Birmingham, AL - Congresswoman Terri Sewell released the following statement regarding the passing of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia:

"I join with my congressional colleagues and President Obama in expressing my condolences on the passing of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia,” states Congresswoman Sewell. “My thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends at this time of mourning.”

"While I have not agreed with his legal philosophy and rationale in many cases, there is no denying that Justice Scalia is one of the most consequential legal scholars of our generation. He has made an indelible imprint on the legal landscape in this country and his 30 years of public service is appreciated.”

"Scalia's love for the law and fundamental belief in the Constitution was well known. This is why it was so disheartening that Senate Republicans have already stated their unwillingness to carry out their Constitutional duties of vetting and confirming ‘any’ nominee offered by President Obama.”

“Because of the total obstructionism that my Republican colleagues have instituted against President Obama since day one of his presidency, our courts across the country are suffering due to shortages in manpower, including the United States Court of the Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. This has created case backlogs in many of the courts that has been deemed a ‘judicial emergency’ by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts.”

“It is unfathomable that the highest court in the land, the U.S. Supreme Court, would be subjected to this same level of partisan, political obstructionism and denied its full complement of jurist for eleven months or longer, given the profound cases being heard before it. As such, I join others from both sides of the political divide in calling on President Obama to conduct his Constitutional duty to nominate a ‘well-qualified’ candidate for the Supreme Court vacancy, and for the U.S. Senate to perform its job of vetting and confirming that nominee. To suggest anything less is an affront to the American people.”

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