I am pleased to support the nomination of Solicitor General Elena Kagan as Associate Justice on the U.S. Supreme Court. By any objective standard, Elena Kagan offers a well-rounded combination of academic legal expertise and real world application of law and public policy. The President has nominated Ms. Kagan to a job she may hold for three decades or more, and in which she will have the opportunity to touch the lives of Americans in countless ways. So just being an intelligent and hard-working public servant is not enough for this vital position. That is why I have taken my time and my responsibility seriously, to thoroughly review her record before deciding to support her. Decisions by the Supreme Court have immediate impacts on the lives of everyday Americans when the rulings are handed down. These decisions may continue to play a role in the lives of Americans for generations. Considering my vote on a Supreme Court nominee, a task I will perform soon for the second time in my brief Senate career, is a duty I take very seriously. I approach this decision from the perspective of a government chief executive.
On the recordAugust 5, 2010
Editor's note · Context
The speaker is addressing the nomination of Elena Kagan to the U.S. Supreme Court.
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