[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 116 (Tuesday, August 3, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6597-S6598]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                   Recognition of the Majority Leader

  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The majority leader is recognized.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, while we continue working this week to 
create jobs and finish the unfinished business of this work period, we 
will also turn to the nomination of Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan.
  Giving the President the Senate's advice and consent, as prescribed 
by the Constitution for a lifetime appointment to the highest Court in 
the country, is one of this body's most solemn obligations.
  Chairman Leahy and Ranking Member Sessions oversaw, through the 
lengthy process, very thorough and respectful confirmation hearings. 
All of them were fair and I think were probative. I thank them both for 
their leadership.
  Several Senators have already made known how they will vote on Ms. 
Kagan's nomination. Those Senators and many others will come to the 
floor in the next few days to explain their positions. I will be one of 
them speaking in support of this exceptional nominee. I will certainly 
give her my vote.
  As the debate moves to the Senate floor and as we move toward a final 
vote, I look forward to a continuation of the passionate but civil 
discussion we have seen in the committee thus far. In this respect, 
perhaps we can draw inspiration from Ms. Kagan herself. In her 
confirmation hearing last year for the position she currently holds--as 
our Nation's Solicitor General, that is our Government's lawyer in 
cases that come before the U.S. Supreme Court--Ms. Kagan testified that 
one of the attributes she would bring to the job was an ``understanding 
of how to separate the truly important from spurious.''

[[Page S6598]]

  In the final days of this process, I suggest we keep those words in 
mind. I hope my fellow Senators will bring to this debate the same 
appreciation for what is critical to the Court and to our country, that 
will keep it separate from what is not.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from Vermont is 
recognized.