The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) urges President Obama to submit a nominee to fill the vacant seat of the late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.
President Obama has said he intends to nominate Scalia’s successor. However, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has ruled out the possibility of scheduling a confirmation hearing until after the presidential election in November.
McConnell’s plan to delay the confirmation hearing is unacceptable and the Senate must fulfill its constitutional obligation to hold hearings and vote on the nominee.
If the Senate leadership maintains that position, it will mean that Justice Scalia’s seat will remain open for more than a year. With many important social justice and human rights cases hanging in the balance, a year is far too long to have an eight-member Supreme Court that has already been ideologically divided.
President Obama has the obligation and responsibility as well as the authority and right to make nominations to the U.S. Supreme Court. The Senate must also fulfill its obligation and NASW urges the Senate to schedule hearings once a nominee is announced and hold a vote on the nomination.
For more information on this issue contact NASW Social Justice and Human Rights Manager Mel Wilson at mwilson@naswdc.org.
