Senator Whitehouse Statement on Nomination of Judge Sotomayor to the Supreme Court

May 26, 2009 -- Afghanistan - During a congressional delegation visit to Afghanistan today, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) applauded President Obama's nomination to the Supreme Court of Judge Sonia Sotomayor of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

"By all accounts, Judge Sotomayor is a superb jurist who would bring distinction to the Court," said Whitehouse, a former U.S. Attorney and Attorney General for Rhode Island who now serves on the Senate Judiciary Committee. "Her nomination to be the first Hispanic justice is truly historic. I look forward to hearing from her during the Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearings that Chairman Leahy will convene this summer.

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"The Senate's constitutional duty to provide the President with ‘advice and consent' respecting Supreme Court nominees is one of our most important obligations, and one that I look forward with enthusiasm to discharging."

Whitehouse has been overseas over the Memorial Day weekend, meeting with American troops and government officials in the Middle East. He was in Afghanistan today, and in recent days visited Iraq and Pakistan.

Source: Senator Sheldon Whitehouse