A statement on the Nomination of Harriet Miers to The Supreme Court
A statement on the Nomination of Harriet Miers to The Supreme Court from Senator Joe Biden:
I congratulate Harriet Miers on her nomination to be Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court. There’s a lot at stake in replacing Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, who has been the most important swing vote on our nation’s highest Court. Since 1995, there have been 193 five-to-four decisions. Justice O’Connor was in the majority in 148 of those 193 decisions.
There are two critical questions which nominees to the Supreme Court must answer: First, how far can government intrude into the most personal decisions of Americans? Second, whether government can act as a shield to protect people from abuses by powerful interests? These are bedrock questions of constitutional law, and I look forward to discussing them with Ms. Miers at her upcoming confirmation hearings.
Because so little is known about Ms. Miers, most Americans — like me — are not sure what type of Supreme Court Justice she will make. The American people are entitled to know her views on fundamental constitutional rights. I hope she will be forthcoming in her testimony.
