Max Baucus: “I join in acknowledging the life and service of Chief Justice William Rehnquist. His was a life of public service.…”

“I join in acknowledging the life and service of Chief Justice William Rehnquist. His was a life of public service. During the Supreme Court's 1951 and 1952 terms, he served as a law clerk for Justice Robert Jackson. From 1969 to 1971, he served as Assistant Attorney General in the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel. And from January 7, 1972, to his passing Saturday, he served on the Supreme Court. Through his life of service, Justice Rehnquist has left an indelible mark on this Nation. In 1969, on appointing Judge Burger as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, President Nixon had said: Our Chief Justices have probably had more profound and lasting influence on their times and on the direction of the nation than most Presidents. President Nixon was right. And the service of Chief Justice Rehnquist was proof. In 1971, President Nixon nominated Justice Rehnquist to the Supreme Court as an Associate Justice. And in 1986, President Reagan elevated him to the position of Chief Justice. In the history of this Nation, only 16 men have held this high office. Justice Rehnquist presided over the court as Chief Justice for 19 years. Only three men served longer as Chief Justice: Melville Weston Fuller, Roger Taney, and John Marshall. I felt a tie with Justice Rehnquist, as he had attended Stanford University and Stanford Law School, a few years ahead of me at both schools.…”