[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 11]
[Senate]
[Pages 15276-15277]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      JUSTICE SANDRA DAY O'CONNOR

  Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I have come to the floor to make comments 
concerning our good friend, Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. 
It has been Catherine's and my honor to have become very close to the 
O'Connors.
  I want to tell the Senate that I think Justice Sandra Day O'Connor is 
one of the most extraordinary and gracious women I have ever known. She 
has come to Alaska often. What most people don't know is she is a very 
fine fisher person. I think one of the most interesting letters I ever 
received in my life was the letter I received from Sandra Day after she 
had gone fishing to a remote fishing lodge in Alaska. She was the only 
woman there at the time. She fished through some rainy periods and 
sunny periods and gave a general description of the joy she had being 
able to have the time to fish and to think as she did that. It was a 
real joy to read that letter.
  I also asked Sandra Day O'Connor to come to Alaska and speak--she has 
been there many times--at the Anchorage Library. She gave a stirring 
address to mainly young women who were part of the Alaska State Bar 
Association. That evening, we had a dinner for Justice O'Connor, and 
her husband John asked for the privilege of introducing her. I want to 
tell the Senate that I think that was probably the most moving tribute 
I ever heard a husband deliver for his wife in my life.
  Her husband John is a fine lawyer and a devoted husband. He told us a 
story of how he felt when Sandra Day got the call asking her if she 
would become a member of the Supreme Court. Sandra Day O'Connor, just 2 
weeks ago, at my request, took a group of the Chinese delegates to the 
Senate-Chinese parliamentary conference to the Supreme Court of the 
United States. She took the time to take these Chinese representatives 
through the Court and explain our judicial process and how it is an 
essential function of our democracy to these delegates who came to meet 
to discuss issues of great importance to the nation of China and our 
own Nation. The way she handled those people and the gracious way in 
which she described the functions in the chamber, and took us to the 
courtroom and explained how the Court listens to the attorneys who 
present cases and how the Court reacts individually to statements, and 
the type of questions she puts to the attorneys who represent various 
litigants, was a most instructive session for our Chinese friends. 
Again, it demonstrated the depth of Sandra Day O'Connor. She is one 
great lady.
  She has been an exemplary public servant who has made exceptional 
contributions not only to the Supreme Court but to our Nation. I think 
she will be remembered in this country as a groundbreaker, overcoming 
adversity and stereotypes. She was the first woman nominated to be a 
member of our Supreme Court.
  She is a native of southeastern Arizona and she grew up on an 
isolated ranch owned by her parents. The ranch itself did not receive 
electricity or running water until she was seven. My wife's family had 
a similar experience

[[Page 15277]]

living in another part of Arizona. I think that is one of the reasons 
we have become so close to the O'Connors.
  She received her bachelor's degree in economics, magna cum laude, 
from Stanford University in 1950. After she received her bachelor's 
degree, O'Connor enrolled at Stanford Law School, graduating third in 
her class and serving on the Stanford Law Review. It was during law 
school that she met her husband, John.
  After graduating from law school, she faced a tough job market as a 
female attorney. After having difficulty finding a position in the 
private sector, Sandra Day O'Connor accepted a position working as 
Deputy County Attorney for San Mateo County, California.
  When her husband John was drafted into the JAG Corps in 1953, she 
moved to Frankfurt, Germany with him and served as a civilian attorney 
for the Quartermaster Market Center from 1954-1957.
  After leaving Germany, O'Connor returned to Arizona and again faced 
difficulty in finding employment with a private law firm. As a result, 
she began a small practice of her own where she practiced from 1958-
1960.
  In 1965, after returning to work following a brief hiatus to care for 
her children, O'Connor accepted a position as an Assistant Attorney 
General for the State of Arizona.
  In 1968, she was appointed to the Arizona State Senate by the 
governor to fill a vacancy. O'Connor successfully defended her Senate 
seat in the next election, and was subsequently reelected to two more 
terms. During this time, O'Connor was elected to be majority leader of 
the Arizona Senate.
  O'Connor was elected Judge of Maricopa County Superior Court in 1975 
and she served until 1979 when she was appointed to the Arizona Court 
of Appeals. In 1981, President Reagan appointed her as the first woman 
to sit on the Supreme Court and she was confirmed unanimously by the 
Senate.
  During her time on the Court, Justice O'Connor has proven herself to 
be a brilliant jurist and a strong defender of the Constitution. She is 
known for her fairness and her desire to seek practical solutions for 
even the most difficult decisions the Court has ruled on.
  Justice O'Connor has proven to be an independent thinker and a 
vigorous questioner, narrowing in on precise legal issues with laser-
like precision from the bench.
  She has lived up to her promise to respect the Constitution and to 
interpret the law judiciously, seeking the narrowest reach possible for 
the Court's rulings. Justice O'Connor is known for approaching each 
case individually, seeking to arrive at practical conclusions.
  Justice O'Connor has been a great advocate for the Court. She has 
traveled the globe, speaking to thousands of students, lawyers, foreign 
dignitaries and others on the judiciary, the Constitution, and the law.
  Justice O'Connor's love of this Nation, its judicial process, and the 
law is widely known. In her most recent book, ``Majesty of the Law: 
Reflections of a Supreme Court Justice'' she insightfully describes the 
institution of the court, its history, customs and some of its notable 
members.
  Justice O'Connor, is ``one of the most significant historical figures 
of the 21st century'' and ``an inspiration to all future generations.'' 
Chief Judge Stephen McNamee, U.S. District Court, District of Arizona.
  ``[Justice O'Connor] likes to hear people's points of view. I never 
felt I had to agree with her to conform to her view.'' Professor Stuart 
Banner, professor of law at UCLA who clerked for O'Connor.
  I yield the floor.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from West Virginia is 
recognized.

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