[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 what we will be doing here. how the american people and their representatives and their senators, the ones w