NDP statement following the Brussels attacks

Today, President Obama nominated The Honorable Merrick B. Garland to be the newest Supreme Court Associate Justice.

Garland currently serves as Chief Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C. He was confirmed to the U.S. Court of Appeals with majority support from both parties in the Senate in 1997. He has more federal judicial experience than any Supreme Court nominee in history.

He would take the seat of Justice Antonin Scalia, whose unexpected passing on February 13 left an opening on the court just as it’s about to weigh in on some of the most important and contentious issues facing the country including abortion, affirmative action, and healthcare.

“The stakes could not be higher: the appointment could flip the Supreme Court’s ideological balance for decades,” wrote Tom Goldstein on the SCOTUS website.

Lines were quickly drawn between parties following Justice Scalia’s death. As President Obama reinforced that it was his constitutional duty to appoint a new justice, Republicans were resolute that they would block the nomination by refusing to hold hearings or vote on the nominee’s confirmation.

We know what these parties want to see happen. But what do you want to see?

Let your voice be heard and get others behind your effort. Tell your Senator how you think he or she should take part in the confirmation process.