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‘The next justice could fundamentally alter the direction of the Supreme Court and have a profound impact on our country, so of course the American people should have a say in the Court’s direction…The American people may well elect a President who decides to nominate Judge Garland for Senate consideration. The next President may also nominate someone very different. Either way, our view is this: Give the people a voice in the filling of this vacancy.’

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor today following the President’s announcement of his nomination of Judge Merrick Garland to the United States Supreme Court:

“The next justice could fundamentally alter the direction of the Supreme Court and have a profound impact on our country, so of course the American people should have a say in the Court’s direction.

“It is a President’s constitutional right to nominate a Supreme Court justice and it is the Senate’s constitutional right to act as a check on a President and withhold its consent.

“As Chairman Grassley and I declared weeks ago, and reiterated personally to President Obama, the Senate will continue to observe the Biden Rule so that the American people have a voice in this momentous decision.

“The American people may well elect a President who decides to nominate Judge Garland for Senate consideration. The next President may also nominate someone very different. Either way, our view is this: Give the people a voice in the filling of this vacancy.

“Let me remind colleagues what Vice President Biden said when he was Judiciary Chairman here in the Senate:

‘It would be our pragmatic conclusion that once the political season is under way, and it is, action on a Supreme Court nomination must be put off until after the election campaign is over. That is what is fair to the nominee and is central to the process. Otherwise, it seems to me…we will be in deep trouble as an institution. Others may fret that this approach would leave the Court with only eight members for some time, but as I see it…the cost of such a result — the need to reargue three or four cases that will divide the Justices four to four — are quite minor compared to the cost that a nominee, the President, the Senate, and the Nation would have to pay for what would assuredly be a bitter fight, no matter how good a person is nominated by the President…’

“Consider that last part. Then-Senator Biden said that the cost to the nation would be too great no matter who the President nominates. President Obama and his allies may now try to pretend this disagreement is about a person, but as I just noted, his own Vice President made clear it’s not. The Biden Rule reminds us that the decision the Senate announced weeks ago remains about a principle, not a person.

“It seems clear that President Obama made this nomination not with the intent of seeing the nominee confirmed but in order to politicize it for purposes of the election — which is the type of thing then-Senate Judiciary Chairman Biden was concerned about. The Biden Rule underlines that what the President has done with this nomination would be unfair to any nominee, and more importantly the rule warns of the great costs the President’s action could carry for our nation.

“Americans are certain to hear a lot of rhetoric from the other side in the coming days, but here are the facts they’ll keep in mind:

The current Democratic Leader said the Senate is not a rubber stamp, and he noted that the Constitution does not require the Senate to give presidential nominees a vote.
The incoming Democratic Leader did not even wait until the final year of George W. Bush’s term to essentially tell the Senate not to consider any Supreme Court nominee the President sent.
The ‘Biden Rule’ supports what the Senate is doing today, underlining that what we’re talking about is a principle not a person.

“So here’s our view. Instead of spending more time debating an issue where we can’t agree, let’s keep working to address the issues where we can.

“We just passed critical bipartisan legislation to help address the heroin and prescription opioid crisis in our country. Let’s build on that success. Let’s keep working together to get our economy moving again and make our country safer, rather than endlessly debating an issue where we don’t agree.

“As we continue working on issues like these, the American people are perfectly capable of having their say on this issue. So let’s give them a voice. The Senate will appropriately revisit the matter when it considers the qualifications of the nominee the next President nominates, whoever that might be.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor today regarding bipartisan biotech labeling legislation:

“In the last national election, the American people elected a Republican Senate. Since then, we’ve accomplished a lot of important things for our country.

“Landmark education reform. Permanent tax relief for families and small businesses. Significant action to repair America’s roads and bridges. And just last week, decisive steps to address the prescription opioid and heroin epidemic.

“The Republican Senate has been able to lead on many important issues because we’ve focused on areas where both sides can agree, rather than just fight about issues where we don’t.

“Everyone knows one issue where we don't agree: whether the American people deserve a voice in filling the current Supreme Court vacancy. Republicans think the people deserve a voice in this important vacancy, the President and Senate Democrats don’t.

“Whoever is chosen to fill the Supreme Court vacancy could radically change the direction of the court for a generation. The American people obviously deserve a voice in such an important conversation; they can continue making their voices heard, and we can continue doing our work in the Senate to move America forward on important issues.

“Americans elected this Republican Senate to serve as a check-and-balance to the President.

“It’s natural that both parties will disagree in some areas, it’s natural that we’ll find common ground in others. Let’s keep focused on those areas of common ground.

“For instance, today I hope colleagues across the aisle will join us in working to protect middle-class families from unnecessary and unfair increases in their food and grocery bills.

“Vermont passed food-labeling legislation that will be implemented soon and could increase annual food costs across America by more than a thousand dollars per family. It’s one state’s decision, but it could negatively affect families — especially middle- and lower-income families — in other states. Now we see other states following in Vermont’s footsteps, which could lead to a patchwork of state laws.

“We should work to protect America’s Middle Class from the unfair higher food prices that could result, and that’s just what the Senate is working to do now.

“We know this may be the last chance to stop this economic blow to the Middle Class, but we can’t act if colleagues block us from helping the Middle Class. As our Democratic colleagues know, we are eager to continue working together toward a solution. I would encourage our colleagues across the aisle to work with the bill managers to offer the amendments or alternative proposals they may have.

“The common-sense, bipartisan legislation offered by Chairman Roberts of the Agriculture Committee would set clear, science-based standards in order to prevent families from being unfairly hurt by a patchwork of conflicting state and local labeling laws passed in places where they don’t live.

“This bipartisan bill would help meet consumer interest for information about how food is made, while keeping costs from rising at every level of production.

“It’s earned the support of more than 650 groups nationally, including farmers and small businesses.

“And, as Kentucky’s Agriculture Commissioner put it, this bipartisan bill would ‘allow for a more efficient flow of food to consumers everywhere and would cut down on production costs.’

“We know this is not a safety or health issue, it’s a market issue. Officials at both the USDA and the FDA – the two agencies charged with ensuring the safety and delivery of our nation’s food supply – have found that there are no health, safety, or nutritional risks associated with bioengineered crops and products. At the same time, we recognize that many families have a desire to know what’s in the food they’re purchasing.

“That’s why the legislation Chairman Roberts is working on would offer incentives for the marketplace to provide more information to consumers while also addressing many of the unintended consequences of a patchwork of state laws.
I appreciate Senator Roberts’ continued work with colleagues from both sides of the aisle to move on a solution this week.

“The Agriculture Committee recently passed the Chairman’s Mark by a bipartisan vote, and the House passed its own legislation last summer. Now it’s time for the full Senate to act so we can protect the Middle Class from higher food costs, and with continued cooperation from across the aisle we can.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor today regarding Senate legislation addressing the labeling of genetically modified organisms (GMO):

“Vermont recently passed food-labeling legislation that, according to one study, could increase annual food costs by more than a thousand dollars per family.

“These aren’t just Vermont families I’m talking about. These are families across our country.

“The Senate will soon consider common-sense bipartisan legislation that aims to ensure decisions in one state, or a patchwork of different state laws, do not hurt American families throughout the country—especially at a time when so many are struggling to make ends meet already.

“The goal is to set clear, science-based standards in order to prevent families from being unfairly hurt by a patchwork of conflicting local and state labeling laws passed in states and cities where they don’t live.

“I’d like to recognize the Chairman of the Agriculture Committee, Senator Roberts, for his continuing work on this issue.

“The Agriculture Committee moved to pass the chairman’s mark last week with bipartisan support; I know Chairman Roberts continues to work with the Ranking Member and others across the aisle on a pathway forward on legislation we can pass in the Senate to resolve this issue. I urge members to continue working with him in that endeavor.

“Let’s not forget. This may well be our last chance to prevent the actions of one state from hurting Americans in other states.

“Legislation to address this issue passed the House last summer with bipartisan support. With cooperation from across the aisle, we can take action on a bipartisan basis here on the Senate floor as well.”

Recent Press Releases

McConnell On Supreme Court Nomination

March 16, 2016

Senate Should Work to Save Families From Higher Grocery Bills

March 15, 2016

Senate to Consider Bipartisan Bill to Protect American Families from Increased Food Labeling Costs

‘The Senate will soon consider common-sense bipartisan legislation that aims to ensure one state’s decision doesn’t hurt American families in every state—especially at a time when so many are struggling to make ends meet already.’

March 14, 2016