THE
PRESIDENT: Good morning. I'm pleased to announce my nomination of Judge
Samuel A. Alito, Jr., as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the
United States. Judge Alito is one of the most accomplished and respected
judges in America, and his long career in public service has given him
an extraordinary breadth of experience.
As a Justice Department official, federal prosecutor and judge on the
United States Court of Appeals, Sam Alito has shown a mastery of the
law, a deep commitment of justice, and a -- and he is a man of enormous
character. He's scholarly, fair-minded and principled, and these
qualities will serve our nation well on the highest court of the land.
Judge Alito showed great promise from the beginning in studies at
Princeton and Yale Law School; as editor of the Yale Law Journal; as a
clerk for a federal court of appeals judge. He served in the Army
Reserves and was honorably discharged as a captain. Early in his career,
Sam Alito worked as a federal prosecutor and handled criminal and civil
matters for the United States. As assistant to the solicitor general, he
argued 12 cases before the Supreme Court, and has argued dozens of
others before the federal courts of appeals.
He served in the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel
providing constitutional advice for the President and the executive
branch. In 1987, President Ronald Reagan named him the United States
Attorney for the District of New Jersey, the top prosecutor in one of
the nation's largest federal districts, and he was confirmed by
unanimous consent by the Senate. He moved aggressively against
white-collar and environmental crimes, and drug trafficking, and
organized crime, and violation of civil rights.
In his role, Sam Alito showed a passionate commitment to the rule of
law, and he gained a reputation for being both tough and fair. In 1990,
President Bush nominated Sam Alito, at the age of 39, for the United
States Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit. Judge Alito's nomination
received bipartisan support and he was again confirmed by unanimous
consent by the United States Senate. Judge Alito has served with
distinction on that court for 15 years and now has more prior judicial
experience than any Supreme Court nominee in more than 70 years.
Judge Alito's reputation has only grown over the span of his service.
He has participated in thousands of appeals and authored hundreds of
opinions. This record reveals a thoughtful judge who considers the legal
matter -- merits carefully and applies the law in a principled fashion.
He has a deep understanding of the proper role of judges in our society.
He understands that judges are to interpret the laws, not to impose
their preferences or priorities on the people.
In the performance of his duties, Judge Alito has gained the respect of
his colleagues and attorneys for his brilliance and decency. He's won
admirers across the political spectrum. I'm confident that the United
States Senate will be impressed by Judge Alito's distinguished record,
his measured judicial temperament, and his tremendous personal
integrity. And I urge the Senate to act promptly on this important
nomination so that an up or down vote is held before the end of this
year.
Today, Judge Alito is joined by his wife, Martha, who was a law
librarian when he first met her. Sam and I both know you can't go wrong
marrying a librarian. Sam and Martha's two children, Phil and Laura, are
also with us, and I know how proud you are of your dad today. I'm sure,
as well, that Judge Alito is thinking of his mom, Rose, who will be 91
in December. And I know he's thinking about his late father. Samuel
Alito, Sr., came to this country as an immigrant child from Italy in
1914, and his fine family has realized the great promise of our country.
Judge, thanks for agreeing to serve, and congratulations on your
nomination.
JUDGE ALITO: Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you very much, Mr.
President. I am deeply honored to be nominated to serve on the Supreme
Court, and I am very grateful for the confidence that you have shown in
me.
The Supreme Court is an institution that I have long held in
reverence. During my 29 years as a public servant, I've had the
opportunity to view the Supreme Court from a variety of perspectives --
as an attorney in the Solicitor General's Office, arguing and briefing
cases before the Supreme Court, as a federal prosecutor, and most
recently for the last 15 years as a judge of the Court of Appeals.
During all of that time, my appreciation of the vital role that the
Supreme Court plays in our constitutional system has greatly deepened.
I argued my first case before the Supreme Court in 1982, and I still
vividly recall that day. I remember the sense of awe that I felt when I
stepped up to the lectern. And I also remember the relief that I felt
when Justice O'Connor -- sensing, I think, that I was a rookie -- made
sure that the first question that I was asked was a kind one. I was
grateful to her on that happy occasion, and I am particularly honored to
be nominated for her seat.
My most recent visit to the Supreme Court building was on a very
different and a very sad occasion: It was on the occasion of the funeral
of Chief Justice William Rehnquist. And as I approached the Supreme
Court building with a group of other federal judges, I was struck by the
same sense of awe that I had felt back in 1982, not because of the
imposing and beautiful building in which the Supreme Court is housed,
but because of what the building, and, more importantly, the
institutions stand for -- our dedication as a free and open society to
liberty and opportunity, and, as it says above the entrance to the
Supreme Court, "equal justice under law."
Every time that I have entered the courtroom during the past 15 years, I
have been mindful of the solemn responsibility that goes with service as
a federal judge. Federal judges have the duty to interpret the
Constitution and the laws faithfully and fairly, to protect the
constitutional rights of all Americans, and to do these things with care
and with restraint, always keeping in mind the limited role that the
courts play in our constitutional system. And I pledge that if confirmed
I will do everything within my power to fulfill that responsibility.
I owe a great deal to many people who have taught me over the years
about the law and about judging, to judges before whom I have appeared,
and to colleagues who have shown me with their examples what it means to
be a fair and conscientious and temperate judge.
I also owe a great deal, of course, to the members of my family. I
wish that my father had lived to see this day. He was an extraordinary
man who came to the United States as a young child, and overcame many
difficulties and made many sacrifices so that my sister and I would have
opportunities that he did not enjoy.
As the President mentioned, my mother will be celebrating her 91st
birthday next month. She was a pioneering and very dedicated public
school teacher who inspired my sister and me with a love of learning. My
wife, Martha, has been a constant source of love and support for the
past 20 years. My children, Philip and Laura, are the pride of my life
and they have made sure that being a judge has never gone to my head --
they do that very well on a, pretty much, daily basis. And my sister,
Rosemary, has always been a great friend and an inspiration as a great
lawyer, and as a strong and independent person.
I look forward to working with the Senate in the confirmation
process. Mr. President, thank you, once again, for the confidence that
you've shown in me and for honoring me with this nomination.