| 00:02:2259 sec. |
Leahy, Patrick J. - U.S. Senator, [D] Vermont
What we're going to do -- we will have opening statements from members, but -- and of course this is, as we all know, the confirmation hearing,... |
| 00:03:214 sec. |
Sotomayor, Sonia - Judge
If I introduced everybody that's family, like, we'd be all here morning. (Laughter.) |
| 00:03:25 |
Leahy, Patrick J. - U.S. Senator, [D] Vermont
Okay. |
| 00:03:251 sec. |
Sotomayor, Sonia - Judge
So I'm -- I -- (chuckles) -- |
| 00:03:262 sec. |
Leahy, Patrick J. - U.S. Senator, [D] Vermont
I'll tell you what. I'm going to -- you know what I'm going to do? |
| 00:03:28 |
Sotomayor, Sonia - Judge
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. |
| 00:03:2815 sec. |
Leahy, Patrick J. - U.S. Senator, [D] Vermont
Because someday this will be in the archives, this transcript, introduce whomever you like, and then we will hold the transcript open for... |
| 00:03:4347 sec. |
Sotomayor, Sonia - Judge
(Laughs.) Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I will limit myself to just my immediate family. Sitting behind me is my brother, Juan Sotomayor. Next... |
| 00:04:3011 min. |
Leahy, Patrick J. - U.S. Senator, [D] Vermont
Well, thank you very much. I remember reading about the marshals being surprised at your swearing-in as a district court judge because they'd... |
| 00:16:2712 sec. |
Sessions, Jefferson "Jeff" - U.S. Senator, [R] Alabama
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you for your leadership. And I believe you've set up some rules for the conducting of this hearing that are... |
| 00:16:391 sec. |
Leahy, Patrick J. - U.S. Senator, [D] Vermont
Thank you. |
| 00:16:4011 min. |
Sessions, Jefferson "Jeff" - U.S. Senator, [R] Alabama
I hope this will be viewed as the best hearing this committee has ever had. Why not? We should seek that. So I join Chairman Leahy, Judge... |
| 00:27:4918 sec. |
Leahy, Patrick J. - U.S. Senator, [D] Vermont
Thank you. Another housekeeping thing. We are going to try to keep these opening statements to 10 minutes. We will recognize senators on... |
| 00:28:071 sec. |
Sessions, Jefferson "Jeff" - U.S. Senator, [R] Alabama
Likewise. |
| 00:28:087 sec. |
Leahy, Patrick J. - U.S. Senator, [D] Vermont
That's what you want on your side. And then they will be recognized on your side in the same way. So the next senator is Senator Kohl. |
| 00:28:157 min. |
Kohl, Herbert "Herb" H. - U.S. Senator, [D] Wisconsin
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Judge Sotomayor, let me also extend my welcome to you and to your family. You are to be congratulated on your nomination.... |
| 00:35:216 sec. |
Leahy, Patrick J. - U.S. Senator, [D] Vermont
Thank you, Senator Kohl. Next senator, Senator Hatch, also former chairman of this committee. |
| 00:35:271 min. |
Hatch, Orrin - U.S. Senator, [R] Utah
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Judge, welcome to you and your good family. Grateful to have all of you here. Now, this is the 12th hearing... |
| 00:37:021 sec. |
Leahy, Patrick J. - U.S. Senator, [D] Vermont
Without objection. |
| 00:37:037 min. |
Hatch, Orrin - U.S. Senator, [R] Utah
My approach includes three elements. First, the Senate owes some deference to the president's qualified nominees. Second, a judicial nominee's... |
| 00:44:515 sec. |
Leahy, Patrick J. - U.S. Senator, [D] Vermont
(I yield ?) to the chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Senator Feinstein. |
| 00:44:56 |
Feinstein, Dianne - U.S. Senator, [D] California
Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. Good morning, Judge Sotomayor. I want to congratulate you on your nomination. And I also want to start... |
| 00:44:564 min. |
Leahy, Patrick J. - U.S. Senator, [D] Vermont
(Strikes gavel.) The Senate will -- please remove that man. Let me make very clear, there will be no outbursts allowed in this committee,... |
| 00:49:404 sec. |
Sessions, Jefferson "Jeff" - U.S. Senator, [R] Alabama
Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for your firm words. I support you 100 percent. |
| 00:49:4412 sec. |
Leahy, Patrick J. - U.S. Senator, [D] Vermont
Thank you. And the record will show my comments outside of Senator Feinstein's comments, and I yield back to her. |
| 00:49:564 min. |
Feinstein, Dianne - U.S. Senator, [D] California
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Bottom line, I believe your record indicates that you possess all of these qualities. Over the past years of my... |
| 00:54:264 sec. |
Leahy, Patrick J. - U.S. Senator, [D] Vermont
Thank you, Senator Feinstein. And Senator Grassley. |
| 00:54:308 min. |
Grassley, Charles "Chuck" E. - U.S. Senator, [R] Iowa
Judge Sotomayor -- (off mike) -- you've been to everything we're saying. Thank you very much. Congratulations on your nomination to be associate... |
| 01:03:265 sec. |
Leahy, Patrick J. - U.S. Senator, [D] Vermont
Thank you, Senator Grassley. And Senator Feingold, I would yield to you. |
| 01:03:317 min. |
Feingold, Russell "Russ" - U.S. Senator, [D] Wisconsin
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I too want to welcome and congratulate the nominee. Judge Sotomayor, I greatly admire your accomplishments and... |
| 01:11:236 sec. |
Leahy, Patrick J. - U.S. Senator, [D] Vermont
Thank you very much. And I will recognize Senator Kyl, the deputy Republican leader of the United States Senate. Senator Kyl. |
| 01:11:299 min. |
Kyl, Jon - U.S. Senator, [R] Arizona
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would hope that every American is proud that a Hispanic woman has been nominated to sit on the Supreme Court.... |
| 01:20:3620 sec. |
Leahy, Patrick J. - U.S. Senator, [D] Vermont
We'll do this -- the -- we'll do this somewhat differently than normal. Senator Schumer will be recognized for five minutes, and we'll reserve... |
| 01:20:565 min. |
Schumer, Charles E. - U.S. Senator, [D] New York
Thank you, Mr. Chairman and Ranking Member Sessions. I want to welcome Judge Sotomayor. We in New York are so proud of you. And to... |
| 01:26:3013 sec. |
Leahy, Patrick J. - U.S. Senator, [D] Vermont
Thank you very much. I just want to know -- we're going -- I'm going to recognize Senator Graham, then Senator Cardin. Then we're going... |
| 01:26:439 min. |
Graham, Lindsey - U.S. Senator, [R] South Carolina
Well, thank you. I've learned something already -- the Schumer conservative standard. And we'll -- (chuckles) -- we'll see how that works. No... |
| 01:35:5951 sec. |
Leahy, Patrick J. - U.S. Senator, [D] Vermont
Thank you. I would just note, just so we make sure we're all dealing with the same facts, Mr. Estrada was nominated when the Republicans... |
| 01:36:503 sec. |
Graham, Lindsey - U.S. Senator, [R] South Carolina
If I may, Mr. Chairman, since you brought it up |
| 01:36:533 sec. |
Leahy, Patrick J. - U.S. Senator, [D] Vermont
I'll yield to Senator Sessions because -- |
| 01:36:568 sec. |
Sessions, Jefferson "Jeff" - U.S. Senator, [R] Alabama
We had seven attempts to bring him up for a final vote, and that was blocked. I think I spoke on his behalf more than any other senator,... |
| 01:37:04 |
Leahy, Patrick J. - U.S. Senator, [D] Vermont
And brilliantly. |
| 01:37:0425 sec. |
Sessions, Jefferson "Jeff" - U.S. Senator, [R] Alabama
-- that well. And I do feel like that it was a clear decision on the part of the Democrats. And the objection over release of documents,... |
| 01:37:2911 sec. |
Leahy, Patrick J. - U.S. Senator, [D] Vermont
He should have had the hearing when the Republicans were in charge, is what you're saying. Senator Cardin. And Senator Cardin will... |
| 01:37:409 min. |
Cardin, Benjamin "Ben" L. - U.S. Senator, [D] Maryland
Well, Judge Sotomayor, welcome to the United States Senate. I think you'll find that each member of this committee, each member of the United... |
| 01:46:471 min. |
Leahy, Patrick J. - U.S. Senator, [D] Vermont
Thank you, Senator Cardin. And after a discussion with Senator Sessions, we'll take a 10-minute break and then come back, and we're trying... |