[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 39 (Wednesday, March 17, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H1524-H1526]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HONORING SUPREME COURT JUSTICE SANDRA DAY O'CONNOR
Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the
resolution (H. Res. 1141) honoring the accomplishments of Supreme Court
Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, the first woman to serve on the United
States Supreme Court.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The text of the resolution is as follows:
H. Res. 1141
Whereas Sandra Day O'Connor was born on March 26, 1930, in
El Paso, Texas and spent most of her childhood on her
family's ranch, the Lazy B, located in the high deserts
outside of Duncan, Arizona;
Whereas Sandra Day O'Connor graduated magna cum laude from
Stanford University in 1950 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in
economics, and graduated in the top three of her class at
Stanford University Law School in 1952;
Whereas Sandra Day O'Connor married John J. O'Connor III, a
fellow Stanford Law student, in December 1952 on the Lazy B
Ranch and raised three children with him in Paradise Valley,
Arizona;
Whereas after practicing law in Frankfurt, Germany, and
Phoenix, Arizona, Sandra Day O'Connor began her career in
public service as the Arizona Assistant Attorney General in
1965;
Whereas Sandra Day O'Connor was appointed to the Arizona
State Senate in 1969 and was subsequently re-elected;
Whereas Sandra Day O'Connor rose to many leadership
positions during her 6 years in the legislature, including as
the first woman State Senate majority leader in the United
States;
Whereas Sandra Day O'Connor was elected judge for Maricopa
County Superior Court in 1975;
Whereas Sandra Day O'Connor was appointed to the Arizona
Court of Appeals, the State's second-highest court, by
Governor Bruce Babbitt in 1979;
Whereas Ronald Reagan nominated Sandra Day O'Connor in 1981
to serve as the first woman on the United States Supreme
Court, which was swiftly approved by the Senate by unanimous
consent, with the strong support of Arizona Senators Barry
Goldwater and Dennis Deconcini;
Whereas Sandra Day O'Connor was sworn in as a United States
Supreme Court Justice by Chief Justice Warren Burger on
September 25, 1981, commencing her 24 terms on the Supreme
Court, a career distinguished by her centrist role and
commitment to uphold the law and the Constitution;
Whereas Sandra Day O'Connor's support for the proposed
Equal Rights Amendment further strengthened her role as a
mentor and leader for women of all generations;
Whereas, on August 12, 2009, President Barack Obama awarded
Sandra Day O'Connor the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the
highest honor given to a civilian;
Whereas Sandra Day O'Connor has become a nationally
recognized leader in the effort to preserve judicial
independence through her strong support of selecting judges
by nonpartisan commissions;
[[Page H1525]]
Whereas Sandra Day O'Connor continues to honor her
commitment to public service, most recently through her web-
based education project, Our Courts, which strives to engage
young people in civics and the democratic process; and
Whereas Sandra Day O'Connor will turn 80 years old on March
26, 2010: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives honors the
achievements and distinguished career of Justice Sandra Day
O'Connor, and recognizes her impact as an American symbol of
hard work and rugged individualism.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Tennessee (Mr. Cohen) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Smith) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Tennessee.
General Leave
Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks
and include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Tennessee?
There was no objection.
Mr. COHEN. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to wish you and all of America a happy St.
Patrick's Day, and in support of House Resolution 1141, to honor the
accomplishments of Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.
Justice O'Connor blazed paths of history for women throughout her
career. In 1969, she was appointed to the Arizona State Senate, and in
1972 she became the first woman to serve as the majority leader of any
State senate in the United States.
Later, she became a trial judge for Maricopa County, Arizona, and
only a few years later was appointed to the court of appeals. Then in
1981, she was nominated to the Supreme Court, the first woman to sit on
the United States Supreme Court, and she did us proud.
Justice O'Connor retired in 2006, but she continues to be actively
involved with promoting good government and civic education. For
example, she spearheaded ``Our Courts,'' a Web-based education project
designed to reinvigorate learning inside and outside the classroom.
There were so many opinions when she was a part of the majority and
also when she was a part of the minority to where we know her voice is
missed today. Although appointed by a Republican President, she was
bipartisan and called them by the book and did a lot to see that this
country's Supreme Court was highly respected and not politicized.
This resolution is a way to honor her for service to our country. I
commend my colleague, Gabby Giffords of Arizona, for introducing this
resolution. I urge my colleagues to support it. I hope we have more
Justices like her in the future.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1141 honors the accomplishments of the Honorable
Sandra Day O'Connor, the first woman to serve on the United States
Supreme Court.
Justice O'Connor was born in El Paso, Texas, in 1930, and grew up on
a cattle ranch called the Lazy-B near Duncan, Arizona. She befriended
cowboys who worked on the ranch, learned to drive a car and shoot a
gun, and became an expert horseback rider.
Her parents decided that she needed an education, so O'Connor went to
live with her maternal grandmother in El Paso. She later studied
economics at Stanford University with an eye toward running the Lazy-B
or another ranch. However, a legal dispute over the Lazy-B sparked her
interest in the law. O'Connor enrolled in Stanford's law school, and
graduated in only 2 years, third in her class, that included
valedictorian and future Chief Justice of the United States William
Rehnquist. One of her other classmates, John Jay O'Connor, became her
husband.
This was the early 1950s, and despite her stellar law school record,
O'Connor could not find work as a lawyer. But she was determined. She
started out as a legal secretary before finding employment as the
deputy county attorney for San Mateo, California. When her husband was
drafted into the Judge Advocate General's Corps, she joined him in
Frankfurt, Germany, where she served as a civilian attorney in the
Quartermaster's Corps.
Returning to the United States in 1957, the couple settled in Phoenix
and started a family. Three children arrived in the next 6 years.
O'Connor eventually hung out a shingle with one partner and began a
general law practice. But with the birth of her second child, she
devoted herself to homemaker duties, charitable work, and local
Republican politics.
Following 5 years as a full-time mother, O'Connor returned to work as
an Arizona assistant attorney general. Later, the Governor appointed
her to fill a vacant State senate seat, a position she successfully
defended twice in two elections. In 1974, O'Connor became the first
woman to serve as the majority leader in the State legislature. This
achievement propelled her to the bench, first as a Maricopa County
Superior Court judge and then in 1978 as a member of the Arizona Court
of Appeals, the State's intermediate appellate court. Justice O'Connor
distinguished herself as a smart, fair, even-tempered judge.
This compelling story intrigued President Ronald Reagan, who was
searching for a successor to replace retiring Justice Potter Stewart at
the United States Supreme Court. In Sandra Day O'Connor, he found his
nominee.
Senate confirmations are not for the faint-hearted, but O'Connor came
through like an experienced pro. She was confirmed by a vote of 99-0
and was sworn in as the 102nd member of the Court on September 21,
1981. Of obvious importance, then and now, she became the first woman
to serve as an Associate Justice. So much for glass ceilings.
Justice O'Connor served on the Court for nearly a quarter of a
century before retiring in 2006. Early in her tenure, she was known as
a conservative jurist who preferred analyzing cases with a narrow fact-
specific approach. Later, she acquired the reputation as a swing vote.
Law Professor Steven Green once paid her perhaps the ultimate
compliment when she ``seemed to look at each case with an open mind.''
Since retiring from the Court, Justice O'Connor really hasn't
retired. She selflessly devoted herself to caring for her husband,
John, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 1990 and passed
away last November.
In addition to travel and spending time with other family members,
Justice O'Connor has worked on an American Bar Association project to
educate Americans about the role of judges, served as the chancellor of
the College of William and Mary, and performed trustee duties for the
National Constitution Center.
In recognition of her life's work, President Obama awarded her the
Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor of the United
States, on August 12, 2009.
Mr. Speaker, Sandra Day O'Connor is a pioneer for women and an
inspiration to all Americans. I urge my colleagues to support H. Res.
1141, which honors her many accomplishments.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I would just like to reiterate my extreme
commendations of Justice Sandra Day O'Connor's life and the
appropriateness of the resolution.
When I was a member of the National Conference of State Legislators,
I suggested we give an award each year to the State legislator who had
done the most later in their lives, and Sandra Day O'Connor as well as
Julian Bond were the two people I put up as examples of people who
should be honored by the National Conference of State Legislators to
encourage State legislatures to go on beyond that and to do extra in
their lives.
And Sandra Day O'Connor was a State senator who did much. And, as Mr.
Smith said, she had an open mind, and that is something we need to
commend. And in Arizona, where Representative Giffords is from and
sponsored this resolution, we had Barry Goldwater who, like her, came
in at a certain posture. But as his career went on, he had an open
mind, and he stood up for tolerance and he stood up for diversity.
I am proud to be here to speak in favor of this resolution, and I
would
[[Page H1526]]
ask that my colleagues vote to support unanimously this resolution and
to pass H. Res. 1141.
Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
H. Res. 1141 honors the accomplishments of the Honorable Sandra Day
O'Connor, the first women to serve on the United States Supreme Court.
Justice O'Connor was born in El Paso, Texas, in 1930 and grew up on a
cattle ranch called the ``Lazy-B'' near Duncan, Arizona. The ranch was
isolated and she did not have a sibling to play with until she turned
eight. To compensate, young Sandra demonstrated the initiative and
drive that would later propel her to the Court.
She befriended cowboys who worked on the ranch, learned to drive a
car and shoot a gun, and became an expert equestrian. She also kept
many pets during her childhood, including a bobcat, which probably
taught her how to deal with lawyers.
Her parents decided she needed an education, so O'Connor went to live
with her maternal grandmother, Mamie Scott Wilkey, in El Paso. Although
homesick, O'Connor became an outstanding student and graduated from the
Radford School for Girls at age 16. O'Connor always credited Mrs.
Wilkey for instilling confidence in her.
She later studied economics at Stanford with an eye toward running
the Lazy-B or another ranch. However, a legal dispute over the Lazy-B
sparked her interest in the law. O'Connor enrolled in Stanford's law
school and graduated in only 2 years, third in her class that included
valedictorian and future Chief Justice of the United States William
Rehnquist. One of her other classmates, John Jay O'Connor, became her
husband.
This was the early 1950s and, despite her stellar law school record,
O'Connor could not find work as a lawyer. The legal profession was not
an easy place for women at that time.
But O'Connor was determined. She started out as a legal secretary
before finding employment as the deputy county attorney for San Mateo,
California. When her husband was drafted into the Judge Advocate
General's Corps, she joined him in Frankfurt, Germany, where she served
as a civilian attorney in the Quartermaster's Corps.
Returning to the United States in 1957, the couple settled in Phoenix
and started a family--three children arrived in the next six years.
O'Connor eventually hung out a shingle with one partner and began a
general law practice. But with the birth of her second child, she
devoted herself to homemaker duties, charitable work, and local
Republican politics.
Following five years as a full-time mother, O'Connor returned to work
as an Arizona assistant attorney general. Later, the governor appointed
her to fill a vacant state senate seat, a position she successfully
defended twice in successive elections. By 1974, O'Connor had become
the first woman to serve as the majority leader in a state legislature.
This achievement propelled her to the bench--first as a Maricopa County
Superior Court judge and then, in 1978, as a member of the Arizona
Court of Appeals, the state's intermediate appellate court.
Justice O'Connor distinguished herself as a smart, fair, even-
tempered judge. She had overcome de facto discrimination through
persistence, hard work, and a devotion to institutions and causes
bigger than herself.
This compelling story intrigued President Ronald Reagan, who was
searching for a successor to replace retiring Justice Potter Stewart at
the United States Supreme Court. In Sandra Day O'Connor, he found his
nominee.
Senate confirmations are not for the faint-hearted, but O'Connor came
through like an experienced pro. She was confirmed by a vote of 99-0
and was sworn as the 102nd member of the Court on September 21, 1981.
Of obvious importance then and now, she became the first women to serve
as an Associate Justice.
Justice O'Connor served on the Court for nearly a quarter of a
century before retiring in 2006. Early in her tenure, she was known as
a conservative jurist who preferred analyzing cases with a narrow,
fact-specific approach. Later, she acquired the reputation as a ``swing
vote.'' Law Professor Steven Green once paid her perhaps the ultimate
compliment when he observed that she ``seemed to look at each case with
an open mind.''
Since retiring from the Court, Justice O'Connor really hasn't
retired. She selflessly devoted herself to caring for her husband,
John, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease in 1990 and passed
away last November.
In addition to travel and spending time with other family members,
Justice O'Connor has worked on an ABA project to educate Americans
about the role of judges, served as a the Chancellor of The College of
William & Mary, and performed trustee duties for the National
Constitution Center.
In recognition of her life's work, she was awarded the Presidential
Medal of Freedom--the highest civilian honor of the United States--on
August 12, 2009.
Mr. Speaker, Justice Sandra Day O'Connor is a pioneer for women and
an inspiration to all Americans. I urge my colleagues to support H.
Res. 1141, which honors her many accomplishments.
Mr. COHEN. I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Cohen) that the House suspend the rules
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1141.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be
postponed.
____________________