Senator Hassan Participates in Floor Debate in Opposition to Senator Sessions’s Nomination for Attorney General

Senator Hassan Participates in Floor Debate in Opposition to Senator Sessions's Nomination for Attorney General

WASHINGTON - Today, Senator Maggie Hassan participated in the floor debate in opposition to Senator Sessions's nomination to serve as Attorney General, highlighting his lack of commitment to upholding the constitutionally protected rights of millions of Americans and his inability to serve as an independent check on President Trump.

"Now more than ever it is critical to have an Attorney General who is an independent defender of our Constitution, who puts the rule of law before all else, who is committed to ensuring that all Americans have equal access to justice...I do not believe that Senator Sessions is fully committed to enactingthose principles," Senator Hassan remarked on the floor this morning.

In her speech, Senator Hassan highlighted the concerns about Senator Sessions's record on civil rights expressed by people across New Hampshire, including a resident of Merrimack who wrote, "Pick a current civil rights issue...and Sessions is on the wrong side of history."

Underscoring his lack of commitment to enforcing the values of inclusion and equality that are at the core of our Constitutional system, Senator Hassan outlined Senator Sessions's record of working to undermine LGBTQ equality and opposing a woman's right to make her own reproductive health decisions.

Senator Hassan also noted Senator Sessions's troubling comments and record when it comes to equality for individuals who experience disabilities, highlighting comments from a constituent from Etna who wrote, "It is abundantly clear to me as a disabled woman that his Justice Department would not support my equal protection under the law."

Senator Hassan concluded her remarks stressing the importance of equality, justice and inclusion for all citizens and the threat that Senator Sessions poses to these fundamental values if confirmed as Attorney General.

"We need leaders...who are committed to enforcing the laws that have included more and more Americans. Senator Jeff Sessions's record shows that he is not committed to those values... I cannot support Senator Sessions to be the next Attorney General of the United States. And I urge my colleagues to vote no on this nomination," said Senator Hassan.

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