Senate Proceeding 07-22-09 on Jul 22nd, 2009 :: 3:53:45 to 4:03:15
Total video length: 5 hours 41 minutes Stream Tools: Stream Overview | Edit Time

Note: MetaVid video transcripts may contain inaccuracies, help us build a more perfect archive

Views:57 Duration: 0:09:30 Discussion

Previous speech:

Next speech:

3:53:32 to 3:53:52( Edit History Discussion )

Mark Udall: tonight. the presiding officer: is there any objection to the speaker's order? without objection, so ordered. a senator: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from colorado. mr. udall: mr. president, i ask unanimous consent to speak as if in morning business. the presiding officer: without objection, so ordered. mr president.

3:53:45 to 4:03:15( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Mark Udall

3:53:53 to 3:54:13( Edit History Discussion )

Mark Udall: 28 years ago my father, a former congressman from arizona, morris udall, took the long walk from the house of representatives to come to t senate. the divide that separates the two great chambers of congress sometimes struck my father's deeper and wider than the grand canyon of arizona. but he crossed over that day

3:54:14 to 3:54:34( Edit History Discussion )

Mark Udall: because he had a mission. he came to senate judiciary committee on behalf of a fellow arizona sandra day o'connor. my father with the idealogues of every stripe noted that she conservative, but spoke of her

3:54:35 to 3:54:56( Edit History Discussion )

Mark Udall: disposition to always put justice ahead of partisanship. justice o'connor, mr. president, proved to be an outstanding member of the court and my father never regreted his decision to support her nomination. a generation later, i'm honored to stand here today to v strong support for the first hispanic woman nominated for the united states supreme court,

3:54:57 to 3:55:19( Edit History Discussion )

Mark Udall: sonia sotomayor. judge sotomayor's story is truly the quintessential example of the american dream. the daughter parents who moved to new york at a time when racial prejudice was widespread. she lost her father at age fine

3:55:20 to 3:55:40( Edit History Discussion )

Mark Udall: her mother worked hard to show striving. and sonia sotomayor took that example to princeton, yale law school, the manhattan district attorney's office and as federal judge. it is no wonder that the hispanic community is proud of this nomination and shown an outpouring of support for judge sotomayor. i was moved personally to learn

3:55:41 to 3:56:01( Edit History Discussion )

Mark Udall: the hispanic citizens from across the country traveled to washington, d.c., and sod in line for hours in order to be in the audience for her confirmation hearings. former colorado state senator paul bacca, was one of those who traveled.

3:56:02 to 3:56:23( Edit History Discussion )

Mark Udall: she said that the judge is just brilliant. some people viewed her as a bit of a because she worked so hard, studied so hard and she led her life that way. she is who she is, senor bacca concluded. this is not only a source of pride for hispanic americans, but for all of us.

3:56:24 to 3:56:45( Edit History Discussion )

Mark Udall: because we take experience in pride when we here of an -- hear of an american who overcomes obstacles. let me quote the "grelye tribune" from my home state of colorado. they wrote this is a celebration of the growth of our democracy, nomination for what it is, a

3:56:46 to 3:57:06( Edit History Discussion )

Mark Udall: signpost on the unending road toward a more perfect union. mr. president, the framers of the constitution specifically outlined the advice and consent role of the senate regarding nominations. this is one of our most solemn duties as senators, the importance of which cannot be overstated.

3:57:07 to 3:57:27( Edit History Discussion )

Mark Udall: i take this responsibility, mr. the supreme court is the highest court in our land. once it rules on a case, that holding and rule become the law of the land. the presiding officer as the attorney general of illinois knows that to be the case. the men and women we make decisions and render

3:57:28 to 3:57:49( Edit History Discussion )

Mark Udall: judgments that can chart our destiny as a people. so her inspiring story is not the only or even the most compelling reason to confirm judge sotomayor. what matters most, her qualifications for the job, her record and her approach to the constitution. last week my colleagues on the senate judicry committee began

3:57:50 to 3:58:11( Edit History Discussion )

Mark Udall: the confirmation proceedings for senate -- for judge sotomayor and examined her record. during those he hearings, the judge handled herself with grace and poise. she answered tough questions and clearly demonstrated her commitment to the law and the out on the west slope of our great state of colorado, we have the city of grand junction and

3:58:12 to 3:58:32( Edit History Discussion )

Mark Udall: "the daily sentinel" stated last week, sotomayor is unquestionably qualified. and i agree. there is no doubt that superiorably qualified to be our next supreme court justice. as a addition to her more recent experience ons court of appeals, judge sotomayor brings more

3:58:33 to 3:58:53( Edit History Discussion )

Mark Udall: experience as a judge to the job of serving on the supreme court than anyone currently serving on the court. in addition, the judge a well-qualified rating from the american bar association. this is the highest rating from the a.b.a. notable because it is given by judge sotomayor's peers. judge sotomayor has received

3:58:54 to 3:59:15( Edit History Discussion )

Mark Udall: endorsements fm a variety of organizations enforcement and sportsmen and hunters to legal and higher education professionals. mr. president, the framers of the constitution anticipated the importance of having an independent and duty-bound judiciary. alexander hamilton in the

3:59:16 to 3:59:36( Edit History Discussion )

Mark Udall: federalist papers noted that to avoid an arbitrary discretion in the court, it is indes spencible they should be bound down by strict rules and precedence which should point out their duty in every particular case that comes before them. from her unmistakable that judge sotomayor has demonstrated a commitment to precedent and the

3:59:37 to 3:59:58( Edit History Discussion )

Mark Udall: rule of law as mr. hamilton described it. during her confirmation hearing she said "as a judge i do not make the law. judges must apply the law." some raised the question whether judge sotomayor is a liberal activist because of her involvement on the board of the puerto rican legal defense and education fund.

3:59:59 to 4:00:19( Edit History Discussion )

Mark Udall: but judge sotomayor's role and involvement has not been directing legal opinions from this organization but has been directed, instead, at encouraging puerto rican youth to pursue careers in the legal profession. if you look participated in 434 published panel decisions with at least one judge appointed by a

4:00:20 to 4:00:43( Edit History Discussion )

Mark Udall: republican president. and despite notions to the contrary she has agrd with the result favored by the republican appointmentee 95% of the time. what does that demonstrate? it demonstrates that judge sotomayor does not have an

4:00:44 to 4:01:05( Edit History Discussion )

Mark Udall: ideological boy across but and another controversy seized upon as a reason to oppose the confirmati so when she talked about hopes drawing special wisdom and insight from personal experience. judge sotomayor

4:01:06 to 4:01:27( Edit History Discussion )

Mark Udall: acknowledged the clumsiness of the language. if anything suggested a special bias or prejudice these words problem but that's just not simply borne own when you review her record on the bench. mr. president, nor did her decision on the ricci case

4:01:28 to 4:01:48( Edit History Discussion )

Mark Udall: strike me more as a case deference precedent. there is little activism in her record and also used ricci as an example people. frankly, mr. president, the judge's opinion show judicial restraint, respect for established legal precedent and

4:01:49 to 4:02:09( Edit History Discussion )

Mark Udall: deference to the policy-making role of the elected branches. when it lead to a result that maye unpopular or different from her personal opinion. after i had a chance to meet with judge sotomayor i was convinced she poe sets

4:02:10 to 4:02:31( Edit History Discussion )

Mark Udall: poe toes the temperament to perform at the highest level and i also appreciated she acknowledged the most important issue to the livelihood of westerners: water. she surprised me when she said that one of the questions surrounding water -- rather, all of the questions surrounding water may be challenging legal controversies

4:02:32 to 4:02:52( Edit History Discussion )

Mark Udall: we face in the next 25 to 50 years. we do not have a conversation about the specific legal issues that could emerge around water, energy or public lands in the west. what i saw was a appreciation for the unique problems of our region and an in it.

4:02:53 to 4:03:13( Edit History Discussion )

Mark Udall: as i conclude, mr. president, i have reviewed judge sonia sotomayor's iressive judicial record and watched and carefully to her confirmation hearing and met with her in like justice sandra day o'connor i believe she is poised to make history and i am proud to support her nomination. i encourage my colleagues in the

4:03:14 to 4:03:18( Edit History Discussion )

Mark Udall: senate to do likewise.