Yesterday, President Donald Trump nominated Judge Brett Kavanaugh to replace Justice Kennedy as an Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. With this nomination, President Trump is attempting to fundamentally shift the balance of our highest court, drastically moving it to the right. The addition of Judge Kavanaugh to an already conservative-leaning Court will likely cement extreme legal ideology in this country for the next quarter century, which is why it is so critical that Americans know what is at stake with this nomination.

During his tenure on the federal appeals court for the District of Columbia, Judge Kavanaugh demonstrated a disturbing lack of concern for Americans’ fundamental rights, for the impact of the law on the well-being of ordinary people, and for the separation of powers that maintains our democracy. His record depicts an ideological slant that routinely sides with big business, defers to the influence of money and power in our political process, allows authority to be consolidated under the President without accountability, and believes in limiting protections based on age, race, gender, religion, ability, sexual orientation or national origin afforded under the Constitution.

Such an extreme ideological slant should be of little surprise to those who know Judge Kavanaugh’s record as a partisan lawyer — the consummate Washington insider — who worked for Kenneth Starr and the independent counsel’s office, as well as for President George W. Bush in the White House. On issues ranging from reproductive rights to health and safety to criminal justice to consumer protections, Judge Kavanaugh has routinely shown a restrictive interpretation of the law. From the NRA to oil and gas corporations to religious extremists, Judge Kavanaugh has sided with those working to force their views, beliefs and preferences on others. …

As someone who cares deeply about New York University and the well-being of its campus community, I feel compelled to comment on the current Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign occurring at NYU.

Earlier this month, the small pro-BDS student constituency at NYU convinced over fifty student organizations to support a statement backing the key tenets of BDS and calling on the university to divest from companies engaged in business with Israel. And in an unprecedented fashion, the student organizations also pledged to boycott two NYU pro-Israel student groups as well as a range of national pro-Israel and Jewish organizations.

I proudly represent the Congressional District within which much of NYU’s campus is located, and my son is a graduate of NYU Law School. …

I am dismayed to hear that the Boycott Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement has once against reared its head at Columbia University. As a Columbia College (Class of 1969) alum, whose son is also a graduate, I care deeply about the well-being of the school and the campus community. I first became involved with progressive politics as a Columbia student activist protesting the Vietnam War, and since 1992 I have proudly represented the Congressional District within which Columbia is located.

Two years ago, a similar effort to advance a BDS agenda at Columbia was launched, and because of my strong affinity for the school and its students, as well as my deep concerns about the BDS movement, I felt compelled to comment at the time. This year, despite the multiple failed attempts to secure endorsements of BDS from Columbia student leaders and administrators, the small pro-BDS student constituency on campus has convinced Barnard College’s Student Government Association to initiate a referendum for Barnard’s student body to vote on whether the university should divest from a set of companies engaged in business with Israel. …

“No woman can call herself free who does not own and control her own body. No woman can call herself free until she can choose consciously whether she will or will not be a mother”

— Margaret Sanger, 1919

“No woman can call herself free who does not own and control her own body. No woman can call herself free until she can choose consciously whether she will or will not be a mother” — Margaret Sanger, 1919

Forty-five years ago, the Supreme Court handed down the decision in Roe. V. Wade and changed the landscape of abortion law forever. This week, as I reflected on the anniversary of that landmark decision, I thought about what it means to be a man fighting for reproductive freedom. …

Last Congress, the House Judiciary Committee launched a comprehensive review of the Copyright Act to examine how the law is faring in the digital age and to determine if any changes are needed to reward creativity and keep pace with technological advancement. Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) recently indicated that the review is moving to the next phase, and that he would soon bring people together to discuss potential reforms. As the committee prepares to take action, it is increasingly clear that music licensing reform must be at the top of the agenda.

If Congress were to start with a blank sheet of paper, none of us would write the law the way it stands today. Thanks to special-interest exemptions, short-term reactions to changing technologies and congressional gridlock, the law that governs royalty payments is inconsistent and unfair, disadvantaging new technologies and massively shortchanging artists and musicians. …

Let’s be frank: Our transportation infrastructure, the engine and lifeblood of any region, is underfunded and woefully underserved. The Port Authority Bus Terminal, one of the largest and busiest terminals in the world, accommodates 232,000 passengers and more than 7,000 bus movements every weekday, and it desperately needs improvement.

As we look to replace the terminal, we have an opportunity to re-think and transform our regional transportation in order to find solutions that work for the public it is intended to serve, as well as the region as a whole.

We all agree that there should be a new bus terminal in Manhattan, but we need to plan for it responsibly. Early cost projections range from $7.5 billion to over $10.5 billion, so there is an obvious need and legitimate concern to make sure that we find a solution that works for everyone. …

This week, the Senate will hold confirmation hearings for Senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama, who President-elect Donald Trump has nominated to be Attorney General. …

As an alum of Columbia College (Class of 1969) whose son is also a recent graduate, and someone who got his start in progressive politics as a campus activist fighting against the Vietnam War, I have tremendous fondness for my alma mater and care a great deal about what happens there. Columbia also happens to have its home in the Congressional District I have served since 1992. It is for these reasons that I feel compelled to comment on the current campaign happening there regarding Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS).

I dearly hope that the pro-peace, pro-academic freedom student leaders of Invest in Peace at Columbia are successful in their efforts to defeat this divisive and wrong-headed effort to have the university support BDS, and, in doing so, are able to educate the Columbia community about the true nature of the BDS movement. …