The Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) announced today that the 24-Member group has formally endorsed Judge Sonia Sotomayor for Associate Justice on the United States Supreme Court. In endorsing Judge Sotomayor, the Members of the CHC stressed her distinguished experience and qualifications as the basis for the endorsement. Judge Sotomayor brings more federal judicial experience than anyone nominated to the Supreme Court in the past 100 years, and more overall bench experience then anyone nominated in the past 70 years.
"The Congressional Hispanic Caucus is proud to endorse such a qualified and distinguished individual for the highest Court in the land," said Congresswoman Nydia M. Velazquez, the Chairwoman of CHC. "Throughout her life, Sonia Sotomayor has demonstrated an unequivocal dedication to justice and equality. Her commitment to judge impartially is unparalleled. Judge Sotomayor's personal story of emerging from public housing to become one of our nation's finest legal minds is an inspiration for all of us. I urge my colleagues in the Senate to move forward swiftly in approving this historic nomination."
“I commend President Obama for nominating Federal Court of Appeals Judge Sonia Sotomayor to be the next Justice on the United States Supreme Court,” Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard said. “Upon her confirmation by the U.S. Senate, Judge Sotomayor will become the first Hispanic and only the third woman to serve on our nation’s highest court. This historic nomination marks a proud day, not only for the Latino community that will see one of our own reach new heights, but also for our country as a whole that will gain tremendously by having such an accomplished, experienced and respected attorney and jurist among our Supreme Court Justices. I implore my colleagues in the U.S. Senate to give Judge Sotomayor – who has been nominated by Democratic and Republican Presidents to the federal bench – fair, full and swift consideration, and confirm her by the President’s deadline prior to Congress’ August recess.”
Background about Judge Sonia Sotomayor:
Judge Sonia Sotomayor was born in the Bronx to Puerto Rican parents, raised in a public housing project. She graduated as her high school valedictorian and won a scholarship to Princeton University, where she went on to graduate Phi Beta Kappa as well as summa cum laude. In 1976, she was accepted to Yale Law School and served as editor of the Yale Law Journal. She served as an Assistant District Attorney in Manhattan. She then went into private practice in 1986. If confirmed, Judge Sotomayor would bring more federal judicial experience to the Supreme Court than any justice confirmed in the last 100 years, and more overall judicial experience than anyone in the past 70 years. She was appointed to the District Court for the Southern District of New York by President George H.W. Bush and promoted by President Bill Clinton to the Second Circuit in 1998.
###
