Durbin Statement Regarding Justice O'Connor

DURBIN STATEMENT REGARDING JUSTICE O'CONNOR

"Justice Sandra Day O'Connor has served our nation with distinction and honor and has touched the lives of many Americans in many ways. Justice O'Connor's brilliance and 24 years of service on the Supreme Court have left a profound legacy. She is routinely called 'the most powerful woman in America.'"

"Justice O'Connor's career on the Court was marked by independence, balance and moderation. Her mentor was former Senator Barry Goldwater and her brand of mainstream conservatism mirrored his American values."

"She has been the deciding vote in dozens of 5-4 cases involving some of the most controversial issues in the nation: privacy rights, affirmative action, the separation of church and state, federalism and the power of Congress, the death penalty, and civil rights and liberties."

"Her nomination to the Supreme Court in 1981 was historic - she was the first woman nominated to the Supreme Court. But in the 24 years since then, she has become much more than a symbol for equality. Her words and her courage have given real substance and the force of law to equal rights in America."

"America owes a great debt of gratitude to Justice O'Connor and her family. The President and Congress owe the Court a Justice who will follow in her fine tradition."

"This is a lifetime appointment that can radically shift the direction of the Court for decades to come. I urge President Bush to seek both the advice and the consent of the United States Senate in selecting a candidate to succeed Justice O'Connor."

Senator Durbin has served on the Senate Judiciary Committee for 7 years. This is the first vacancy on the Supreme Court in 11 years - the longest period of time the U.S. has gone without a Supreme Court vacancy since 1823.

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