-- harmonizing a body of law, reasoning, scholarship, and the ability to communicate effectively. our community had the benefit of evaluating judge barrett and 2017 when then professor barrett was nominated to the seventh circuit court of appeals where she now serves as judge. interviewed judge barrett for over 3.5 hours, robertsoberts -- mrs. and i and we received additional information in the interim. we concluded that her integrity, professional competence met the very high standards for appointment to suit -- to our supreme court. our rating of well-qualified reflects the consensus of her peers that know her best. thank you chairman graham and ranking member feinstein for your staff accommoda roberri, an

we will get to the next guest. >> ranking members, i am deeply honored to speak to you today. i am a former -- [indiscernible] i know judge barrett to be a person of the highest character and i enthusiastically support her nomination to be associate justice of the united states supreme court. servethe privilege to during her first term on the bench, joining her chambers shortly after her confirmation in 2017. from the beginning, i saw judge barrett exhibit a rare and unique set of qualities that make her an exemplary judge. she is a brilliant speaker, analyzes and writes about legal issues, which strikes clarity and decision. she is patient, thoughtful and compassionate.

judge barrett is dedicated and disciplined, and as a judge, she is committed to the rule of law. as she has said and as i have seen, judge barrett understands policy decisions must be left of the local branches. the role of the judges to enforce the law as written. i have seen judge barrett [indiscernible] she approaches each case with an open mind and commits to the idea that either side might in the end have the better legal argument. judge barrett's open-mindedness is grounded in her compassion. she has spoken about viewing views from her party. it would be easier in many ways not to take this more demanding approach, but i learned from judge barrett that the law is about fairness over efficiency, and every member of society and every party that comes before

the court is entitled to equal justice. applies the law fairly and she writes with empathy and appreciates the real-life impact of her decision. alongside judge barrett upholding her commitment to the law is her determination and discipline in deciding cases. she has never relied simply on her sharp legal mind. she turns to that gift with a dedication to the whole process in each case and never takes a shortcut. she thorley examines the facts and applicable law in each case roughly examines the facts and applicable law in each case. her work ethic, judge s to the views of her law clerks, ready to discuss

eagle questions. it is a testament to her respect , eager to hear my thoughts on a legal question or discuss issues. it was in those conversations that she created a culture that urged us to voice our different even if we thought she would disagree. she sees the value in discourse and fosters that into her clerks, teaching us to be open, curious, and humble about law and life. from what i saw, she approached her colleagues on the bench with the same humility and openness i experienced from her. judge barrett's impact on my life runs far deeper than legal training. joined her team in january of 2018, two weeks after my graduation from law school. i loved my time in law school, but i also spent much of it

unsure myself. , often tried to downplay afraid i was wrong or in adequate. i was not certain i had the will to succeed. judge barrett change that for me. her example and mentor ship inspired confidence in me i did not know i had. time or say a certain event when that event occurred. acrossens gradually hundreds of conversations and hours shared. ande barrett leads in law life with conviction, generosity and courage. she inspires me to do the same. i can tell you with certainty i would not have had the confidence to be here speaking to this committee without judge. 's influence in my life -- without judge barrett's influence in my life. she has the rare gift of listening to everyone around her and knows how to bring out the best in her clerks.

she has her own large family, but that did not stop her from treating the clerks like her family, too. my three co-clerks and i piled into the back of her minivan, and she drove us to chicago for her first set of oral arguments. she cared deeply about each of us, encouraging us to cultivate rich, fulfilling and well-rounded lives, in and beyond law. by judge barrett is an honor. she elevated my thinking, writing, and character. .imply by being herself as a supreme court justice, she would be a role model for generations to come, as she is for me. i am proud and honored to support her nomination to serve as associate justice on the united states supreme court. thank you. sen. graham: thank you. is miss walk.ss >> members of the committee, my

name is laura, and i am a former student and mentee of judge amy coney barrett. in part because of her unwavering support, i am the first blind woman to serve as a law clerk on the supreme court of the united states. it is now my immense privilege to appear before you in support of judge barrett's nomination to that same, great institution. you have heard over the past few days about judge barrett's judicial qualities, which are beyond reproach, the country will receive something far greater than an unparalleled legal mind. it will gain the service of one of the kindest individuals i have ever known. her brilliance is matched only by her compassion and her integrity is unassailable. i am not speaking in mere abstractions.

rather, i have experienced these characteristics first-hand with life-changing results. because i am completely blind, i rely on technology to compete on a level playing field as my cited peers. before arriving at notre dame in 2013, i worked hard to ensure the university would purchase backup copies of the knology i use. upon arrival, i discovered that i had no access to that technology. laptop againrsonal to fail. overnight, i found myself struggling to keep up in class, following increasingly behind with each passing hour. i needed help and fast. barrett's fange for a few weeks, but her graciousness and warmth gave me hope i coul -- hope she could provide me with that assistance pretty even so, i maintain low expectations. based on the past, i assumed judge barrett would direct to

proper very cute it -- to the proper bear craddick channel -- bureaucratic channels but she did something different. she silently listened with deep attention as i explained my situation, giving me the freedom to let down my guard and come apart. as a disabled person, i am accustomed to acting as if i have everything under control, when in reality, it feels like the world is spinning out under me. in front of judge barrett, i was able to let the mask slip and disappear completely. i poured out all of my concerns, not just about technology and my worries of failing classes, but the burdens i currently carried as a disabled woman navigating a brand-new environment. when i finished, judge barrett looked at me intently, laura, she said, with the same measure conviction we have seen her display through her nomination process, this is no longer your problem.

it is my problem. adequately thee relief that washed over me at her words. her offer was rare enough in her own right, but even when offers are extended, many, unfortunately, do not follow through. it is hard to trust an offer of assistance, no matter how earnestly it is given. not so with judge barrett. anyone who has interacted with her nose she is a woman of her word. she means what she says, and she says what she means. when she promised to advocate for me, she commanded my trust. whatis day, i do not know judge barrett did to solve my problem. it is a testament to her humility. all i know is that technology arrived probably, which allowed me to excel and placed me in a position that would eventually allow me to apply for a clerkship on the supreme court. this encounter was the first in which such barrett demonstrated the depth of her generous spirit

that from last. she has remained a constant source of strength, encouragement and solace as i have pursued professional and personal opportunities with no roadmaps to guide me. through her mentorship, she has given me a gift of immeasurable value, the ability to live an abundant life with the potential to break down barriers so i can leave this world a better place than i found it. i am here today to share with you my story, the very best aspects of that story is it is hardly unique. those who have had the benefit of knowing amy coney barrett understand she possesses a boundless amount of energy and radical sense of love that she is ready to pour out on those lucky enough to call her teacher, boss, family, and friend. judge barrett will serve this country with distinction, not only because of her intellectual prowess but also because of her

ability to treat everyone as an equal, deserving of complete respect. as a beneficiary of oath of these qualities, i urge you to confirm judge amy coney barrett to the supreme c >> the senate judiciary committee business commission is where decisions are made. members held a meeting on thursday and talked about their views of judge barrett. senators discussed the state of politics today advising political tensions, reflected in the nomination. hearing. >> mr. chairman? i would like to make a motion. i seek recognition to make a motion. postponeo indefinitely the nomination of amy coney barrett. to be an associate justice of the united states supreme court. i believe this