(Washington, DC) - Congresswoman Brown today made the following statement regarding the Senate's confirmation of Judge Sonia Sotomayor (the first Hispanic and the third woman to serve) as the 111th justice of the Supreme Court:  

"I am simply thrilled that the outcome of the full Senate vote on Judge Sonia Sotomayor was a vote of approval for Judge Sotomayor.  Judge Sonia Sotomayor, the first Hispanic nominated to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court, is more than a testament to the American values of equality, opportunity, and justice.  Her outstanding intellectual achievements as a student, lawyer, and judge make her one of the most qualified nominees in American history.  She will bring to the bench more federal judicial experience than any current justice did when he/she was seated on the Court, and her remarks during Senate Judiciary committee questioning impressed me as much as her credentials." 

"Judge Sotomayor called 'fidelity to the law' her principal focus as a jurist, and I know that her record is consistent with that statement.  For example, the Congressional Research Service, an independent research organization, hails Sotomayor as a judge whose most consistent characteristic has been '…adherence to the doctrine of stare decisis (i.e., the upholding of past judicial precedents).'"

"Furthermore, I strongly believe that Judge Sotomayor's experiences and understanding of the law will make her a strong voice for fairness on the Supreme Court.  I am confident that she will work to preserve our civil liberties, maintain the independence of the judiciary, and protect and defend our Constitution.  And despite the efforts of some Republicans to obfuscate her record, Judge Sotomayor has a long history of putting the law before politics or normative considerations."

"Judge Sotomayor's biography is extremely compelling: she grew up in the Bronx housing projects near Yankee Stadium, earned scholarships to Yale and Princeton, and was appointed to two federal courts by presidents of different parties.  I look forward to seeing her take a seat on the nation's highest court of law, and want to commend President Obama for selecting such an impressive nominee."

###