Why are Supreme Court Vacancies a Big Deal?
By Congressman Markwayne Mullin
President Trump has made again what is arguably the most important decision a president could make during his time in the White House: he nominated another judge to the Supreme Court of the United States. Keeping the promises he made to the American people, President Trump nominated Judge Brett Kavanaugh, a highly-qualified judge with a track record of upholding the Constitution, to the Supreme Court.Unlike elected officials, Supreme Court Justices serve for a lifetime. Presidents can only serve for a total of eight years. On average, a member of the House of Representatives in the 115th Congress has served about nine years. Senators in the 115th Congress have served on average for just over 10 years. The length of these elected positions pale in comparison to the lifelong tenure of a Supreme Court Justice, and rightfully so.
Supreme Court Justices serve on the bench for life so they are protected from political backlash. Their appointment allows them to serve impartially, without fear of retribution for a ruling on a case. The average length of a Justice’s tenure is 16 years. At age 53, Judge Kavanaugh may very well meet or exceed the average length of service.
Any president given an opportunity to fill a Supreme Court vacancy holds the power to shape the future of the Court. These Justices play an important role in ruling on major issues that impact the American people, including immigration and pro-life policies. In a day and age when our Constitution is consistently under attack, it is vital that our Supreme Court uphold the Constitution as it was written. I am confident that Judge Kavanaugh will do just that.
Judge Kavanaugh has dedicated his life to public service, with 25 years serving as a judge in the court system and in the White House under President George W. Bush. He has served on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit for more than 10 years and authored more than 300 opinions on cases. He has been married to his wife, Ashley, for 14 years and they have two daughters. He coaches both of his daughter’s school basketball teams. He serves at a reader at his church and volunteers his time to serve meals to needy families. A dedicated family man and active community service member, Judge Kavanaugh is the principled conservative our Supreme Court needs.
Judge Kavanaugh wrote that “the judge’s job is to interpret the law, not to make the law or make policy. So read the words of the statute as written. Read the text of the Constitution as written, mindful of history and tradition. Don’t make up new constitutional rights that are not in the text of the Constitution.” Judge Kavanaugh is an excellent choice to serve the American people on the Supreme Court and I look forward to following the Senate as they move forward with his confirmation process.
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