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All 13 Jewish senators voted to confirm Justice Sotomayor
WASHINGTON, D.C. (SDJW)-- The U.S. Supreme Court's newest associate justice, Sonia Sotomayor, was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on a 68-31 roll call vote, with all 13 Jewish senators voting for confirmation.
The thirteen included Independents Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut and Bernie Sanders of Vermont and the following Democrats: Barbara Boxer of California, Benjamin Cardin of Maryland, Russ Feingold of Wisconsin, Dianne Feinstein of California, Al Franken of Minnesota, Herb Kohl of Wisconsin, Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey, Carl Levin of Michigan, Charles Schumer of New York, Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, and Ron Wyden of Oregon.
The confirmation of Sotomayor, the first Hispanic judge to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court, was the subject of numerous statements issued by Jewish public officials and organizations. These included:
Senator Barbara Boxer (Democrat, California)--Excerpts from her floor speech urging confirmation: "President Obama has nominated an exceptionally well-qualified and intelligent woman. She has more experience on the federal bench than any Supreme Court nominee in the last 100 years. She has received the highest rating from the American Bar Association and will be an outstanding addition to the high court. ...When she is confirmed, she will become only the third woman – the third woman ever – to don the robes of a Supreme Court Justice. ...This is a proud moment for our entire nation, and especially the 13 million Latinos in California and the 45 million Latinos nationwide. ... She demonstrated during a week of intense questioning before the Judiciary Committee that she is tough, she is smart, and most important, she knows the law. .. . Now, as a woman, Judge Sotomayor will bring a different perspective than her male counterparts on the court. And, as we have said, those of us who feel that it is important to have women represented, whether it is in the Senate, the House, or in corporate boardrooms or on the Supreme Court, what we have said is that the different perspective is important."
Senator Russell Feingold (Democrat, Wisconsin):“I was pleased today to cast my vote in favor of Judge Sotomayor, whose confirmation to serve on the Supreme Court marks a significant moment in our nation’s history. Throughout her career and during the confirmation process, Judge Sotomayor has proven to be a thoughtful, intelligent and careful judge, committed to the rule of law. I did not see in her record or in her public statements a strong desire to overturn precedent or to remake constitutional law in the image of her own personal preferences, and I certainly did not see bias of any kind. From her humble beginnings to this moment where she becomes the first Latina Justice, and only the third woman to serve on the Court, Judge Sotomayor’s life has been a compelling American story, which will inspire young Americans to study harder and dream bigger.”
Senator Dianne Feinstein (Democrat, California): “It’s truly a great day for the United States of America. A great day for justice and the law. And a great day for every young woman out there who says, ‘Yes I can, I can do it if I work hard.’ That is the message of Justice Sonia Sotomayor. She brings twenty-nine and a half years of legal experience to the Supreme Court. She has seen every aspect of the law – as a prosecutor, as a business lawyer, as a district court judge, and as an appellate court judge. She knows the federal courts. And she knows what justice is, up close and personal, when someone has a case before her. She visited close to 90 Senators. She had a broken ankle. She sat behind that table with the leg propped up and in pain, day after day after day. She did not lose her cool. The questions were hard. They probed, they pricked, they tested. And she did not take the bait. She’s going to be a wonderful Supreme Court Justice. Our nation is going to be exceptionally well-served.”
Senator Frank Lautenberg (Democrat, New Jersey): “This is a proud and historic day for our country. Sonia Sotomayor has a distinguished record and has shown an unwavering commitment to justice and the rule of law. She brushed aside unfair personal attacks and performed brilliantly at confirmation hearings, proving to the Senate and the entire nation that she was more than qualified for this position. I have no doubt that history will one day show that Sonia Sotomayor was an outstanding addition to the Supreme Court. Sonia Sotomayor’s life has been one of breaking down barriers—and today I was proud to cast my vote for her to break down one more.”
Senator Carl Levin (Democrat, Michigan): "... We all have personal views and sympathies. Some judges regrettably can’t lay those aside. Judge Sotomayor has proven in her judicial career that she can, while faithfully applying the principles of the United States Constitution...."
Senator Joseph Lieberman (Independent, Connecticut): "...Judge Sotomayor's 17-year record as a Federal judge speaks volumes about her qualifications to serve on the Court, and that is why I feel she more than passes the threshold for this lifetime appointment. During 6 years as a trial judge on the U.S. district court and 11 years as a judge on the court of appeals, Sonia Sotomayor has shown she possesses a superior intellect, a commendable judicial temperament, and an admirable respect for the role of established precedent in our legal system. It is usually and quite naturally true that those who know people best are those with whom they have worked most closely. Those who have worked most closely with Judge Sotomayor are consistent, even effusive, in their praise for her personal attributes, her professional qualifications, and her fairness. Chief Judge Dennis Jacobs of the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, said: 'Sonia Sotomayor is a well-loved colleague on our court--everybody from every point of view knows that she is fair and decent in all her dealings.' Another colleague on the Second Circuit, Senior Judge Roger Miner, said: 'I don't think I'd go so far as to classify her in one camp or another. I think she just deserves the classification of outstanding judge.' ...."
Senator Arlen Specter (Democrat, Pennsylvania): "For me, the confirmation of Judge Sotomayor is an easy one. During the 11 confirmation proceedings I have participated in and others I have studied, I know of no one who brings a stronger record than Judge Sotomayor: summa cum laude at Princeton, Yale Law School, Yale Law Journal, prestigious New York firm, assistant district attorney with DA Morganthau who sings her praises, 17 years on the Federal bench. The criticisms which were made against her, my judgment is they were vacuous. A great deal of time in committee was spent on her comment about 'a wise Latina woman.' My view is that she should have been commended for that statement, not criticized. Why do I say 'commend''? Why shouldn't a woman stand up for women's capabilities? In a society which did not grant women the right to vote until 1920, in a society which still harbors the tough glass ceiling limiting women, in a society where only two women have served on the Supreme Court, in a Senate where only 17 of the 100 Senators are women, I would expect a woman to proudly speak up for women's competency.
To talk about being a Latino, well, what is wrong with a little ethnic pride? And isn't it about time that we had some greater diversity on the Supreme Court? Isn't it surprising, if not scandalous, that it took until 1967 to have an African American on the Court, Thurgood Marshall, and it took until 1981 to have the first woman on the Court, Sandra Day O'Connor? Judge Sotomayor is a role model and will be a broader role model if confirmed..."
Congressman Paul Hodes (Democrat, New Hampshire): "I want to commend the Senate for confirming Judge Sotomayor today. The US Senate had an extensive, respectful, and fair hearing on Judge Sotomayor’s judicial record and qualifications. While we will be losing a great New Hampshire legal mind in Justice Souter on the Supreme Court, I believe his replacement will live up to his work and his example on the Court. Judge Sotomayor’s historic confirmation to the US Supreme Court will add another great legal mind to the Court and I am proud to support her."
Congresswoman Debbie Shultz-Wasserman (Democrat-Florida): “As a member of the House Judiciary Committee, I proudly congratulate Justice Sonia Sotomayor on her historic confirmation to the United States Supreme Court. During her confirmation hearings, Justice Sotomayor demonstrated the same rigorous intellect and mastery of the law she brought to so many decisions over the course of her judicial career. She also exhibited strong faithfulness to legal precedent and a determination to impartially apply the law to the facts of each case. With more federal judicial experience than any justice in 100 years, complemented by her experience as a prosecutor and private litigator, Justice Sotomayor will bring a depth of understanding and breadth of perspective that will make her an exceptional Justice and an invaluable asset to the Court. This is an historic confirmation. As only the third woman, and the first Hispanic American, confirmed to the Supreme Court, all Americans will see the rich diversity of our great Nation more fully reflected on the Court. Justice Sotomayor’s personal journey, the epitome of the American dream, is an inspiration to us all. To our next generation of bright young minds, her confirmation proves that, with hard work and dedication to purpose, the heights they reach will be limited only by their imagination.”
American Jewish Committee: “By confirming the first Latina and the third woman to serve on the high court, the Senate has joined with President Obama in breaking new ground,” said AJC Executive Director David Harris. Sotomayor traveled to Israel twice with AJC’s highly acclaimed Project Interchange, first in 1986 as a participant in PI’s Hispanic Leaders Seminar, and again in 1996 on a PI alumni mission.
Anti-Defamation League: Glen S. Lewy, ADL National Chair, and Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director, issued the following statement: "We extend our congratulations and best wishes to Judge Sonia Sotomayor. The nomination and confirmation of the Court's first Hispanic and third female justice is an historic step forward for our nation. We are confident that Judge Sotomayor will serve with distinction as an Associate Justice on the Supreme Court, and we commend the President and the U.S. Senate for choosing and supporting her."
National Council of Jewish Women: NCJW President Nancy Ratzan issued the following statement:“NCJW is deeply gratified that the US Senate has confirmed Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the US Supreme Court. Judge Sotomayor is an eminent jurist with broad experience in the public and private sector, as well as on the federal bench. She has demonstrated a strong commitment to the core constitutional values of liberty, equality, and justice. She will become the first justice of Hispanic background and only the third woman in the history of our nation, bringing much needed diversity to the court. The strong bipartisan vote in her favor is a tribute to her record of even-handed jurisprudence.NCJW worked actively to secure Judge Sotomayor's confirmation by educating, mobilizing, and activating our members, supporters, and friends on her behalf. Committed to promoting a federal bench filled with judges who support fundamental freedoms, including reproductive freedom, NCJW's grassroots engaged vigorously in the confirmation process. We are proud to have played a role in such a significant and historic confirmation.”
Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism: Rabbi David Saperstein, Director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, issued the following statement: "On behalf of the Union for Reform Judaism, whose 900 congregations encompass nearly 1.5 million Reform Jews, I congratulate Justice-designate Sonia Sotomayor on her confirmation.Justice-designate Sotomayor’s ascension, as the first Latina and third female Supreme Court Justice, brings the Supreme Court one step closer to reflecting the rich diversity of our nation. The Supreme Court has a powerful and lasting impact on the issues that Reform Jews care about, including ensuring freedom of religion and speech, preserving civil liberties and civil rights, protecting the environment, defending reproductive health and rights, and guaranteeing due process in our legal system. The seating of any new Supreme Court Justice to a lifetime position will directly influence federal law in these areas for decades.We hope, and have every reason to believe, that Justice-designate Sotomayor will preserve the essential rights and freedoms that the Supreme Court has afforded the American people over time. The Union for Reform Judaism and the Central Conference of American Rabbis did not take a formal position on Justice-designate Sotomayor’s confirmation. Still, the Reform Jewish Movement was an active participant in the process of considering the nominee’s record. We lifted up the issue of religious freedom by inviting 30 church/state scholars and advocates to the Religious Action Center, the Reform Movement’s Washington office, to review Judge Sotomayor’s record on the Establishment and Free Exercise clauses of the First Amendment and co-sponsored a related briefing for Senate staff. We also hosted a conference call for religious advocates to discuss the implications of this nomination for the faith community. And we encouraged Reform Jews from across the country to get involved by submitting questions to the Senate Judiciary Committee through our online tool, AskJudgeSotomayor.com, and by writing their Senators to express their views in advance of the confirmation vote. Jewish tradition teaches us, “Tzedek, tzedek, tirdof” or “Justice, justice, shall you pursue” (Deuteronomy 17:20). This command directs us not only to behave justly but to help build systems of justice that allow for equal access and protection for all. With this directive in mind, we wish Justice-designate Sotomayor wisdom and strength as she takes on the awesome responsibility of pursuing justice on our nation’s highest court."
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White House spokesman Gibbs backtracks on whether Iran's Ahmadinejad was 'elected'
ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE, August 5--Following are excerpts of a press briefing conducted by White House press secretary Robert Gibbs on the presidential plane en route to South Bend, Indiana:
Q Switching topics slightly and then we might go back to North Korea. Do you have any reaction to the swearing-in of President Ahmadinejad in Iran today?
MR. GIBBS: Well, let me correct a little bit of what I said yesterday. I denoted that Mr. Ahmadinejad was the elected leader of Iran. I would say it's not for me to pass judgment on. He's been inaugurated, that's a fact. Whether any election was fair, obviously the Iranian people still have questions about that and we'll let them decide that. But I would simply say he's been inaugurated and we know that is simply a fact.
Q Do you recognize him as the leader, elected fairly or not?
MR. GIBBS: It's not for -- it's not for me or for us to denote his legitimacy, except to acknowledge the fact.
Q Does the White House believe the election was fair?
MR. GIBBS: That's not for us to pass judgment on. I think that's for the Iranian people to decide, and obviously there are many that still have a lot of questions.
**
On Friday, August 6, at the White House, Gibbs held another briefing for news media. Here is an excerpt on the Middle East:
Q Middle East. Has the administration asked Israel to freeze settlements for one year in order to encourage the Arab states to offer concessions and normalizations? There's a couple of reports out there in Israel today.
MR. GIBBS: I think the President -- without getting into any specifics, the President has been clear in outlining the steps he believes that Israelis, Palestinians, and Arab states should take in order to achieve a lasting Middle East peace, and that includes a freeze on settlements.
U.S.'s Hezbollah stance unchanged—Wood
WASHINGTON, D.C (Press Release)--Following is a Middle East excerpts from a press briefing on Friday by Robert Wood, deputy spokesman for the U.S. State Department.
QUESTION: President Obama’s chief counterterrorism advisor John Brennan has said yesterday that Hezbollah started out as purely a terrorist organization back in the early ‘80s and that it has evolved significantly over time. He added that, “I am pleased to see that a lot of Hezbollah individuals are, in fact, renouncing their type of terrorism and violence and are trying to participate in the political process in a very legitimate fashion.” Can you elaborate on this issue? Have you changed your policy toward Hezbollah and have you started to differentiate between its military and political wings?
MR. WOOD: Let me be very clear: Hezbollah is a terrorist organization. U.S. policy toward Hezbollah has not changed. We do not make any distinction between the political and military wings. And that is our policy. Until Hezbollah decides that it’s going to change and stop carrying out the acts of terrorism and other acts that are causing instability in the region, there’s no reason for our policy to change.
QUESTION: And how do you make the distinction between that and what Mr. Brennan said?
MR. WOOD: Well, I haven’t seen a transcript of his remarks, but what I can tell you is what U.S. policy is with regard to Hezbollah.
QUESTION: But he seemed to say that there were some moderate elements that might be changing there, too.
MR. WOOD: Well, that remains to be seen whether there are or not. I’m not an expert on Hezbollah and the inner workings of that terrorist organization. But what I can tell you is that our policy has not changed.
QUESTION: But he differentiated between the two wings, between politicals and terrorists.
MR. WOOD: Well, our policy, the U.S. Government policy, remains the same with regard to – I haven’t seen the remarks, but I’m sure that he was not saying that the United States makes a clear distinction between those two branches, because we do not.
QUESTION: But it certainly was opening up the door to the possibility that if certain members of Hezbollah were to renounce violence that the United States could do business with it.
MR. WOOD: Well, again, without seeing his remarks, I mean, it appears that he may have been speculating on what may happen if Hezbollah does this or that. But Hezbollah has not done this or that. They are still a force of instability in the region. And as a result, our policy has not changed.
QUESTION: Are you sure there’s not a different opinion between the White House and the State Department on this? Because this is an advisor of President Obama that’s talking about how, you know, there could be certain members of Hezbollah that are changing their tune, and he found it an encouraging sign.
MR. WOOD: Well, that’s – again, there is – our policy is very clear on Hezbollah. The question of whether or not there are people inside of that organization that may want to take a different approach, a different track, change their stripes, that could very well be. I don’t know. But in terms of dealing with Hezbollah as an organization, it is still a Foreign Terrorist Organization. It is, as I said, a force of instability in the region. And our policy has not changed.
Boxer praises colleagues for passing extension of 'Cash for Clunkers' program
WASHINGTON, DC (Press Release)– The U.S. Senate on Thursday voted to extend the highly-successful “Cash for Clunkers” program, which gives consumers a $3,500 or $4,500 rebate for trading in their old, gas-guzzling vehicles for new, fuel-efficient ones.
Congress originally appropriated $1 billion in funding for the program, which was expected to last for four months. But more than 75 percent of that funding has already been used since the program launched on July 24, 2009. The Senate’s action today will provide an additional $2 billion in already-approved funds to extend the program.
Senator Boxer said, “The facts show that the Cash for Clunkers program is working better than any of us expected. The average increase in fuel economy for new models bought under this program is almost 10 miles per gallon.”
It has been estimated that 250,000 gas-guzzling cars and trucks have already been turned in through the program.
The average fuel economy of new vehicles purchased under the program is 25.3 miles per gallon (mpg) – a 9.6 mpg increase over the trade-ins. It is estimated that this will save families $700 to $1,000 a year at the gas pump. As of August 5, 2009, car dealerships throughout California had submitted nearly $40 million in rebates.
Boxer says members of Congress should disclose their mortgages
WASHINGTON, DC (Press Release)— U.S. Select Committee on Ethics Chairman Barbara Boxer (Democrat, California) and Vice-Chairman Johnny Isakson (Republican, Georgia) introduced legislation Thursday to increase transparency and strengthen mortgage disclosure requirements for Members of Congress.
Senator Boxer said, “Transparency is the key to accountability in government. We must continually revisit ethics in government, and strengthening our disclosure rules takes an important step forward.”
“Since my first year in Congress, I have always disclosed my home ownership and the mortgages against my home. It’s the right thing to do and I believe it should be required of all members of Congress,” Senator Isakson said.
Specifically, this legislation would require Members of Congress to make a “full and complete” disclosure of residential mortgages, which includes, the date that the mortgage was entered, the range of the amount, the interest rate, the term, and the name and address of the creditor.
Wyden would expand Medicare coverage for preventive medicine
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release)– Helping Congress deliver on its pledge to reduce health care costs and improve Americans’ health, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (Democrat, Oregon) introduced the Take Back Your Health Act of 2009 (S. 1640), with cosponsors U.S. Senators John Cornyn (Republican-Texas) and Tom Harkin (Democrat, Iowa). The bill creates a new Medicare program based on what are known as “comprehensive lifestyle programs” that have proven to cut the costs of treatment for chronic diseases. The Take Back Your Health Act embraces a pay-for-performance type system, through which doctors are held responsible for their success. Doctors will not receive payment for their work if the patient ends up back in the hospital for his or her chronic illness. They will only get paid if their patient’s health status improves.
“This is a groundbreaking bill, based on the proven idea that lifestyle changes can improve the health of those with chronic disease if people stick with a program that has that goal in mind,” said Wyden. “The Take Back Your Health Act gets doctors and patients invested in the success of treatment, since doctors won’t be paid unless their patients actually get better.”
“This legislation will provide seniors who have chronic diseases with the care coordination, training, and support necessary to make and sustain intensive lifestyle changes that have been clinically proven to beneficially affect or even reverse the progression of many chronic diseases,” said Cornyn. “I’m pleased to join with my colleagues in a bipartisan fashion and will continue pushing for common-sense solutions to our health care system.”
“The health reform debate is not about continuing the status quo, but about changing our health care system and the medicine we do,” Senator Harkin said. “This legislation will change the medicine Medicare does by reimbursing health care professionals for proven programs to address disease, including coronary heart disease, diabetes, and some forms of cancer, through intensive lifestyle change. Health reform is about giving individuals more choices and individuals should be given the option to engage in a lifestyle treatment program instead of surgery and pills.”
The Take Back Your Health Act was crafted after consultations with some of America’s leading experts in the health benefits of prevention. Their advice led to the development of the concept for comprehensive lifestyle treatment programs in the bill, which are treatment plans that doctors write and design specifically for each patient as a framework for improving his or her health. Programs may only qualify for funding if they can demonstrate that they cut costs or at least yield revenue neutral results and that they have led to improvements in a patient’s medical condition that can be measured by specific tests. The program may include nutritional therapy, exercise, medication management, care coordination, and tobacco cessation. Several trials, including Mutual of Omaha and Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, showed that comprehensive lifestyle programs result in up to 50 percent reductions in medical costs.
The Take Back Your Health Act of 2009 offers funding for programs that treat Medicare patients who have been diagnosed with coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, prostate cancer, and/or breast cancer. These chronic diseases account for approximately 75 percent of the $2.1 trillion in America’s annual health care costs.
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