I would hope that every American is proud that a Hispanic woman has been nominated to sit on the Supreme Court.

I do not want to be misunderstood here as disagreeing with a general look into the question of whether people's gender, ethnicity, or background in some way affects their judging.

This is an important event in our country's history. You have contributed to it.

In response to one of Senator Sessions' questions on Tuesday about the Ricci case, you stated that your actions in the case were controlled by established Supreme Court precedent.

For 220 years, presidents and the Senate have focused on appointing and confirming judges and justices who are committed to putting aside their biases and prejudices.

I hope that all of you will have confidence in our legal system in the future.

Justice Roberts said that he would recuse him, and I am quoting now, 'from matters in which he participated while a judge on the court of appeals matters.'

Have you always been able to have a legal basis for the decisions that you have rendered and not have to rely upon some extra-legal concept such as empathy or some other concept other than a legal interpretation or precedent?

I wanted to thank you, Mr. Ford, and thank the folks that you work with that produced this report.

But that is not in every case.

I think your weighing in, indicating how important it is to have good information there, could be influential with colleagues.

I would like to just highlight one matter and ask for you to respond for the record.

If that is the policy, it has obviously been breached.

OK, and describe the 'larger program.'

I will candidly tell you I am very disappointed at the idea that we will back away from some of those requirements.

Could you, as a part of the follow-up to this hearing, give us a little memo on what you would like to see there, how it might be useful to you, what problems you are encountering?

whether weakening the REAL ID driver's license requirements will also end up making it possible for more criminals, terrorists, and others to get fraudulent passports.

Extremely disappointed in any effort in that vein.

the passport is supposed to be the gold standard for documents in the United States, and yet this GAO report verifies that it is not as reliable as we thought it was.

I think there are some other common-sense things that have not yet been done.

one has to wonder if you had not done this and brought these matters to the attention of the State Department, would they still be making the same errors that they were making that your report verified?

we cannot compromise our national security.

I really appreciate it. Thank you very much.

in the bill, again, on the comprehensive immigration reform, which was not passed, that is exactly the system that was set up

We need this program that will get a stable and continuing supply of labor.