WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Wednesday, U.S. Senator Joe Donnelly released the following statement after meeting with Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh. Donnelly talked with Judge Kavanaugh about his judicial philosophy, his experience working in the George W. Bush Administration and as a judge, and his thoughts on judicial independence in addition to other topics.

Donnelly said, “I had a wide-ranging conversation and productive meeting with Judge Kavanaugh. This was an important opportunity to sit down and talk in-depth with Judge Kavanaugh about: his record; experience working in the Bush Administration and serving on the federal bench; and views on the role of the Supreme Court as well as on a range of issues including precedent, health care, and judicial independence.

“I take my responsibility as Senator to consider Supreme Court nominees very seriously and will continue a thorough review of Judge Kavanaugh’s record and plan to follow his Senate Judiciary Committee hearing closely. Hoosiers rightly expect careful and thoughtful consideration of a nomination to our nation’s highest court, and I plan to keep doing my homework and make a decision sometime after Kavanaugh’s committee confirmation hearing.”

Donnelly is using the same approach he did for a previous Supreme Court vacancy and has said that paramount to that process is conducting a comprehensive review, meeting the nominee, and watching the confirmation hearing.

Judge Kavanaugh’s hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to begin on September 4.