Bader ginsburg who died friday night. She died on the eve of the jewish new year, the first jewish woman on the Supreme Court and a very interesting thing about individuals who die right before the new year. They say they suggest very righteous people die at the very end of the year because they were needed until the very end. Under jewish tradition those who die on the new year holiday, a title given to the righteous and saintly. Certainly Justice Ruth Bader ginsburg was entitled to this honor, being righteous and saintly. At her confirmation hearing she talked about her immigrant experience was her father was a jewish immigrant, her mother was a secondgeneration american, she talked about American Values and then she said what has happened over me could only happen in america and then she spent her entire career protecting those values that make america a great nation it is in the reason people come here in order to reach their full potential. It guided her well in her public service. Justice ginsburg was both an inspiration and a trailblazer in every sense of the word. After breaking through countless barriers thrown in her path, what is meant to be a thoughtful jurist and a dedicated public servant, let me briefly go over her incredible accomplishments. First, in her undergraduate class at cornell university, first female member of the harvard journal graduating first in her class at Columbia Law School, first female professor at Columbia University earned 10 year. Justice ginsburg directed the aclu womens rights project and argued six landmark cases before the Supreme Court winning five of those cases. They protected not only the rights of young women but many men who face discrimination as well. At the National Womens law center wrote about Justice Ginsburgs death, her passing is cause for us to pause and honor the unparalleled mark she left on this country. From cofounding the aclu womens rights project to creating the first case striking down a law that discriminated against women, building a case that defined sex discrimination, ginsburg was a visionary who revolutionized the gender Equality Movement and the law, law, before surprised becoming a Supreme Court justice. For our country ginsburg greater than just the law. She was an icon in the living symbol of a northstar so we must unite and do for her what she did for us, fight for what is right. As a litigator she helped shape the law convincing the Supreme Court that equal protection of the law under the fourteenth amendment applies not only to Racial Discrimination gender discrimination as well and Justice Ginsburg new discrimination firsthand, struggled to find a job after graduating law school, notwithstanding sterling qualifications. She had that difficulty solely because of her gender, she experienced gender discrimination firsthand and did something about it not only for herself but for future generations. After serving on the court of appeals for 13 years she began a 27 year career on the United StatesSupreme Court. There are so many of her decisions that were so consequential, so visionary, expressing the right value in her ability to express her views was unquestioned. She did that in writing majority opinions and shes wellknown for doing that in writing dissenting opinions. So many of her dissenting opinions lead the way for change. She was right and she motivated change. In 1996 Justice Ginsburg wrote the majority opinion of the court in the finding the allmale admissions policy, military institute was unconstitutional. She said in that opinion generalizations about the way women are, what is appropriate for most women no longer justify denying opportunity to women whose talent and capacity place them outside the average description. Any preferential treatment must not create or perpetuate the legal, social and economic inferiority of women. What a difference she made in that decision. I will always remember her dissenting opinion in the Lily Ledbetter case because it led directly to change. Justice ginsburg wrote in that fiery descent, our precedent suggests, lower courts said overwhelmingly held that the unlawful practice is the current payment of salaries affected by gender, base or racebased discrimination, a practice that occurs whenever a paycheck delivers less to a women than a similarly situated man. One of my colleagues talked about precedent, here we see the Court Reversing precedent in order to advance discrimination against women. Her dissent led to congressional action becoming the per first piece of legislation signed by president barack obama. The text of this bill hung on her office wall for good reasons as it embodied her spirit. Of fiery descent again in the Shelby County versus colby case a case decided by a 54 vote of the Supreme Court of the United States which gutted the Voting Rights of 1965. Here is what she said in that opinion. What had to come of the courts usual restraint, Justice Ginsburg wrote in her dissenting opinion the great men who led the march in selma, montgomery, a call for the passage of the Voting Rights act, we saw progress even in alabama, but it bends toward justice. If there is steadfast commitment to see the task through to completion that commitment was to serve the by todays decision, throwing out clearance that works, continue to work to stop discriminatory changes like throwing away your umbrella in a rainstorm because you are not getting wet. I mentioned these cases to wonderscore the importance of the Supreme Court, of a Supreme Court justice in the lives of all americans. So much is at stake in the filling of Justice Ginsburgs vacancy. It will have real consequences for all of our constituents. Let me give you a few examples of what is likely to be taken up by the Supreme Court that could affect my constituents and constituents around the nation. Your healthcare is literally on the line. The Affordable Care act that donald trump has tried to appeal and republicans tried to repeal and failed, they are now going to take it to the Supreme Court. A hearing is scheduled this november. This is a real risk for tens of millions of americans who depend on the law for their Health Coverage and other benefits. 20 million americans could lose their healthcare, people with preexisting conditions could lose those protections, 133 million americans, during the coronavirus pandemic, that is what is at risk, talking about individuals, pregnancy or cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, Behavioral Health disorders, high cholesterol, asthma, heart conditions, numerous others, preexisting conditions, that is in the Affordable Care act, that is what the Supreme Court did in november. That is why americans are concerned that we follow the right process in selecting the next individual to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States, if the Affordable Care act is struck down into is bring back lifetime limits on coverage covered by Medicaid Expansion, would lose health services, young people would be kicked off of their parents insurance, insurers could sell skimpy plans that dont even cover essential Health Benefits like prescription drugs, emergency room visits, mental health, Substance Abuse and maternity care. The Affordable Care act increased access to care for millions who were previously uninsured or underinsured. Through Medicaid Expansion 13 million low income americans now have dependable comprehensive help. In maryland alone, 1. 3 million low income individuals depends on medicaid including 512,000 low income children, 107,000 seniors, 152,000 individuals with disabilities. We must protect Medicaid Expansion and other uninsured and underinsured populations for the effort to eliminating their access to Affordable Care, it is at risk. This vacancy is critically important to protecting healthcare and there are so many other issues, womens reproductive rights clearly at risk, robie wade, established precedent, look what the Supreme Court has been willing to do in reversing precedent, we know roe v wade is in the crosshairs for change by the Supreme Court, one more justice, supporting womans right of choice could very well be in jeopardy. Our most vulnerable individuals are at risk as well. Let me talk about one specific group of people, some of our immigrants, june 18th, 2020, in a 5numfour decision written by justice roberts, joined by Justice GinsburgSupreme Court held the department of Homeland Security violated law when it rescinded the deferred action for childhood arrival program. There are approximately 643,000 recipients in the United States, 29,000 workers, essential workers, save lives and eased suffering but for that decision those individuals lives have been disrupted and been ordered to leave our country. These individuals now know home but the United States of america. They are our neighbors and friends and yet 5numfour decision of the Supreme CourtJustice Ginsburg will no longer be there. This next justice could determine the fates of the dreamers. Lgbt q community, the Supreme Court by a 5numfour decision held the constitution guaranteed samesex couples the right to marry, that is a 54 decision. I always expected in america we would move forward on protecting individual rights under our constitution, that each congress, each session the Supreme Court would advance those rights for individuals protection under the constitution of the United States. The filling of the Supreme Court vacancy could very well reverse the trend of protecting rights, denying many in our community their rights. I could cite many many other examples of what is at risk by the Supreme Court appointment. There are many reasons we believe we should follow the proper process in selecting the next Supreme Court justice. Lets talk a little bit about what process we should follow, about fairness, the integrity of the senate, living up to our own words, lets talk about using the same word Democrats Use for republicans, lets talk about fairness of the process. Madam president , i could spend a lifetime on the floor quoting the comments of so many of my colleagues on the floor of the United States senate four years ago on the merritt garland nomination by president obama. And how they spoke about the importance of listening to the voters of our nation, the we didnt have the time and remember merritt garland was in february of an Election Year, that appointment, didnt have the time to do this, that we needed to withhold taking up the nomination, that it was up to the voters to act first and this had nothing to do with the fact that it was a democrat in the white house. So many of our colleagues said if theres a republican elected in 2016 and the senate is controlled by the republicans we would say the same thing, hold off, let the voters have a chance. Let me just quote one of our colleagues, 2016 Senate Republicans refused to consider the nomination of merritt garland, president obamas nominee for the Supreme Court vacancy, they would not meet with merritt garland, hold a hearing or allow votes for 293 days. Justice scalia died in february of 2016, president obama nominated merritt garland, respected dc circuit judge with bipartisan support, in march of 2016. In the case of Justice Ginsburgs vacancy in 2020 there were 40 days away from a general election, early absentee voting had already begun in several states. By contrast in 2016 the formal president ial primary election had just begun when Justice Scalia died. Our colleagues spoke up, four years ago our republican colleagues said not enough time, leave it up to the voters, whether it is democrat or republican, let me quote from one of our colleagues, republican leader mitch mcconnell. This is his quote on the floor of the senate, the next justice could fundamentally alter the direction of the Supreme Court and have a profound impact on our country so of course of course the American People should have a say in the courts direction. We declared weeks ago and reiterate personally to president obama the senate will continue to observe the biden rule so the American People have a voice in this momentous decision, they may elect a president who elects merritt garland or may not name someone very different. Either way our view is this. Give the people a voice in filling this vacancy as we continue working on the issues like these the American People are perfectly capable of having a say on this issue so give them a voice. Let the American People senator mitch mcconnell. We have the mcconnell rule established by the republican leader. The American People pick the next president and senate so they can weigh on on this Decision Just as senator mcconnell brought you in 2016 with president obamas nominee, merritt garland with Justice Scalias see. Let the senate honor Justice Ginsburgs legacy by continuing to fight for the rights she fought for her entire career as a litigator, circuit judge and Supreme Court justice. Wish, my most fervent wish is that i will not be replaced until a new president is installed. Madam president , i yield the floor. Mr. Booker madam president , thank you very much. I rise at a time of great grief i rise at a time of great grief we have seen 200,000 fellow americans perish due to covid. In addition to that we have seen heroes in our nation fall during this time as well. Still a heavy heart as we seem the passing of civil rights greats like c. T. Vivian and, of course, our colleague of house of representatives john lewis. In many ways we are walking through the valley of the shadow of death, but as a fellow americans follow, it is apt that we contribute to their character, to the values and virtues which mark their lives, to the truth and ideals that they carry for the lives and how the advanced as so that we may have better lives. Truly, if we are recognizing those values and those virtues, and the passing of Ruth Bader Ginsburg is thens time the calls upon americans to pause and recognize her extraordinary life. She was a woman of small physical stature, but she was truly a giant amongst us. Even before her years as a Supreme Court justice, she championed the rights of americans and the ideals that we hold so dear. She advanced the cause of liberty and equality and the understanding as it says literally on the Supreme Court wall equal justice under law. This spirit that she fought for was buttressed by her massive intellect and her acumen and her skill and her strategy that was seen in her career as a lawyer as well as her opinions and work as a justice. Now, shehe understood more, or s much as anyone, that the decisions of the Supreme Court literally had a profound impact on the daily lives of americans here that the decisions of the Supreme Courtil will affect some of the most fundamental ideals. It could mean the difference between life or death, the difference between Economic Security and economic ruin, te difference between Environmental Protection and devastation. It affects not just the balance of power in institutions like the senate, but also the balance of p