[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 125 (Tuesday, September 8, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Page S9105]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           JUSTICE SOTOMAYOR

  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, 45 minutes ago exactly, history was made 
in America just across the street, not far from the steps of the 
Senate. If you go to those steps at this moment and look directly to 
the east, you will see the U.S. Supreme Court building. At 2 o'clock 
eastern time in that building the 111th Justice appointed to the U.S. 
Supreme Court received her official investiture. It was a moment of 
great historic significance because the elevation of Sonia Sotomayor to 
serve on the U.S. Supreme Court marks the first time in our history 
that a person of Hispanic descent will serve on the highest Court of 
our land. In the course of our history, with 111 Supreme Court 
Justices, if my memory serves, only four have not been White males--two 
African Americans, two women, and now Justice Sotomayor.
  The ceremony was very short. The President of the United States was 
there, the Vice President, a number of Members of Congress, and of 
course the other eight Supreme Court Justices and the retiring Justice 
Souter. There was a very stately, dignified, gracious presence as the 
Court was convened. After Eric Holder, the Attorney General, read the 
commission which authorizes the investiture of Justice Sotomayor, the 
oath was administered to her by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, 
John Roberts. The entire ceremony took 4 minutes. One of the Senators 
standing next to me, Mel Martinez, who will retire from the Senate this 
week, said it would have taken longer if they had television cameras 
here. Those of us who serve in the Senate and served in the House know 
of what he speaks.
  But the fact is, in that 4-minute period of time a page was turned in 
American history. We are offering an opportunity now for a person to 
serve on the Supreme Court--immensely qualified, a person with a great 
background in her life and her achievement to serve on the highest 
Court of the land.
  Across America, in neighborhoods and towns and communities and 
schools, perhaps a child will look up and, when they learn of the 
appointment and ascension of Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court, 
realize that the great promise of America continues, that this still is 
a land of opportunity, and that door to opportunity was opened a little 
wider just across the street at the U.S. Supreme Court about 45 minutes 
ago.

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