before coming to washington patrick leahy was a state's attorney in vermont for eight years. he was first elected to the senate in 1974 and has the distinction of being the first and only democrat in vermont's history to ever hold that office. he also has an even more interesting distinction of being the first and only u.s. senator to ever be endorsed for reelection by his own opponent. [laughter] let's hear it for fred. [applause] >> this happened in 1998. it obviously speaks volumes about how proud the people of vermont are to have senator leahy represent them. ladies and gentlemen, please join me in a very warm welcome for senator patrick leahy of vermont. [applause] >> thank you. thank you all very much. thank you. it is great to be here. michael, i told you earlier you remind me so much of your late father. and of course dr. sessions, but especially my dear friend, wade henderson, the longtime president of the leadership conference of civil rights and now the jr. professor of public interest law here. i have to tell you, wade and i have worked on some many things. it is

please welcome -- please join me in a warm welcome for senator patrick leahy of vermont. [applause] >> thank you. thank you all very much. it is great to be here. michael, i told you earlier, i you remind me so much of your late father, and of course dean broderick and especially my dear friend wade henderson, the longtime president of leadership conference on civil rights and now the professor of public interest law here, i have to tell you, i have worked on so many things, and it is kind of funny in the judiciary committee. you can see when these debates are going on. i am ready to tear out little bit of hair i have left, and i will look over, and wade will be in the back and looked at me and smile was the thumbs up, and i say, let's keep this going. we are going to win eventually, and we usually do, so it is great to see the students here. you're going to law school of such an exciting time. you have the president who is committed to restoring the role of the united states around the world of such important issues as human rights and economic recovery. i think when he

patrick leahy of vermont. [applause] as the son of irish and italian parents, in vermont, where his father saw signs that said, no irish need to apply, i suspect that he understands firsthand what it means to sometimes feel like an outsider. this is a major reason why he is speaking now so loudly against injustice, whether this is inside or outside of the country. this is the trade that is most admired. you can see this as the defenders against the denial of an important civil right, or when he is speaking about traveling on checks and balances for civil liberty. and with the kind of criticism that he has earned from people like dick cheney, including language i will not repeat here, it is obvious that he has been remarkably affective. when he was targeted for terrorism, being under the police guard, he never set aside his principles. he was with us when there was a vigil at the national japanese american memorial to patriotism. he spoke out on behalf of the americans, who were state coded in many of the same

those are the words of senator patrick leahy. they follow precedent -- is notable for justices would have upheld the ruling, including the retiring justice souter, who sonia sotomayor is nominated to replace. the court has repeatedly said title seven should not be used to support efforts at voluntary compliance. the strong basis in evidence standard as described in general and was cavalierly applied in this case, making voluntary compliance a hazardous venture. that was patrick leahy quoting from the 5-4 decision coming from the supreme court today. you can follow more reaction to this decision by the u.s. supreme court at our website, c- span.org. you can also see a portion of the argument where there are oral argument transcripts as well as judge's opinions and more at our web site, c- span.org. the court also making announcements on what cases the will or will not hear in the upcoming term beginning in october. regarding one of them, the supreme court has refused to allow victims of the 9/11 attacks to pursue lawsuits against

patrick leahy [applause] >> thank you, thank you very much. it is great to be here. it reminds me so much about your late father. and wade henderson, the president of the leadership conference and civil rights. the junior professor of public interest. we have worked on so many things. i am ready to tear out what hair i have left, this will give mate -- they will give me a a thumbs up, eventually, we do this. you are going here at such an exciting time. your focus on restoring the world with human rights and economic recovery. they said, was there really change in america. he said my name is barack obama, how much change do you expect. people come up and they want to shake my hand. they want to say, are you an american. we were changing airplanes at the airport. they would say, [unintelligible] are you an american? i am so happy for america. when i was in law school, i was inspired by john kennedy. i have had the privilege of working with his youngest brother, ted kennedy. he will hold hearings on the nomination of obama of sonia sotomayor to be the associate justice

and so is the man i am privileged to introduce this morning, senator patrick leahy of vermont. [applause] now as of the son of irish and italian parents in vermont, a state where his father was used to see signs like -- no irish need apply, or no catholic supply -- and during a less progressive era, i suspect bags packed leahy understands what it means to sometimes feel like an outsider in the land of their birth. i believe that as a major reason why senator leahy speaks out so loudly against injustice, whether it takes place inside or outside of our country. is probably the trade i most admire of him. you can occasionally see it in his eyes as he thunders against the denial of an important symbol right war when he speaks of the dangers of trampling on checks and balances or civil liberties in the name of national security. and with the kind of criticism he has earned over the years from people like dick cheney. [laughter] including some nine bridges that i won't repeat here. it is obvious that he has been remarkably effective. even when senator leahy himself wound up being a t

. >> later, sotomayor met with patrick leahy, senate judiciary committee chair. >> the judge and i werealking about the second circuit, difference -- dear friends. [inaudible] have you all got enough footage? >> thank you, senator. >> can we -- let's be fair. she will talk about that. >> do you know when you may start hearing? >> thank you. good morning. i first of what to say i appreciate how difficult is for everyone to squeeze in and squeeze out of a -- i apologize, we do not have a bigger room. i was delighted to see her again. the judge, i have known her for years, and she was on the second circuit, the circuit i am admitted to. and i watched her in there, watched her as a district judge, as a second circuit court of appeals judge. she makes me think of justice souter, someone with a great legal mind, and packable pock credentials. if confirmed, she will the only member of the court with experience as a trial court judge, which i think is extremely important. you have a different perspective. from a personal point of view, i was always proud to see someone who served as a prosecuto

later, senate judiciary committee chairman patrick leahy discusses the sonia sotomayor supreme court nomination. on tomorrow morning's "washington journal." jon hilsenrath, and brad sherman from california. they also discuss whether a hmadinejad really won the election. tomorrow morning, white house chief of staff rahm emanuel speaks and discusses the obama's agend administration opposed the agenda -- administration's agenda. >> every weekend, stream "book tv" programming write your computer -- right to your computer. the redesign booktv.org, look for it today. >> and now the confirmation hearing for it the president -- for president obama's nominee to head the federal communications commission. julius genachowski work during the clinton administration. it also includes testimony from robert mcdowell, a republican appointed by president bush. his term expires june 30. this hearing is two hours. >> in welcoming you, i want to set a communications technology is sort of the vibrating, pulsing driver of our nation. it has been let to lapse a bit. for our nation to meet any kind of challe

eastern on the senate side, patrick leahy's decisions to began supreme court nominee so the mayor on july 4 h13. meanwhile, the brother of judge sotomayor says the critics appeals judge do not know him. he called his 54-year-old sister tough as nails. he had assertions that -- assertions derogatory and insulting. millions of dollars received in free travel and lodging is legal and that it saves taxpayers money. the government watchdogs say it allows donors to exert influence for a small investment. u.s. magistrate judge hears arguments today about whether walter kendall miers and his wife should continue to be held until they go to trial. the former state department employee and his wife, accused of spying for cuba, have been behind bars since there arrested thursday. "the boston globe" is reporting that the new york times co. has hired goldman sachs to manage the possible sale of open code the boston globe." the report says they have begun accepting bids. >> "washington journal" continues. host: gov. howard dean joins us, the author of "howard dean's prescriptions for real healthcar

chairman of the senate judiciary committee, patrick leahy, has suggested a timely hearing on her nomination. it is a hearing within the same schedule of those who went before her like chief justice roberts or justice alito. so if she is given the same standard of fairness, that hearing will go forward. i certainly hope it does. and i think she will do well. >> and i'd seen -- >> the senator from alabama. >> such a fabulous lawyer and an excellent senator. and i think just would respectfully talk about some of the ideas that he suggested. one he raised a question of brown versus board of education, where the supreme court held separate was not equal. and that somehow this is a justification for a judge setting policy. they thought it wasn't good policy. but i would see it differently, mr. president. i would see brown versus board of education as the supreme court saying that the constitution of the united states guarantees every american equal protection of the laws and they found that in segregated schools, some people were told they must go to this school solely because of their race. some

[applause] >> ladies and gentlemen, i join me in thanking senator patrick leahy. thank you. [applause] >> about six years ago rick bitter ginsberg was a lecturer -- ruth bader ginsburg was a lecturer, and she talked about how lonely it was to be a woman on the supreme court bench, so i know he will do the right thing. i also have to tell you our students last year provided 85,000 hours of legal services to the most vulnerable d.c. residents through our critical program, which is the most extensive in the country. they are here to make a change. thank you, senator leahy. you rock. [applause] >> senator's remarks on the role of a federal judge. we will hear from republican senator, jeff sessions, ranking member of the senate judiciary committee, and dick durbin of illinois. this is almost 40 minutes. a new justice to the supreme court of the united states brings to our minds a core question both for the senate and the american people, than is what is the proper role of a federal judge in our republic? answering this question is not simply an academic task. it's fundamental to

also some news as judiciary chairman committee patrick leahy said that confirmation hearings for supreme court nominee sonia sotomayor will get underway on july 13. more lives in a coverage coming up at 2:15, about an hour from now, live here on c-span2. >> to try caucus is made up of members from the black, hispanic and asian pacific american caucus is. this is about 45 minutes. >> okay, good morning and thank you all for being here. some of us may have to leave for a markup. but we will made our statement and we will be coming and going as scheduled permit. i barber later type represent the ninth congressional district of california, also the chair of the congressional black caucus. and i stand here before you today as a very proud, original cosponsor of the health equity and accountability act of 2009 with my colleagues who have worked on this bill for many, many years. congresswoman christiansen, this year will lead not only the efforts of the congressional black caucus but the congressional tri- caucus, which began actually three congresses ago. but also represents our collective co

according to "the washington times" is the story but senator patrick leahy courting a challenge. as chair of that senate judiciary committee. at one point, of the 19 men and women who sit on the committee, six are prosecutors come a dynamic

as chairman of the senate judiciary committee, patrick leahy has suggested a timely hearing, within the same schedule of those who went before her like chief justice roberts or justice alito. if she is given the same standard of fairness, that hearing will go forward. i certainly hope it does. i think she'll do well. mr. president, i ask the following statement be placed at a separate place in the record and within the debate on the travel promotion act of 2009. the presiding officer: without objection, so ordered. mr. durbin: thank you, mr. president. this bill that we're considering on the floor at this time could not come at a better time. october 2, the international olympic committee will select a site for the 2016 olympic games and chicago is one of the final global candidates, one of the final four, in the world. winning that bid would bring six million tourists from all over the world into the united states and generate as much as $7 billion in tour unfortunateist . this bill will welcome international visitors to our country and demonstrate to the world that the united states i