[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 164 (Tuesday, September 22, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Page S5736]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Remembering Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Mr. THUNE. Madam President, on Friday, we learned that trailblazing
Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg had died at the age of 87
from pancreatic cancer.
Justice Ginsburg embraced the law at a time when being a woman in the
field meant a constant uphill battle. She had to fight for
opportunities that were available to men as a matter of course.
Her work as a lawyer eventually came to focus around women's rights--
or as Ruth Bader Ginsburg put it, ``the constitutional principle of the
equal citizenship stature of men and women.''
Before joining the Court, she argued six gender discrimination cases
before it, and as a Justice, she continued to advance this cause. She
served with distinction on the Supreme Court for more than 25 years--
and engaged in some of the Court's most memorable exchanges over that
period.
She was known for her work ethic and tenacity, as well as her
kindness and good humor, and, of course, for her love of opera and her
56-year romance with her beloved husband, Marty.
She disagreed often with her good friend Justice Scalia, but they
never allowed their strong disagreements to ruin their enduring
friendship and mutual respect. She could dissent on the most
fundamental questions, without indicting the character of those with
whom she disagreed.
Her work to secure equal treatment for women has earned her a place
in American history, and her courage and perseverance in overcoming
significant obstacles will continue to inspire many.
My thoughts and prayers are with Justice Ginsburg's family.