Appointment of Pro-life Senators to Judiciary Committee Applauded
Two Republican senators, known to hold strong pro-life positions, were appointed on Monday to the Senate Judiciary Committee, a move interpreted by both conservatives and liberals as a signal to the President to appoint a pro-life judge to the Supreme Court bench.
Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kansas) and Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Oklahoma) were both named to the Senate Judiciary Committee, which reviews the President’s judicial nominees before sending them to the floor for a full vote.
The appointment of the two unwaveringly pro-life Senators comes before the beginning of President Bush’s second term, in which Supreme Court bench vacancies are expected to make way for pro-life judicial appointments.
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What stand in the way of the appointment of pro-life justices who can overturn Roe v. Wade, according to some pro-life and pro-family groups, are filibusters commonly used by Democrats to block the President’s judicial nominees and presumptive Judiciary Chairman Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Penn.), who has suggested pro-life judicial nominees would not get up-or-down votes.
Concerned Women for America, which joined other pro-family groups in calling for Specter’s removal from chair, said Brownback and Coburn’s appointment to the Committee will help keep Specter in line.
“It is telling that pro-abortion groups are whining about the pro-life position of both Senators,” said Jan LaRue, CWA’s chief counsel. “This indicates that the pro-abortion lobby and some committee members will continue their ‘Borking’ efforts against judicial nominees who don’t meet the pro-Roe litmus test.”
“Concerned Women for America has vowed to hold Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pennsylvania) accountable to his promise not to impose a litmus test on nominees and to conduct fair and timely hearings after he was forced to back-track from what was widely perceived as a message to the president about pro-life candidates,” said LaRue.
“It is likely that there will be a Supreme Court vacancy next year. With the additions of Brownback and Coburn to the committee, there will be more watchful eyes and ears on Specter.”
U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice William Reinquist is currently undergoing chemotherapy for his thyroid cancer and is expected to retire during Bush’s second term.
Jay Sekulow, chief counsel of the American Center for Law and Justice, called the two appointments "fantastic," reported Family News in Focus.
"I've worked with Sam and Tom over the years," Sekulow said, "and I can't think of two more qualified individuals to serve on the Judiciary Committee, especially as we face the realistic possibility of a Supreme Court vacancy."
