Business Leaders from Four Chambers of Commerce Argue the Economic Costs of the Senate Not Fulfilling Its Constitutional Responsibility
May 25, 2016
Washington, DC — On the 70th day since Chief Judge Merrick Garland was nominated and over 100 days since the seat has been vacant- the Senate has still not fulfilled its constitutional responsibility to hold a hearing on the President’s nominee. Without a full court, our judicial system cannot function the way it should, engendering costly effects that extend to our economy. In light of this, the leaders of four chambers of commerce- including the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) , U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC), U.S. Business Leadership Network (USBLN), and the U.S. Black Chambers (USBC), representing over $7 trillion in consumer spending and millions of jobs- have written a letter to the Senate Leadership of both parties to “to respectfully request that the Senate fulfill its Constitutional role by giving meaningful consideration to the nomination of Merrick B. Garland to the United States Supreme Court.”
An eight-person court that rules 4-4 on cases, creates varying federal laws in different federal circuits- meaning business owners in different zip codes will have different rights and responsibilities. This not only has a destabilizing effect our economy, which is still recovering from a recession, but also degrades that which is America, a land of equal opportunity for all.
The business community leaders urge Senate Leaders that, “as we do our jobs to help drive economic growth in this country, we ask the Senate to do its job to help safeguard the stability conducive to such growth.”
A copy of the letter, including the names of the signatories, is attached and may be downloaded here.
###
The National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce is the business voice of the LGBT community and is the largest global not-for-profit advocacy organization specifically dedicated to expanding economic opportunities and advancements for LGBT people. NGLCC is the exclusive certification body for LGBT-owned businesses. www.nglcc.org
MEDIA CONTACT:
Jonathan D. Lovitz
VP of External Affairs
National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce® (NGLCC)
jlovitz@nglcc.org | 1.954.695.5896
