I WELCOME AND CONGRATULATE JOE JACKSON ON HER NOMINATION. THE BUTTON AND ADMINISTRATION IS -- BIDEN ADMINISTRATION IS WAGING WAR. THIS HIGHLIGHTS THE IMPORTANCE OF JUDGES WHO FAITHFULLY APPLY THE LAW. TO UNDERSTAND THE ONGOING PROBLEM, LET US CONSIDER THE FIELD, NEED TO LEAVE THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. THANKS TO THE COURAGE OF SOME OF MY DEMOCRATIC COLLEAGUES, THAT NOMINEE WAS WITHDRAWN. IT IS DISTURBING THAT THE PRESIDENT WAS EVER WILLING TO NOMINATE SOMEONE WHO PLANNED TO SHRED THE SECOND AMENDMENT AND BAN EVERY HUNTING RIFLE IN AMERICA. A FEW WEEKS AGO, THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION TRIED TO TWIST THE SELF -- HEALTH AND SAFETY ADMINISTRATION TO REGULATE THINGS LIKE LADDER SAFETY ON CONSTRUCTION SITES AND USE IT AS A WEAPON TO FORCE EVERY AMERICAN TO CHOOSE BETWEEN GETTING VACCINATED OR LOSING THEIR LIVELIHOOD. THANKFULLY, THE SUPREME COURT STRUCK DOWN THAT UNLAWFUL POWER GRAB. JILL BIDEN AND HIS SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SECURITY STEADFASTLY REFUSED TO ENFORCE OUR LAWS. 2 MILLION ILLEGAL ALIENS STREET -- EXTREME TO OUR BORDERS JUST LAST YEAR. THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES HIMSELF, A FORMER JUDGE ORDERED THAT FEDERAL PROSECUTORS, THE FBI AND EVEN THE NATIONAL SECURITY DIVISION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE BE MOBILIZED AGAINST PARENTS WHO DARED QUESTION THE INFRINGED TEACHERS UNIONS FOR POISONING THEIR CHILDREN WITH RACIST VITRIOL. EVERY BANANA REPUBLIC HAS A BILL OF RIGHTS BUT IT IS NOTHING MORE THAN A PARCHMENT BARRIER WITHOUT FREE AND FAIR ELECTION, SEPARATED POWERS AND WITHOUT AN INDEPENDENT JUDICIARY TO UPHOLD AT ALL. -- IT ALL. WE WANT TO PACK THE SUPREME COURT. I WOULD HOPE THAT ANYONE NOMINATED TO THE COURT WOULD HAVE NO PROBLEM ECHOING THE WORDS OF JUSTICE GINSBURG AND JUSTICE BREYER. BOTH OF THESE LIBERAL LIONS HAVE SAID EXPANDING THE SUPREME COURT TO ACHIEVE FAVORABLE OUTCOMES IS A DANGEROUS IDEA. THE COURT SHOULD HAVE NINE JUSTICES AND NO MORE. FOR SOME, POLITICAL OUTCOMES ON THE COURT ARE EXACTLY THEIR GOAL. SENATOR SCHUMER STEPPED ON THE COURT. YOU HAVE UNLEASHED THE WHIRLWIND AND YOU WILL PAY THE PRICE. THE CHIEF JUSTICE RIGHTLY CONDEMNED THESE WORDS. THE SUPREME COURT IS NOT THE ONLY CONSTITUTIONAL LIMIT ON POWER THAT THE LEFT LIKE TO DESTROY. THE ASSOCIATE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES SAID THAT SHE BELIEVES EVERY SINGLE AMERICAN AND EVERY SINGLE INSTITUTION IN THIS COUNTRY ARE INHERENTLY RACIST. THE VERY CONCEPT OF THE RULE OF LAW AND JUSTICE FOR ALL OUR CODEWORDS FOR SOME KIND OF TWISTED SECRET RACISM. THESE THREATS ARE NOT MERELY THEORETICAL. WE ARE WITNESSING A BREAKDOWN OF SOCIETY. THERE ARE MANY AMERICANS WHO NO LONGER FEEL SAFE TODAY. PARENTS ARE SCARED TO WALK DOWN THE STREETS THAT USED TO BE FREE FROM CRIME. IN 2020, ANARCHISTS, WRITERS OF LEFT WING STREET MILITIAS RAISED ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND MURDERS INCREASED AT THE FASTEST RATE IN HISTORY. VIOLENT CRIME GOT EVEN WORSE. THERE IS NO COINCIDENCE THAT THEY PUSH TO DEFUND THE POLICE AND CAREER CRIMINALS ARE COMMITTING VIOLENT CRIMES AND GOING FREE UNDER THE GUISE OF A SUPPOSEDLY MORE EQUITABLE JUSTICE SYSTEM. LIBERAL JUDGES THAT HAVE MORE SIMPLER BUT -- SYMPATHY FOR THE VICTIMIZERS THAN THE VICTIMS ARE BIG PART OF THE PROBLEM. THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION IS COMMITTED TO THE SOFT ON CRIME POLICIES. THESE PROSECUTORS HAVE NOTIFIED ENTIRE SECTIONS OF LAW TO DESTROY OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM FROM WITHIN. THE CONSEQUENCES ARE OBVIOUS. SKYROCKETING VIOLENT CRIME AND DRUG OVERDOSES REACHING NUMBERS NEVER BEFORE SEEN IN AMERICAN HISTORY. IF JOE JACKSON HAS -- IS CONFIRMED, WE WILL HAVE A LOOK AT HER STATEMENT BECAUSE THE BEST PREDICTOR OF FUTURE PERFORMANCE IS PAST PERFORMANCE. THAT BRINGS US TO THE DAY. WE WILL HAVE TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE PRESIDENT'S NOMINEE IS ABLE TO MEET THESE VITAL CHALLENGES. I ENJOYED MEETING WITH JUDGE JACKSON IN MY OFFICE. OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS, I WILL HAVE MANY MORE QUESTIONS. LET'S BE CLEAR. THIS IS NOT ABOUT HAVE ANY QUESTIONS THEY CAN AVOID ANSWERING. IT IS TRUE THERE IS A TRADITION OF AVOIDING ANY STANCES ON HOW ONE MIGHT RULE ON SPECIFIC CASES. THAT IS NOT A LICENSE TO DO -- DISCUSS WITH ONE'S VIEWS OF THE LAW. OR ONE'S PHILOSOPHY AS A JUDGE. JUST AS YOU WOULDN'T HIRE A TEACHER WHO REFUSED TO SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THEIR TEACHING PHILOSOPHY OTHER THAN THAT THEY WOULD LOOK AT THE CURRICULUM AND APPROPRIATELY TEACH THE STUDENTS, IT IS NOT ENOUGH TO LOOK BACK AT THE ARGUMENTS OF THE CASE. THAT WOULD NOT TELL US ABOUT HOW ONE PLANS TO DO THE JOB, HOW ONE INTERPRETS THE LAW AND UNDERSTAND OUR CONSTITUTION. IT IS NO SECRET THAT I VOTED AGAINST JOE JACKSON'S NOMINATION LAST YEAR BUT I WANTED TO GIVE HER THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW WHY I SHOULD VOTE FOR HER THIS TIME. I WANT TO BE CLEAR ABOUT WHAT WILL CONVINCE ME TO SUPPORT ANY SUPREME COURT NOMINEE. I AM LOOKING FOR A JUSTICE THAT WILL UPHOLD THE CONSTITUTION, NOT USE IT TO INVENT NEW RIGHTS. I AM LOOKING FOR A JUSTICE THAT UNDERSTANDS THE CONSTITUTION MEANS WHAT IT SAYS AND DOES NOT MEAN WHAT IT DOES NOT SAY. SOMEONE WHO UNDERSTANDS IT IS NOT UP TO NINE UNELECTED POLITICIANS IN BLACK ROBES TO DECIDE A NEW MEANING OF THE CONSTITUTION BASED ON PUBLIC OPINION POLLING OR VIEWS OF THE LEGALLY. I AM LOOKING FOR A JUSTICE THAT REALIZES THAT A LIVING CONSTITUTION MEANS THE CONSTITUTION IS DEAD. INSTEAD, WE SHOULD HAVE AN ENDURING CONSTITUTION AS JUSTICE SCALIA INTENDED. I AM LOOKING FOR A JUSTICE THAT UNDERSTANDS THERE IS A PROCESS FOR UPDATING THE CONSTITUTION AND THAT PROCESS IS BY AMENDING THE CONSTITUTION. I WILL NOT SUPPORT ANYONE WHO SEEKS TO REWRITE THE CONSTITUTION FROM THE BENCH RATHER THAN THROUGH OUR CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT PROCESS. I AM LOOKING FOR A JUSTICE THAT UNDERSTANDS THAT NOBODY IS ABOVE THE LAW AND WILL NOT CODDLE CRIMINALS OR PUT ILLEGAL ALIENS AND OF AMERICAN CITIZENS. I AM LOOKING FOR A JUSTICE THAT WILL MAKE DECISIONS BASED ON THE LAW, NOT BASED ON THEIR PERSONAL EXPERIENCES WERE PREFERENCES, NOT ON EMPATHY OR DESIRED POLITICAL OUTCOMES BUT ON THE LAW AND CONSTITUTION. IF JOE JACKSON IS CONFIRMED, HER JOB WILL BE CIVIL. LEAVE THE LEGISLATIVE TO CONGRESS AND TO ELECTED ACCOUNTABLE OFFICEHOLDERS IN OUR STATE AND MUNICIPALITIES, PROTECTED THE SEPARATION OF POWERS AND DON'T OVERTURN LAWS UNLESS THEY VIOLATE THE CONSTITUTION. I LOOK FORWARD TO THESE HEARINGS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 