Senate Proceeding on Aug 5th, 2009 :: 3:35:30 to 3:39:49
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3:35:26 to 3:35:46( Edit History Discussion )

John Barrasso: empathy for these reasons, i oppose her nomination and for others that will be cried by my colleagues who are also opposed. -- that will be cited by my colleagues who are also opposed. i yield the floor. a senator: mr. president? the presiding officer: the

3:35:30 to 3:39:49( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: John Barrasso

3:35:47 to 3:36:08( Edit History Discussion )

John Barrasso: senator from wyoming. mr. barrasso: thank you, mr. president. mr. president, i have three criteria in evaluating an individual to fill a vacancy on the supreme court. first, select the best candidate for the job. second, the justice must be impartial and allow the facts and constitution to speak.

3:36:09 to 3:36:29( Edit History Discussion )

John Barrasso: third, a justice's responsibility is to apply the law, not to write it. i've reviewed judge sotomayor's record and i met with her to learn more about her. i want to take a moment to share my thoughts on judge sotomayor's nomination. judge sotomayor has a compelling life story. she was raised in public housing

3:36:30 to 3:36:50( Edit History Discussion )

John Barrasso: projects in the bronx. she was dgnosed with type 1 diabetes at age eight. her father died when sheas nine. and she was subsequently raised by her mother. judge sotomayor graduated valedictorian of cardinal spellman high school in the bronx. she graduated summa cum laude from princeton.

3:36:51 to 3:37:12( Edit History Discussion )

John Barrasso: she earned her juris doctorate from yale law school and there she was an editor of the yale law review. after graduating from law school, the judge worked as an assistant district attorney in new york city for five years. she then worked in private practice for seven years. in 1991, judge sotomayor was nominated to the federal bench

3:37:13 to 3:37:33( Edit History Discussion )

John Barrasso: by preside george herbert walker bush. in 1998, president clinton nominated her to a second circuit court of appeals, where she currently sits. i believe that judge sotomayor has the legal experience and the skills to be considered for the united states supreme court. during the confirmation process, questions were raised about her

3:37:34 to 3:37:54( Edit History Discussion )

John Barrasso: ability to make decisions on the facts presented, not o events and facts that became ingrained during her judges must be impartial and allow the facts and the constitution to speak, not their personal experience.

3:37:55 to 3:38:16( Edit History Discussion )

John Barrasso: for america's judicial system to work, judges must always remain impartial. at her confirmation hearing, judge sotomayor stated that her judicial philosophy is fidelity to the law. this is in extensive commentary over the past 15 years, a commentary that emphasizes

3:38:17 to 3:38:38( Edit History Discussion )

John Barrasso: over impartiality in a judge's decision making. now, the contrast is especially troubling when a judge, as was the situation in the case of ricci v. destefano, fails to articulate the reasons for the decision. in the ricci case, the firefighters case, an exam was

3:38:39 to 3:38:59( Edit History Discussion )

John Barrasso: used as part of the promotion process. the exam consisted of a written test as well as an oral test. it was prepared by the industrial organizational solutions, a professional testing firm. the test measured individual knowledge, individual skills, and individual abilities related to the specific position being

3:39:00 to 3:39:20( Edit History Discussion )

John Barrasso: filled. the highest scores on the written exam were achieved overwhelmingly by white firefighters after the results were posted, the city of new haven, connecticut, did not like the results and decided at that point to not use the several officers sued. they sued the city for take this

3:39:21 to 3:39:41( Edit History Discussion )

John Barrasso: action. so who were the officers that sued? well, one was frank ricci. he was the lead plaintiff. he was a career firefighter. he was dyslexic. and to study, he hired and he paid someone to read the recommended study audio tape so he could listen to the tapes.

3:39:42 to 3:39:49( Edit History Discussion )

John Barrasso: he studied up to 13 hours a day. he gave up his second job, gave up time with his family. another, lieutenant ben