five years leading his appellate and supreme court practice. he included many landmark victories in his grave. -- serves on the judiciary committee, the joint economic committee, and the rules committee. adding up all that experience, i calculate you are approaching your 80th birthday. [laughter]

>> a truly impressive resume. he has been incredibly engaged and influential at every branch of government. foras stood formally limited constitutional government and the rule of law. the federal society is very pleased to welcome our longtime friend, senator ted cruz. [applause] senator sasse: thank you. -- cruz: thank you. thank you for highlighting my i amlity to hold a job from the government and i'm here to help you. atis wonderful to be back

the federalist society lawyers convention. like many of you i have been to this convention many, many times. this is one of the first years that at thursday night i was not up on the second floor playing poker at 2:00 in the morning as many of us have done. this gathering of friends and passionate leaders is an extraordinary gathering. as i was observing to dean and jean a few moments ago, the timing of this convention is always interesting. [laughter] senator cruz: the timing of this convention, we could have been wondering whatg, republic, orof the we could have been here in celebration, many with resumes in your pockets. republic[laughter] yearor cruz: four, in the

2000, nobody could have been here because everybody would have been here in florida in the middle of the recounts. [laughter] senator cruz: it is always interesting. now is certainly interesting as well. we stand on the cusp of great change. an astounding election occurred just over a week ago. an election that was a mandate for change. voterstion in which the interested republicans with control the white house, control of every federal agency, and control of the senate and the house. that is rare. that is not come along often. incredible an opportunity for real and meaningful change, and also responsibility. responsibility that i believe we have to deliver. we have got to actually deliver the change, the fidelity to the constitution and the defense of

liberty that was promised to the voters. i stand here filled with great help that we're going to do exactly that. i am pleased to offer words of congratulations to my colleague and good friend jeff sessions who will make an extraordinary attorney general of the united states. [applause] senator cruz: he is a committed and deeply principled conservative. if those who serve in this administration have even a fraction of his integrity and commitment to principle, we will see an administration that does remarkable things for the people of this country. [applause] this gathering is

also a celebration and remembrance of our friend, justice antonin scalia. many of us knew him personally. he was one-of-a-kind. his legacy will end your forever. endure forever. one of my favorite stories, back when he was a judge in the d.c. circuit, he was one of two leading conservative justices. everyone knew that he or the other would likely get the next supreme court seat. justice scalia was walking through the parking garage of the court, and two u.s. marshals stopped him at the elevator. they said they were holding that elevator for the attorney general of the united states. he pushed past them, stepped into the elevator, jammed the button, and as the door was

, bobng, you tell him corker doesn't wait for anyone. [laughter] justice thomas: that is it -- senator cruz: that is a true story. the rest, as they say was history. scalia'sfter justice passing, members of the senate were invited to submit into the congressional record statements commemorating his remarkable career. i am sure that the federalist deciding crowd here can see the supplementrequest to the congressional record, of all things, with praise for justice scalia. given his sterling sense of humor, i suspect he would have rather enjoyed learning about

request. we're talking about a man who waged a 30 year war against legislative history. the idea that the congressional record was something more than the public musings of self-important legislators who like to hear themselves talk, well, he would have been amused by that. i must say that i am very glad personally that that is not a failing i suffered. i can almost see the justice scalia leaning back, grinning ear to ear, saying that is some request. how about if they really care, they just stop passing unconstitutional laws. [applause] senator cruz: irony aside, i was least to comply with the request. i will share a little bit of what i submitted. antonin scalia it was one of the greatest supreme court justices

in the history of our country. a line of the law. he spent his tenure on the bench championing federalism, the separation of powers, and are fundamental the party. it was a passionate defender of the constitution. not the constitution as it has been contorted and revised i generations of activist jurists , but as it was understood by the people who ratified it is made law of the land. he understood that if the constitution's meaning was not grounded in its text, history, and structure, but could instead fiat,ised by judicial then the people were no longer sovereign. the longer with the nation be governed by law, which expresses the will of the people, it would be governed by, as he put it, "an unelected committee of nine. this robs the people of the most important liberty the people asserted in the declaration of

independence and one in the resolution -- revolution of 1776, the freedom to govern themselves." the laws of justice scalia helped shape the recent justin -- presidential election. a referendum on his ideas. what americans choose to be ruled by the constitution as written, or would they be ruled instead by unelected activist justices with life tenure? that was the question put to the american people. te, it was not a question that we the people would have been able to answer if the senate had confirmed senate obama -- president obama's replacement. the senate stood up and rightly said, in exercising our constitutional advice and consent, our advice is that people will determine who

replaces this seat. [applause] senator cruz: that is how our democratic republic is supposed to work. the referendum that the voters expressed on election day was stunning. clintones had hillary been elected and nominated an activist judge to replace justice scalia, we would have seen the very contours of the cost tuition and bill of rights altered for generations. they surely would have rolled back as if protections on free speech and the first amendment, including, as she promised, overturning the citizens united decision, a case that i might note, where the government was seeking to ban a movie critical

of hillary clinton. i cannot imagine anyone wanting to be critical of hillary clinton. [laughter] senator cruz: they also would interpretedy religious liberty, stripping away the right to free exercise, to follow your faith, and instead giving government the power to force you the between abandoning your faith and principle or face the coercive power of the government. the would have reversed second amendment right to keep and bear arms, the individual rights upheld in heller, justice scalia's most consequential decision. they likely would have banned the death penalty and struck down a federal ban on partial-birth abortion. all that was on the ballot just over a week ago. contrast,d in president-elect trump assured

the american people that if elected he would nominate constitutionalists in the mold of justice scalia. in a very real respect, justice scalia was on the ballot as well. thanks to the historic victory we saw last week, it gives me a to say theasure people have spoken and justice scalia has one as well. [applause] that is fitting because justice scalia never lost faith in the american people. never lost faith in the goodness and the ability of americans to govern ourselves. we now have an historic opportunity to return to the constitution, an historic integrityy to restore

to the federal government. one of the most shameful aspects of the last eight years was the obama administration's unprecedented assault on the rule of law. a repeating willingness to defy the law, over and over and over again. unilaterallynged over and over again by an tocutive branch unwilling comply with statutes and united states code. immigration law, well for reform. -- welfare reform. then of course there was the abuse of power of the irs targeting individual citizens for exercising free speech rights inconsistent with the political desires of the administration. we must not forget that the law

is a real manifestation of the voice of the people. if we ignore the law, we ignore the people. if we change the law without authority, we supplant the voice of the people. if we abuse the law, we abuse the people. the people are sovereign only so long as law is sovereign. as no man or woman is above the law, but rather we are all one nation. governed by rule of law. we ine of the election this room have an enormous opportunity to help revive and restore our nation. if you look around at this gathering, this gathering may well be the single largest collection of individuals or likely to serve in the new administration. if you look down the aisles at your friends and neighbors and

colleagues, i have great confidence that we are collectively looking at scores of federal judges. many mene looking at and women in this round who will choose to go to work in the department of justice, working to restore the integrity to that department which it has had under both republicans and democrats for centuries, and integrity that has been badly shaken. who may be and women serving in every federal agency, independent agencies, going to serve our nation. that is a remarkable opportunity. it is a remarkable responsibility. that also means that in doing so , for those who choose to serve, who have the opportunity to serve, we cannot do better. then to follow the example that

was blazed by justice scalia. [applause] senator cruz: it is important to remember that before he was our beloved justice, well before he was even a judge, he was general counsel of the office of telecommunications policy. he was chairman of the administrative conference of the united states, and assistant attorney general for the office of legal counsel. in positions like these it was where he met by vince face-to-face -- leviathans face to face while honing his skills. us, i look forward to continuing to work hard in the senate, to fight for the principles this country was founded on, and for many in this room it will be our opportunity

once again to do our part and serve, for some a new, for others another time serving our nation. note the mission of public service particularly in these times is not for the fainthearted. be federal government can overwhelming, almost to massive to comprehend. the challenges are daunting. the established interests are entrenched. as they say in politics, it is not beanbag. we need all hands on deck. i'm so grateful for an institution like the federalist society, one that is devoted to ideas, not a partisan organization, a gathering of individuals who cherish and value freedom and the constitution. those ideas and a fidelity to desperately need to be

returned to the federal government. before i close, i would like to share a few guiding principles for those of you thinking about taking the opportunity to serve. first and simply, be honest and trustworthy. if we are to be good stewards of the law, we must be good stewards of our souls. do not follow the example of the previous administration. the practice of law is or should be deeply moral undertaking. to faithfully interpret and apply the law, especially in service of the people, requires the utmost integrity. the people, after all, have every right to expect the government officials reached their conclusions in good faith. if the citizenry believes that

the law is being subverted to illegitimate ends, they will lose faith in the government, in the rule of law, the idea of justice itself when faith in these things is lost, all that is left is cynicism. that is a breach of trust that is not easily repaired. we await it to our fellow citizens and to our cause not to let that happen. second, always remember that you serve they cause far greater than yourself. pride comes before the fall. be humble. i know that is an unusual admonition from a politician, we are not generally known for our excessive humility. history is littered with examples of worthy causes that failed because of infighting, because of petty grievances and selfishness. ignore the petty politics.

don't bicker agency to agency, office to office, official to official. if we are to succeed in returning -- internin -- in turning the leviathan, we must overcome those impulses. we must work together to accomplish the job. third, the constitution must be our lodestar. rule of law must begin with restoring the constitution. to do that, we must be peerless at the gets of the proposition best expressed by justice joseph story, that the constitution has a fixed meaning and is not dependent on the passions or parties of particular times, but the same yesterday, today, and forever. no constitution is worth the paper it is written on if it can be ignored or revised on a whim by judicial or executive fiat.

just ask the soviet union as so many totalitarian regimes we have seen through history. we must rebuild our legal culture so that both the legal profession and the people he inraced the people implicit a written constitution that the law is not something to be shaped as a potter molds clay, rather it is to be dispassionately apply. udge's task is to apply the law, not to invent it. fourth, we should continue focusing on law students and young people, just like justice scalia to. toi described in my remarks the congressional record, justice scalia understood that changing the languishing legal culture which r -- would take drastic measures. to delight their

senses and engage their brains. he liberally employed colorful metaphors at biting logic. he mercilessly and playfully exposed the abundant flaws in the writing and reasoning of other justices. pure applesauce. jiggery pokery. arglebargle. enough, youted hard could almost convince yourself that gk chesterton had taken up a seat on the supreme court. [applause] this election may help save the day for now, but to prevail in the long run, we must capture the hearts and minds of young people and impress on them the same

fidelity to law and devotion to liberty that built our nation. finally, in the battles to come over the rule of law and our nation, there will be that of disappointments and setbacks -- bitter disappointments and setbacks that are inevitable in any worthwhile endeavor. i was told that yesterday at this conference justice alito gave very good advice. when those times,, we should , what ask yourselves would scalia do? perhaps we should even get wristbands made. wasr all, justice scalia always the academy of the happy warrior. always helpful, always good-natured, even when the republic was hanging in the balance. his joy for life was evident for

all. everyone of us could do very, very well to find inspiration in his worthy example. all, we must keep up the ever, ever give in. our nation, our people, our constitution is worthy of our utmost devotion. thank you. [applause] senator cruz: now i am happy to

answer or dodge any question you like. [laughter] thank you very much. thank theke to federalist party for posting this wonderful convention. and to your comments during the referendum campaign, indeed you mentioned referendum, we had one earlier this year to leave the european union, and historic vote. i wondered what your thoughts were now that you all have a new president for the new year and we have a new prime minister about the special relationship between our nations? senator cruz: i think that relationship is vital. i think a sad aspect of the last eight years is how poorly it has been treated. theting at the outset of

obama administration with returning the bust of winston churchill. it is my hope that the churchill bust will return. [applause] the brexit vote was historic. it was more than a little curious that president obama before that both thought it was somehow helpful to cross the atlantic and condescendingly lecture of the british that they should not dare exercise their own sovereignty. perhaps the most puzzling thing was why he thought that would somehow helpful in moving the vote in the direction we wanted it to go. i think brexit poses a tremendous opportunity, an opportunity to strengthen the free trade relationship between the united states and the united kingdom, unlike what obama said

about getting to the back of the queue. i believe we should strengthen it and demonstrate what actual free trade means, not a backdoor for a multinational regulator trying to oppose stifling regulations on everything, but rather an agreement that lowers tariffs and opens trade and commerce and benefits friends and allies, and i think that poses a remarkable opportunity. real andso it provides meaningful economic competition for europe to improve all involved. [applause] good morning, sir. viafrom tallahassee jamaica. i don't have a question. i want to say thank you. thank you for everything you have done. i am a fellow immigrants. i want you to know how much we

appreciate you and how many people in jamaica, as you know, really appreciate you. thank you so much. thank you for leading us in the right direction. we appreciate you. [applause] senator cruz: thank you very much for those kind and generous comments. yes, sir. >> thank you for your wonderful speech and for being with us. from the from -- i am in england.f oxford i was raised in the countryside. i know what it is like to be told that you are stupid because of how you speak, to be think that you are forgotten by your government. they say it is not affordable to bring the services to where you

live. you don't really matter. with the presidential election, we saw that rural americans who thought they were left behind stood up and expressed their voice in such large numbers, what sorts of words of encouragement to you have for those people who feel that they have been left behind? senator cruz: i think the election was an incredible vindication for the american people across this country. especially those you mentioned in rural america in what elites on both coasts considered to be flyover country. this election could be well understood as the revenge of flyover country. [applause] senator cruz: one of the things that was most striking was the utter astonishment of the hillary clinton campaign, of the press, of democrats.

i am reminded of an earlier election, a question, "how good richard nixon have one, i don't know anyone who voted for him? i think the clinton campaign on themselves flabbergasted. i don't think they contemplated the fact that they might fail. i think that is a direct result of not listening to and not hearing the american people, the voices of frustration, the voices that have been ignored, the voices that were crying out more than anything else, we've us alone. those voices have not been heard in washington. by democrats and far too often by republicans either. i think this election poses an opportunity for us to listen to the voices of the american people, to hear them and to come together and actually solve the

problems of this country. when you are given control of the executive and legislature, it is time to put up or shut up. there are no excuses. we have got to deliver. that is what the voters across the country expect. that is what i very much hope we will give them. [applause] thank you, senator. i am from across the ocean in your. we're wishing you all the luck. talk about the problems -- now that we finally have across-the-board red, how do we start at? most of the public knows that something is wrong. now we can finally start. how would we finally start? senator cruz: that is a fabulous question. one of the things men and women here understand is that the growth of leviathan has no

greater manifestation than the regulatory state, the army of unelected bureaucrats who often to noe they answer political authority higher than themselves, they do not answer to the people. we see these regulations growing and growing and stifling freedom, stifling job creation, stifling wages. we have an opportunity to fix that. indeed, i would turn that argument that venue and encourage everyone here -- back on you and encourage everyone here to use your training to think about how we can ratchet back the regulatory state. saided all of my staff, i i want all of us to start working hard and creatively, 11

otepadhad -- pull out a n and think about what can and should be done to stop stifling job creators, what can be done with executive authority. the one silver lining of obama's abuse of executive power, everything he did can be undone through executive power. [applause] i have spent some time visiting with the president-elect, the transition team, and very much encouraging that team to use executive authority not only to turn back the abuses of the obama era, but also to use it in legitimate ways to reduce the burdens of government. when it comes to the regulatory wrong what obama has done with executive power is he has

intruded into the article one legislative authority of congress. it is congress that makes the law, and the president cannot change the law or ignore the law. in article two, the president has robust executive authority. the executive authority is vested in one president of the united states, and the entire regulatory state represents congress over the decades trying to tie the hands of the president of the executive. it is my hope this administration takes on the dress -- vigorous regulatory reform, not in the past as it has been a oneway ratchet. we have seen democrats regulate like crazy, and republicans continuing to regulate a little more slowly. i had a friend of mine suggested bumper sticker, "republicans, we waste less." [laughter] senator cruz: i hope that at the

end of this administration, we will not be saying that. instead we will be saying that we used this mandate from the people to take on the regulatory state, to rescind regulations, to fire regulators who were abusing their power, to retake liberty. [applause] senator cruz: last question. >> thank you. i am from new york. the suburbs of westchester county. senator cruz: wonderful. >> i do have a thought. during the course of the campaign, particularly the you ines, i did imagine another capacity. senator cruz: so did i. [laughter] perhapswondering now if that ninth seat, any

possibility? [applause] senator cruz: well, thank you for the kind encouragement. what i will say is that history is long and can take unexpected paths. i think it is absolutely vital that in seat and every other seat that comes vacant on the court be filled by principal constitutionalists who will be faithful to the law and checked their own policy preferences at the door and honor their of. -- oath. right now i have the privilege of serving in the united states senate and representing 20 million texans. that is a privilege and responsibility i take seriously. i look forward to continuing to carry out the responsibility and continuing to fight for the principles of freedom and principles embodied in the constitution and bill of rights.

they are very much in jeopardy right now. you, and veryf excited by the historic opportunity we have been given. i look forward to working very hard to make the most of this opportunity to make the biggest difference for our country. thank you. [applause] >> senator cruz. thank you so much for being with us today, senator cruz. we appreciate it.

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>> several of the discussions of the federalist society of the last several days are in the c-span video library. you can see them at c-span.org. nebraska senator ben sasse will be addressing the group this afternoon. we will carry that live on c-span. last night, justice clarence thomas spoke at the federalist society dinner. he was introduced by justice antonin scalia's son eugene. [applause] >> i want to announce that the federalist society annual dinner will from now on be the antonin scalia at memorial dinner. [applause]

and to introduce our guest speaker tonight, i'm going to call off justice scalia's son, eugene, who was former solicitor of labor and currently works at gibson, dunn and crutcher. eugene? [applause] eugene: gene, thank you. and i would like to thank you, the federalist society, and so many of you in the room tonight for all you've done these past months to honor my father's

legacy and to support his family. i'd like to express special thanks to leonard leo. my father would be deeply touched by this tribute at the conference this week and by thes week and by the naming of this dinner after him. the affection that you all have shown him was reciprocated. my father was proud of the federal society. he manifested his pride occasionally by claiming that he had established the federal society and is responsible for his existence. or that he deserved partial credit. have supported david mcintosh and was pleased that his earliest clerks and steveary lawson calabrese. [applause]

25 years ago, my father gained another friend. a great friend. and an ally that would support him and occasionally challenge him for a quarter century. impossible to fully appreciate my father's tenure on the court and his legacy without understanding his historic collaboration with justice thomas. what many consider to be my father's greatest opinion, his --sent in morrison the olson on did not impress his colleagues. my father gained a colleague that shared his interest in original is him and in constitution structure. and its checks on government power. and how much we all have benefited from the fact that we share these interest with my father.

justice thomas did identify areas of disagreement. he questioned and pushed him. he pushed him on what my father called his fainthearted original is him. -- originalism. justice --ed engaging in a interpon ok thie cwd

s azi confenc coenon, and anmazing dinner. atmier agoth srdeouching

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te i ask you to join our band of brothers. as can we're implored, preparing implored,g lear preparing his troops.

we it shall be remembered, few, we happy few, we band of brothers. for he today that sheds his blood with me shall be my brother. and they shall think themselves a curse they were not here. and hold their manhood's cheap against those that fought with us on saint crispin's day. we need not think ourselves accursed, for our saint .rispin's day lies before us and whether we, in this room tonight, ultimately win or lose the effort to reclaim the form of government the framers our duty to is stand firm in defense of the constitutional principles and structure to secure our liberty.

like justice scalia, we must do with the constitution obliges us to do. it is for us the living to be dedicated to the unfinished business for which justice scalia gave his last full measure of devotion. thank you. [applause] >> thank you. thank you, justice thomas.

i have two things. let me apologize for the silverware. i will find a better implement to quiet the crowd. important, we at the federalist society wanted -- there's not much you can give a justice of the supreme court. but we wanted to give you a small token of how much we appreciate you and how much we will honor your call tonight to once more into the breach. a photo of you and justice scalia. [applause] a few here in the lobby of trump tower where donald trump has been holding meeting with his transition team and potential members of his new administration. the president-elect putting out

a statement officially nominating mike pompeo for the cia top job and jeff sessions as the attorney general. proud to nominate congressman mike pompeo for director of the central intelligence agency. he served his country with honor. he will be a brilliant and unrelenting leader for our intelligence committee to ensure the safety of americans and our allies. congressman pompeo reacted, saying i am honored to be given this opportunity to serve and work alongside president-elect trump to keep america safe. i look forward to working with soelligence lawyers that did much to protect americans each and every day. the announcement says, it's an honor to nominate u.s. senator jeff sessions to serve as you attorney -- as attorney general of the u.s.. he is considered a truly great attorney general in the state of alabama.

by legalatly admired scholars. it virtually everyone who knows him. senator sessions said, i am bybled to have been asked president-elect trump to serve as attorney general of the u.s.. i previous 15 years were extraordinarily fulfilling. i love the department, its people, its mission. i can think of no greater honor than to lead them. there is other reaction. senator dianne feinstein is taking over on the lead democrat on the senate judiciary committee. it would be the one handling senator sessions confirmation. served --ssions have has served and is aware of the thorough vetting he's about to receive. withof us has worked senator sessions closely and know him to be a staunch advocate for his beliefs. the process will remain the same. a fair and complete review of the nominee. i am committed to a full and fair process.

in the house committee chairs ist i am pleased mike pompeo nominated. a respected voice on national security issues. he will develop a close working relationship with congress. i am confident his nomination will be widely approved. looking live at trump tower in new york city. , you'll watchr live, uninterrupted coverage of those confirmation hearings on c-span and c-span.org. you can also listen on the c-span radio app. feed, members of the team arriving and offering comments to reporters. websitewatch it on her all day. c-span.org. of justice thomas's

colleagues sonia sotomayor talked about gender bias in the presidential election. [applause] justice sotomayor your: a lovely aa lovely way to spend >> i and the executive director of the old naval hospital. how many folks have ever been in the building before? welcome. material onl the your seats. this is a special year. everyone got one of our preservation fund brochures. we're celebrating the fifth

anniversary of the opening and the 150th anniversary of the first naval hospital, now the old naval hospital in washington. energy, a lot of time, and funding to keep this beautiful building. in a pristine state. please join our anniversary circle so we can have these beautiful programs for your great-grandchildren, great grand nieces, and new baby. tonight, please join me in thanking the capitol hill community foundation for supporting free programming at hill center. big round of applause. [applause] please take a moment to turn off your mobile devices. an award-winning journalist, author, provocative tour, broadcaster.

and he has created this special hill." "pocket the conversation with the fascinating people of our time. thank you for all that you do for hill center. [applause] it is such an honor. >> less a provocateur. >> maybe not tonight. it is an honor to welcome so iamerous soda mayor -- son maria sotomayor. charlotte will be passing around a microphone. ,lease try to be very efficient crisp, and quick in questions for the justice. she has requested that we not photograph or video tape the conversation.

so let's respect her wishes on that front. to bill.rn it over bill: thank you, diana. it is such fun and such an honor to have you with us tonight. , nuns, and bishops u.s. senators. it members of the president's cabinet. it never a justice of the supreme court. [applause] justice sotomayor: it is nice occasionally being the first. bill: you've made a life of it. as a reporter and member of the white house press corps, i was there in the east room of the white house when president obama announced your appointment and you are there with your family. it was such a magnificent moment . it's exciting to see you exhort -- exert a strong presence there. justice sotomayor: thank you.

i don't think i've ever told you . just before i entered the east conference room, i was walking down the all with the president and vice president. because they have longer legs than i do, they were walking really faster than i was. stop.pered, please they both simultaneously turned around, faced me, and smiled. , i had an out of body experience. it was as if my conscious self left somewhere in the sky and look down on what was happening. i realized it was my way of this connecting from the overwhelming emotions i was experiencing.

-- of disconnecting from the overwhelming emotions i was a. thing. us te. ithiealhawoe ceat

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