NCJW Urges Senators Not to Trade Lifetime Seats for Filibuster Fix
April 26, 2005, New York, NY -- In response to talk of a possible compromise to avoid the nuclear option in the Senate, National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) President Phyllis Snyder issued the following statement:
"NCJW continues to strongly oppose the nuclear option -- a proposal by Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist to end the filibuster on judicial nominees including Supreme Court nominees. Recent polling indicates that the majority of Americans oppose changing Senate rules to make it easier to confirm the President's nominees."Tomorrow, a group of NCJW leaders from around the country will join others from their home states in Washington, DC, to meet with their senators in opposition to the nuclear option. They will carry the message that the nuclear option would destroy our democratic system of checks and balances and make it virtually impossible to stop the courts from being packed with judges who are not committed to upholding fundamental rights.
"We oppose any compromise that would expedite the confirmation of unfit judicial nominees to lifetime seats on the federal bench. To trade away lifetime appointments that will impact our rights for generations against what could be a short-term solution to a contentious procedural debate would be a travesty.
"The only acceptable compromise would be for bi-partisan consultation between the administration and senators leading to consensus, mainstream nominees."
NCJW is a volunteer organization, inspired by Jewish values, that works to improve the quality of life for women, children, and families and to ensure individual rights and freedoms for all through its network of 90,000 members, supporters, and volunteers nationwide. It has launched BenchMark: NCJW's Campaign to Save Roe, a national effort to educate and mobilize NCJW members, the Jewish community, and friends and allies everywhere to promote a federal bench with judges that support fundamental freedoms, including a woman's right to choose.
Contact: Sammie Moshenberg
202 296 2588; sammie@ncjwdc.org