Senator Murray urges Republicans to let Americans make their voices heard and allow the next President to fill SCOTUS vacancy, stressing that health care is at risk
In a speech on the Senate floor, Senator Murray also condemns Republicans for their singular focus on SCOTUS while they continue to delay a much-needed, comprehensive COVID relief package
Senator Murray: “The next President should choose Justice Ginsburg’s replacement … to spare our democracy the painful chaos of making such a decision so close to an election. People are speaking out—and the Senate must listen, as Majority Leader McConnell insisted only a few years ago”
***WATCH SENATOR MURRAY’S FULL REMARKS HERE***
(Washington, D.C.) –Today, in a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, urged her Republican colleagues to let Americans make their voices heard on Election Day and allow the next President to fill Justice Ginsburg’s vacancy on the Supreme Court.
“The next President should choose Justice Ginsburg’s replacement, as she wished—to spare our democracy the painful chaos of making such a decision so close to an election. People are speaking out—and the Senate must listen, as Majority Leader McConnell insisted only a few years ago,” said Senator Murray.
In her remarks, Senator Murray stressed that if Republicans allow President Trump to install another hard-right Supreme Court nominee, millions of people’s health care, protections for pre-existing condition, workers’ rights, and more will be at risk. Senator Murray also condemned Senate Republican’s singular focus on packing the courts with right-wing judges and urged them to finally prioritize the American people over their partisan agenda.
“But unfortunately, it seems like my colleagues on the other side are content to ignore these cries, just like they’ve neglected the cries of our constituents for a COVID relief package that meets this moment instead of short-changing communities. Because nothing—nothing—is more important than pushing through their ideological agenda,” continued Senator Murray.
Key excerpts from Senator Murray’s remarks are below, as prepared for delivery.
“Finally, M. President, right now our nation is facing truly trying times. 200,000 lives have been lost to COVID. Millions are unemployed. And we just lost a treasured American hero—Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
“So much hangs in the balance now—and people are already voting and organizing to make sure their health care, their rights, and their futures are protected in this election.
“For those nationwide who have already cast their ballots, and who will vote in the coming weeks, for the future of our country, and to help ensure trust in our democracy—the people must have a voice in this nomination.
“The next President should choose Justice Ginsburg’s replacement, as she wished—to spare our democracy the painful chaos of making such a decision so close to an election.
“People are speaking out—and the Senate must listen, as Majority Leader McConnell insisted only a few years ago.
“But unfortunately, it seems like my colleagues on the other side are content to ignore these cries, just like they’ve neglected the cries of our constituents for a COVID relief package that meets this moment instead of short-changing communities.
“Because nothing—nothing—is more important than pushing through their ideological agenda: to jam as many partisan judges on the bench as possible—especially on the Supreme Court—and tip the balance of our federal judiciary even further against everyday people, packing our courts to ensure that we can’t make progress to defend affordable health care and pre-existing conditions protections, address the climate crisis, strengthen protections for workers, or do anything on the critical issues people in my home state of Washington and around the nation care deeply about and that have been blocked time and again by the Republican Party.
“I will be doing absolutely everything I can to make sure everyone from Washington state to Washington, D.C.—and my Republican colleagues here in Congress—know just how much is risk if President Trump gets to appoint another hard-right nominee an unprecedented 41 days before a presidential election.
“Look, it is truly impossible to understate the consequences for families and communities across the country, now and for generations to come.
“President Trump has made it clear he wants a nominee who will gut protections for pre-existing conditions, take health care away from millions of people nationwide, and do everything they can to undermine basic rights, freedoms, and protections through the court—including crucial worker protections that Justice Ginsburg herself helped secure and the EEOC is tasked with enforcing.
“So I urge all my colleagues to join me in voting to today to honor an important part of Justice Ginsburg’s legacy.
“Vote for the nomination of Jocelyn Samuels.
“And then let’s keep fighting for people’s health care, for protections for pre-existing conditions, for workers’ rights, voting rights, LGBTQIA+ rights and for the vision of a just and equal country Justice Ginsburg fought so hard to advance.
“Thank you.”
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