“There is no disputing that gridlock and dysfunction in Washington D.C. have reached unprecedented levels that have derailed our ability to move forward with efforts to serve the American people. In fact, it’s gotten so bad that simply having a functioning judiciary and cabinet level agencies have been put at risk by one party’s abuse of the Senate rules for purely political purposes.
“The step we took today simply allows us to once again exercise our duty to confirm justices and presidential nominations. It affords us nothing more than being able to give qualified candidates the up or down vote they deserve. It helps end time consuming political games, and hopefully, will allow us to move forward with addressing the big challenges that face families across our state and nation.
“As someone who has served in both the minority and the majority there is no question that this was a difficult vote. But I’ve also seen how this new level of obstruction has damaged our ability to confirm the people who are responsible for protecting consumers, delivering justice, and even safeguarding our national security. We can’t afford to let inaction and obstruction become the status quo. Today’s vote was a step toward restoring common sense in Washington D.C. at a time when the American people are demanding it.”
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