Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg’s decades of public service left a lasting impact on America. Regardless of a person’s political views, the vast majority of Americans respect and appreciate the late Justice’s service to our country. It is my hope the judge who takes her place on the bench will receive the same respect. This is a pivotal time in our country, and President Trump now has the responsibility to appoint another well-qualified Justice to the Supreme Court who will uphold the rule of law and strictly adhere to the Constitution. 

Following the passing of Justice Ginsberg, President Trump fulfilled his Constitutional duty to the American people and nominated Judge Amy Coney Barrett. While there have been countless attempts to undermine the nomination process and calls for it to be delayed, President Trump not only has the right to make a nomination, it is an obligation all Presidents are expected to fulfill.  

The Senate has been fulfilling its duty to confirm the President’s nominees for the Supreme Court since one of our Founding Fathers, John Jay, was the first Justice to be confirmed in 1789. But that is not to say that all nominees have been confirmed throughout history. There are instances when Supreme Court nominees were not confirmed during an election year while others were. For instance, Justice Anthony Kennedy was confirmed in 1988, the last year of President Reagan’s term.  The discrepancies throughout history have led to questions about precedent and what should be done in the last year of presidential term. The fact of the matter is, it is the President’s duty to nominate qualified candidates to the court, and it’s the Senate’s right to decide whether or not they are confirmed – a right I trust they approach very seriously. 

One of President Trump’s biggest contributions to this country is his transformation of the judiciary. His appointment of judges who strictly follow the Constitution to the courts nationwide and potentially three Supreme Court Justices are contributions that will last for a generation. Judge Barrett has received widespread praise from both sides of the aisle. As a judge, she is known for her brilliant legal mind and fidelity to the rule of law. Prior to her public service on the Seventh Court of Appeals, she was a highly regarded law professor at Notre Dame known for putting personal beliefs aside to do what is right. I am grateful to President Trump for nominating another outstanding candidate for our nation’s highest court, and I am hopeful she will receive a swift and fair confirmation in the Senate.