speech to abortion. Soon after his announcement, what should have been a time of appreciation turned into a moment of partisan politicking that's likely to last until President Trump fills his seat.

Although I might not agree with all the decisions Justice Kennedy made during his time on the Supreme Court, I admire and appreciate his service to our country. As President Trump continues his search for a Supreme Court justice to replace Justice Kennedy, it's crucial he picks someone with a strong conservative record. This is essential not only because the direction of our country depends on it, but because this is what the people want and what they elected President Trump to find.

A perfect example of this is a recent case heard by the Supreme Court regarding a law in California that required pro-life pregnancy centers to promote abortion services. This law was a blatant violation of free speech that forced pro-life pregnancy centers to be an advocate for a service with which they fundamentally disagree. Thankfully, the Supreme Court overturned a lower court's ruling and struck down the law by a 5-4 decision.

This case could have very easily gone the other direction if President Trump was not in office. Last April, President Trump appointed Justice Neil Gorsuch to fill the vacant seat on the Supreme Court after the unfortunate passing of the great conservative Justice Antonin Scalia. Justice Gorsuch has been a key vote on conservative issues this year, including upholding President Trump's travel ban and striking down mandatory union fees. Both cases were huge wins for conservatives and set precedents that will change the course of history.

The consequential decisions handed down in June are proof that a conservative Supreme Court is crucial for our country's future. President Trump understands this, and I am confident he will nominate another conservative justice to the bench.

Moving forward, I hope my colleagues in the Senate will work with President Trump in filling this empty seat. We need to come together and give the American people the Supreme Court justice they want and deserve. And who knows, according to President Trump's published list of possible nominees, we might have another Missourian on the Supreme Court.

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