The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“CONSTITUTION DAY AND DEMOCRATIC OBSTRUCTION” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Justice was published in the Senate section on pages S9666 on Sept. 18, 2006.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
CONSTITUTION DAY AND DEMOCRATIC OBSTRUCTION
Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, yesterday, September 17, marked the 219th anniversary of one of the most significant events in U.S. history. On September 17, 1787, 219 years ago, 39 brave men signed the U.S. Constitution.
We are all familiar with the Preamble of the Constitution:
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
Today across the nation, children in each and every classroom are celebrating the birthday of our Constitution. Very likely, they are reciting this very same Preamble. Many are, no doubt, struggling through this seemingly archaic syntax to come to distill its purpose. These children are asking themselves the same questions we in the Senate face each day on the Senate floor: What does it mean to establish justice? What does it mean to ensure domestic tranquility; to provide for the common defense; to promote the general welfare; to secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity?
In the midst of debate, it is temptingly easy to mire ourselves in the intricacies of legislation, and we spend hours in committees negotiating a phrase or a single word. But let's not forget the purpose behind our debates. Mr. President, 219 years ago, 39 men fulfilled the promise, fulfilled the vision of the Declaration of Independence by signing the Constitution. Today, the legacy depends on us. As citizens and as Senators, it is our duty to ensure that the values and purposes embodied by the Constitution continue to be the values that define our daily life.
Over the past few months, we have had many opportunities to do just that: the PATRIOT Act, Defense appropriations, border security, the Voting Rights Act, the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act, pension reform, and just last week, port security.
But too often my colleagues on the other side of the aisle have inhibited the fulfillment of our duty. They have relied on obstruction and thrown up roadblocks at every opportunity. They have let politics get in the way of sound policy and purpose. That is unacceptable.
We have only a few days left in this session. This week, we will vote on the nomination of Alice Fisher to be an Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division at the Department of Justice. But it has taken months and months to get to this point--months and months of obstruction. We have other key national security nominees who need to be confirmed. These are positions vital to our continued safety and security, but at every turn we find obstruction instead of confirmation.
As we move forward, I urge my colleagues to review our Constitution's Preamble, to consider anew our purpose here in the Senate, and to let that purpose guide our debate and action here on the Senate floor.
I yield the floor.
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