WASHINGTON - U.S. Representative Edolphus “Ed” Towns (D-NY, NY-10), Chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, today released the following remarks on President Obama’s nomination of Solicitor General Elena Kagan to replace Justice John Paul Stevens on the United States Supreme Court.

“I congratulate Elena Kagan on her nomination to the United States Supreme Court.  The granddaughter of Russian-Jewish immigrants and a native New Yorker, Ms. Kagan has come to be regarded as one of our nation’s foremost legal scholars.  Throughout her storied career, Ms. Kagan has knocked down barriers in law and government that are paving the way for generations of young people.  

“Early in her career, Elena Kagan served as a clerk to Justice Thurgood Marshall who was the first African American to serve on the high court.  Ms. Kagan went on to hold several esteemed positions, including the first female Dean of Harvard Law School.  In that role, she was praised by people from across the legal community for her steadfast efforts to recruit faculty with different political and social views.  In her current position as Solicitor General, Ms. Kagan represents the United States Government before the Supreme Court, where she has defended the nation’s security interests and defended campaign finance reform laws.  She is the first woman to hold this office.

“Elena Kagan’s confirmation to the U.S. Supreme Court will mark the fourth woman ever to serve on our nation’s highest court.  It will also be the first time in the Court’s 111-year history that three women will serve on the bench at once.

“I proudly support Elena Kagan to be the next Associate Justice of the Supreme Court and urge the United States Senate to take expedient action on her confirmation.”

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