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WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today spoke at the Senate Republican leadership press conference in opposition to Democrats’ latest attempt to undermine the legitimacy of the Supreme Court. Thune also spoke about the need for a robust amendment process as the Senate considers the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
On Democrats’ attempts to undermine the Supreme Court:
“Over the past few years, the Democrats have attempted a concentrated campaign to undermine the legitimacy of the Supreme Court.
“They don't like the makeup of the court, they don't like some of the decisions that are coming out of the court, and so there are proposals out there to pack the court, proposals to come up with so-called reforms, and there have been attempts to pressure individual justices on the Supreme Court by the Democrats.
“The only crisis at the Supreme Court is the tantrum that the Democrats are throwing in trying to undermine its legitimacy. Republicans are going to have nothing to do with that. We believe the Supreme Court is an independent branch of the government, that the chief justice at the Supreme Court can make the policies and decisions with respect to the court that it needs.”
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“The bill that’s being marked up in the Judiciary Committee this week is just one more attempt in part of that concentrated campaign to undermine the legitimacy of the Supreme Court, and I expect there’s going to be a very robust discussion around that this week.”
On the need for a robust amendment process for the NDAA:
“The National Defense Authorization Act is one of the most important pieces of legislation that we deal with and process every year here.
“We should have a robust amendment process so senators who don't serve on the Senate Armed Services Committee can have an opportunity to get their issues and things that are important to them up for a vote in the Senate.
“And I hope that the Democrat leader, Senator Schumer, will work with us to ensure that happens and that we can get that bill across the finish line and deal with something that actually is meaningful and does matter to the future of this country, and quit messing around with trying to undermine and delegitimize the Supreme Court.”