Mr. MENENDEZ. Madam President, today on the floor some
of my colleagues have begun their attacks on President Obama's
historic and incredibly qualified nominee to the Supreme Court, Judge
Sonia Sotomayor. They clearly decided, for ideological reasons, that
they were going to oppose whoever President Obama appointed before
[Page: S6911]
the hearings even started. We have heard people try to attach a lot of
labels to Judge Sotomayor over the past few weeks, but it has
become clearer and clearer as we look hard at Judge Sotomayor's record
and vast experience that attacking this nominee is like throwing rocks
at a library. It is uncalled for and it doesn't accomplish anything.
Her opponents are grasping at straws, because it turns out we have
before us one of the most qualified, exceptional nominees to come
before this Senate in recent history.
Let there be no doubt: Sonia Sotomayor's nomination to be a Justice to
the Supreme Court is a proud moment for America. It is proof that the
American dream is in reach for everyone willing to work hard, play by
the rules, and give back to their communities, regardless of their
ethnicity, gender, or socioeconomic background. It is further proof of
the deep roots the Hispanic community has in this country.
But let's be clear: We get to be proud of this nominee because she is
exceptionally qualified. We get to be proud because of her vast
knowledge of the law, her practical experience fighting crime, and her
proven record of dedication to equal justice under the law. Those are
the reasons we are proud. Those are the reasons she should be
confirmed without delay.
We should not be hearing any suggestions that we need infinitely more
time to discuss this nomination. It should move as promptly as the
nomination of John Roberts, and that is exactly what we are going to
do.
A little while ago at a press conference, we heard from prominent
legal and law enforcement organizations that explained how the people
who have actually seen her work know her best: as an exemplary, fair,
and highly qualified judge. They came from across our country, from
Florida to Texas, Nebraska, and my home State of New Jersey. They shed
light on how important her work has been in the fight against crime,
how her work as a prosecutor put the ``Tarzan murderer'' behind bars,
how as a judge
she upheld the convictions of drug dealers, sexual predators, and
other violent criminals. And they made it clear how much they admire
her strong respect for the liberties and protections granted by our
Constitution, including the first amendment rights of people she
strongly disagreed with.
Judge Sotomayor's credentials are undeniable. After graduating at the
top of her class at Princeton, she became an editor of the law journal
at Yale Law School, which many consider to be the Nation's best. She
went to work in the Manhattan district attorney's office, prosecuting
crimes from murder to child abuse to fraud, winning convictions all
along the way.
A Republican President, George H.W. Bush, appointed her to the U.S.
District Court in New York, and a Democrat, Bill Clinton, appointed
her to the U.S. Court of Appeals. She was confirmed by a Democratic
majority Senate and then a Republican majority Senate. Her record as a
judge is as clear and publicly accessible as any recent nominee and
clearly shows modesty and restraint on the bench.
She would bring more judicial experience to the Supreme Court than any
Justice in 70 years, and more Federal judicial experience than anyone
in the past century. Her record and her adherence to precedent leave
no doubt whatsoever that she respects the Constitution and the rule of
law.
Judge Sotomayor's record has made it clear that she believes what
determines a case is not her personal preferences but the law. Her
hundreds of decisions prove very conclusively that she looks at what
the law says, she looks at what Congress has said, and she looks above
all at what precedent says. She is meticulous about looking at the
facts and then decides the outcome in accordance with the
Constitution.
On top of that, Judge
Sotomayor's
personal background is rich with the joys and hardships that millions
of American families share. Her record is proof that someone can be
both an impartial arbiter of the law and still recognize how her
decisions will affect people's everyday lives.
I think it says something that the worst her ideological opponents can
accuse her of is being able to understand the perspective of a wide
range of people whose cases will come before her.
Judge Sotomayor deserves nothing less than a prompt hearing and a
prompt confirmation. As the process moves forward, I plan to come back
to the floor as often as is necessary to rebut any baseless attacks
leveled at this judge.
It fills me with pride to have the opportunity to support President
Obama's groundbreaking nominee, someone who is clearly the right
person for a seat on the highest Court of the land.
It is an enormous joy to be reminded once again that in the United
States of America, if you work hard, play by the rules, and give back
to your community, anything is possible.
Madam President, with that, I yield the floor.
END |
|