Elaine Burke
February 24, 2016Our uncontrolled fears can lead us into sin
March 2, 2016
U.S. Sen. David Vitter told locals he plans to block President Obama’s efforts to appoint a new Supreme Court Justice in his final year in office.
Vitter hosted a town hall meeting at the Houma Municipal Auditorium on Friday, one of four he held over two days. Vitter told the audience about the policy issues he is focusing on and took questions from the crowd for about an hour.
The Feb. 13 death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia has left a vacancy on the nation’s highest court. President Obama can choose to appoint a nominee for the seat, which the senate must approve.
Vitter said he will join any effort by the Republican majority in the Senate to block the president’s appointments, instead deferring the appointment to the winner of this year’s presidential election.
“The American voters, the citizens, should take the lead on this through the presidential election. I don’t want the Senate doing anything until citizens and voters, all of us and our neighbors, really weigh in through the presidential election. It is going to be vitally important for decades and decades,” he said.
Vitter said although the people made a decision during Obama’s 2012 re-election, he feels they need to make another decision. He said while President Obama can make an appointment, the Senate is under no obligation to quickly approve his nominees.
“Our constitution is clear. He gets the appointment; I’m sure he’ll appoint soon. Just as clear, the Senate gets to approve, no timetable, and we’re going to wait,” Vitter said.
Vitter, who announced during his gubernatorial concession speech that he would not be seeking re-election, said he would be “very active” in his final year in office. On the local level, Vitter said he wants to get a new Water Resources Development Act through, and he wants to get an update on a 1976 chemical safety bill.
“We want to do this WRDA bill, which will be further significant improvements to hurricane flood protection and maritime, so that’s high on the list. I want to pass this chemical safety reform bill, that’s gotten past the Senate and have been working on. That would be important for the chemical industry, which is a big part of our economy.
For national concerns, Vitter said that he wants to remove the “Washington exemption” of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare.
“I’m continuing a number of reform efforts, like getting rid of the Washington exemption of Obamacare for members and their staff. We should live by the same rules as the American people do,” Vitter said.
U.S. Sen. David Vitter said he will not vote to approve any nomination President Obama makes for the vacant Supreme Court seat during a town hall meeting in Houma Friday.
