| Topic: |
Religions > Atheism |
| User: |
"Seldom Seen Smith" |
| Date: |
15 Nov 2004 09:38:03 PM |
| Object: |
Pro-Choice Senator Must Back Bush -Senate Leader |
Pro-Choice Senator Must Back Bush -Senate Leader
Sun Nov 14, 2004 11:59 AM ET
http://olympics.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=3RR0FNF5OHOEQCRBAEZSFEY?type=domesticNews&storyID=6806169&pageNumber=1
By Randall Mikkelsen
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A Republican senator who has questioned whether an
abortion opponent could win approval to the U.S. Supreme Court must agree
to
back President Bush's nominees if he is to head the committee acting on
those nominations, the Senate's Republican leader said.
Republican Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, in line to become chairman
of
the Senate Judiciary Committee, has yet to make a persuasive case that he
should head the panel, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist said on "Fox News
Sunday."
The committee's actions in considering nominees for anticipated vacancies
during Bush's second term will help shape the court's balance of power.
"I would expect Chairman Specter ... if it's Chairman Specter ... to have a
strong predisposition to supporting that nominee sent over by President
Bush," Frist said.
Specter, who supports abortion rights, sparked a conservative furor by
saying after the Nov. 2 election that Bush still lacked enough Senate votes
to overcome Democratic attempts to block on any nominees who would overturn
the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion.
Bush is expected to have a chance to fill multiple Supreme Court vacancies
during his second term, and for many in Bush's conservative base, obtaining
a court that would overturn Roe v. Wade is a top priority.
Many conservatives, who accused Specter of having a pro-choice "litmus
test"
for judicial nominees, have urged Senate Republicans to disregard his
seniority and reject him as Judiciary Committee chairman.
"DISHEARTENING"
Frist called Specter's comments "disheartening" and was noncommittal on
whether he would support him as chairman.
Asked whether Specter had made a persuasive case to head the panel, Frist
said, "Not yet. But I've talked to Arlen, and he is talking to lots of
different people now."
Specter denied on Sunday that he had any litmus test and said he has
supported all of Bush's court nominees so far.
Speaking on ABC's "This Week," Specter said a president should receive
"substantial deference" in his nominations. Influential Republican Sen.
John
McCain of Arizona said on the same program he supported Specter and thought
the Pennsylvanian would be named to the committee chairmanship.
Frist said Specter would meet this week with members of the Senate
leadership and with existing members of the judiciary committee. He said a
final decision on the nomination would be made within two or three weeks.
Congress will act on the committee chairmanships in January when the 109th
session convenes.
RESPONSIBLE TO THE MAJORITY
A chairman must be "responsible to the feelings, the wishes, the beliefs,
the values, the procedures that are held by ... the Republican committee
members," Frist said.
The next judiciary committee chairman must also do everything possible to
quickly bring appeals court nominees to the full Senate for an approval
vote, he said.
A court nomination can be derailed at many points in the Senate approval
process. An individual senator can freeze a nomination, the committee can
reject it, or a minority of senators can block a nomination from reaching
the Senate floor for a vote.
Republican and Democratic presidents have both accused Senate opponents in
the past of unfairly blocking court nominations.
.
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