Kagan Confirmed by Senate Judiciary Committee 7/20

In what President Obama has called a “bipartisan affirmation of her strong performance,” the Senate Judiciary Committee voted 13-6 on Tuesday, July 20 to approve Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan. Now that her nomination has cleared the committee, a full senate debate and vote is expected for the first week in August.

Senator Lindsey Graham was the only Republican on the committee to support Kagan. Graham, who also voted in favor Sonia Sotomayor last summer, explained his choice well:

“[The Constitution] puts upon me a standard that stood the test of time, is the person qualified? Is it a person of good character? Are they someone that understands the difference between being a judge and a politician? And, quite frankly, I think she’s passed all those tests.”

Although Kagan is expected to be confirmed by the full Senate, she will likely not glean many Republican votes beyond Graham’s. Opposition has largely centered around her stance on on-campus military recruiters, gun rights-related issues and her work crafting legislation related to abortion during her time in the Clinton White House. As Senator Chuck Schumer said, “Sadly, it appears election-year politics may deprive her of the vote total that her nomination deserves.”

Kagan’s confirmation will mean that for the first time in the Court’s history, three of the nine justices will be women.

Kagan Confirmation: 7/15 Update

The Senate Judiciary Committee will vote on Elena Kagan’s Supreme Court Confirmation Tuesday morning, July 20.   The date was originally set for July 13, but moved to its current one due to Republican pressure and committee rules that allow any member to request that the vote be held off for up to a week. The committee’s seven Republicans said that they need more time to review post-hearing questions and more time to ask Kagan how she would behave on the bench. This delay might seem abnormal for what experts have described as a relatively routine confirmation process, but according to msnbc.com, this is “a common practice for the minority party.” After Tuesday, it will be up to Senate Majority Leader Read as to when a vote comes before the full Senate.

The NRA (National Rifle Association) is putting additional pressure on Republican and Democratic Senators alike to vote against Kagan: they recently announced that they consider a vote for Kagan a vote against gun rights. Currently, there are 9 Democratic Senators endorsed by the NRA. Despite these troubles, however, Kagan is still expected to be confirmed.

If confirmed, Ms. Kagan will join Justices Ruth Bader Ginsberg and Sonia Sotomayor, and three female Justices will serve on the Supreme Court simultaenously.

NWPC National supports Kagan’s nomination and is pushing for her confirmation.  NWPC National has stated, “Elena Kagan is not just ‘any woman.’ Kagan has solid legal credentials: she served as the Dean of Harvard Law; was the first woman Solicitor General; is known as a leader and consensus builder. She is an extremely talented woman deserving of this position.”

Elena Kagan, Supreme Court Nominee Update 7/9

Elena Kagan’s Senate confirmation hearings ended Thurs., July 1 after she gracefully answered grueling questions on abortion, LGBTQ issues and other divisive issues. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT) has scheduled the full committee vote for July 13.  Democrats hold a 12-7 advantage in the Judiciary Committee and a 58-41 advantage in the full Senate.  Various sources speculate that we will see Elena Kagan confirmed as the next Supreme Court Justice (and 4th female Supreme Court Justice in U.S. history) before the August recess.

Senate Confirmation Hearing moment we loved: When Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) spoke of his “absolute fear” that Americans are less free than they were 30 years ago, Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) responded quickly and sharply: “Were we really more free if you were a woman in 1980?”, she asked, noting that there were no women on the Court and just one in the Senate that year.

Nomination of Elena Kagan for Supreme Court Justice

The National Women’s Political Caucus applauds President Obama’s nomination of Solicitor General Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court. If approved and confirmed, she will fill the seat vacated by retiring Justice Paul Stevens. NWPC President Lulu Flores stated, “Ms. Kagan’s nomination signifies America’s progress toward recognizing the importance of women’s voices on the Supreme Court, the highest court in the nation.”

If confirmed, Ms. Kagan will join Justices Ruth Bader Ginsberg and Sonia Sotomayor, and three female Justices will serve on the Supreme Court at the same time. “Women make up half the population, yet for too long our voices have been under-represented in the halls of our government; we deserve better” President Flores said.

It should be clear, however, that Elena Kagan is not just “any woman.” Kagan has solid legal credentials: she served as the Dean of Harvard Law; was the first woman Solicitor General; is known as a leader and consensus builder. She is an extremely qualified woman deserving of this position.

Working to ensure that women are appointed to top government positions in representative numbers is fundamental to NWPC’s goal of achieving political gender parity by 2020. In the coming months, we will be on the forefront of those advocating for the confirmation of Elena Kagan to the Court.