Even One Justice Can Advance

It Is Extraordinary That Each Of The Three Individuals This President [ George W. Bush] Has Nominated For The Supreme Court - Chief Justice [john] Roberts, Harriet Miers And Now Judge Alito - Has Served Not Only As A Lawyer For The Executive Branch, But Has Defended The Most Expansive View Of Presidential Authority.

Individual Faults And Frailties Are No Excuse To Give In - And No Exemption From The Common Obligation To Give Of Ourselves.

Supreme Court Nominations Are An Occasion To Pause And Reflect On The Values That Make Our Nation Strong, Just And Fair. And We Must Determine Whether A Nominee Has A Demonstrated Commitment To Those Basic Values.

For All My Years In Public Life, I Have Believed That America Must Sail Toward The Shores Of Liberty And Justice For All. There Is No End To That Journey, Only The Next Great Voyage. We Know The Future Will Outlast All Of Us, But I Believe That All Of Us Will Live On In The Future We Make.

Immigration Reforms Are Always Controversial. Our Congress Was Created To Muster Political Will To Answer Such Challenges. Today We Didn't, But Tomorrow We Will. I Yield The Floor.