Topic: Closing Remarks
Senator: Specter
Date: SEPTEMBER 15, 2005
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SPECTER: We're now going to go into executive session, under Senate Rule 26, to review the FBI report -- which is standard for all the judicial nominees: Supreme Court or Court of Appeals or district court -- and to consider any other investigative issue that members of the committee may have.
During Senator Biden's tenure as chairman, the practice was initiated of conducting routine closed sessions with each nominee for the Supreme Court, to ask the nominee on the record, under oath, about all investigative charges against the person, if there were any.
SPECTER: These hearings are routinely conducted for every Supreme Court nominee, even where there are no investigative issues to be resolved.
In so doing, those outside the committee cannot infer that the committee has received adverse, confidential information about a nominee.
The committee and Judge Roberts will now proceed to Dirksen 226, which is right down the hall.
Senator Leahy?
LEAHY: I understand that, also following our practice, the Republican counsel and the Democratic counsel, who normally work together on such issues, will brief the committee.
SPECTER: Senator Leahy, that is correct.
LEAHY: Thank you.
SPECTER: We expect to return to hear our first outside witness, the American Bar Association, just as soon as we conclude this. We want to move ahead as promptly as we can. So those witnesses should be available.
We will now adjourn to 226 in this building.
END
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