Click here to view photos from Senator
Leahy's perspective as Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee
***Senate Confirms Sotomayor
To Nation's High Court
By A Vote Of 68-31***
The Supreme Court Of
The United States:
Associate Justice Of The United States Supreme Court
On May 1, 2009, The Honorable
David H. Souter, Associate Justice of the United States Supreme
Court, submitted his resignation to President
Barack Obama. On May 26, President
Obama nominated Judge Sonia Sotomayor to fill the vacancy by Justice
Souter and on June 2, Senator Leahy met with Judge Sotomayor in his
Washington, D.C. office.
As a member of
the Judiciary Committee for over 25 years, and the Committee’s
current Chairman, Senator Leahy has participated in confirmation
hearings for all 9 of the current Supreme Court Justices.
The role of the Senate to advise and consent to the nominations
sent to the Senate by the President is a serious and vital one.
During the week of July 13, Senator Leahy
presided over four days of Judge
Sotomayor's confirmation hearings before the Judiciary
Committee, and on Tuesday, July 28, the Committee favorably
reported her nomination to the Senate floor by a bipartisan vote
of 13-6. The full Senate considered her nomination for
three days before voting to confirm her on August 6, 2009, by a
vote of 68 to 31. After the final vote, Senator Leahy
applauded her confirmation and said, "The
confirmation of this immensely qualified individual, with her
long history of public service, is an historic moment for the
Senate, the judiciary, the Hispanic community, and each and
every American."
More information about Judge Sotomayor and the confirmation
process is available on the Senate Judiciary Committee's website
here.
