WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Pat Roberts today voted to confirm the nomination of Judge Samuel Alito, Jr. for Associate Justice of the United State Supreme Court. Senator Roberts released the following statement:

“I voted in support of Judge Samuel Alito Jr. to be Associate Justice to the United States Supreme Court. I am honored to have the opportunity to again participate in a nomination for the Supreme Court. The casting of our votes from our Senate desks, as set forth by Senate tradition, is indicative of the meaningfulness and the importance of the confirmation vote for a judicial nomination to the Supreme Court. As before, I am humbled and honored to represent my fellow Kansans in this manner.

“Over the course of the hearings, the nation has had an opportunity to learn more about Judge Alito’s character, professional experience, and approach to the law. It is clear that Judge Alito’s educational background is quite impressive. The son of public school teachers, Judge Alito grew up in a family in which the importance of education and hard work were firmly rooted. His father, who arrived in the United States as an infant, knew first-hand the struggles of growing up in poverty. His ability to pull himself up by his bootstraps and emphasize education as the window to a better life laid a firm foundation for his family.

“It is no surprise that Judge Alito’s exceptional educational background boasts of two formidable ivy league universities - a notable accomplishment resulting from hard work and a keen mind. However, during his testimony, his statements demonstrated that he fully recognized what an opportunity it was to attend these renowned universities and took full advantage. He said, ‘It was a time of turmoil at colleges and universities. And I saw some very smart people and very privileged people behaving irresponsibly. And I couldn't help making a contrast between some of the worst of what I saw on the campus and the good sense and the decency of the people back in my own community.’ It is this type of commonsense that resonates with my Kansas constituents.

“One only needs to look at Judge Alito’s resume to see his extensive experience in both prosecuting and applying the law. His distinguished career includes almost fifteen years as a federal prosecutor within the Department of Justice, three years as the U.S. Attorney for New Jersey, and most recently, fifteen years as a federal judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit. Judge Alito is well versed in the law. While some have lodged that his decisions are biased and that he is an ideologue with a political agenda, his record, his testimony, and the testimony of his colleagues and others who have worked with him dispel those allegations. During his confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Judge Alito stated, ‘The role of a practicing attorney is to achieve a desirable result for the client in the particular case at hand, but a judge can’t think that way. A judge can’t have any agenda. A judge can’t have any preferred outcome in any particular case. And a judge certainly doesn’t have a client. The judge’s only obligation – and it’s a solemn obligation – is to the rule of law, and what that means is that in every single case, the judge has to do what the law requires.’ His fellow colleagues on the U.S. Court of Appeals affirm his open mindedness, impartiality, and decisions based on the fact and the law. Notably, the American Bar Association - long viewed as the gold standard among my colleagues on the other side of the aisle - reviewed Judge Alito’s judicial background and gave him their highest rating of ‘Well Qualified.’

“In a time of judicial encroachment in which courts are increasingly imposing their political will on the nation, Judge Alito’s judicial record demonstrates his efforts to stem that tide. In his testimony he refers to the role of the judiciary as very important, but limited by the authorities set forth in the Constitution. The judicial branch’s responsibility lies in interpretation and application of the law and not enacting policy judgements. In other words, he is guided by the rule of law set forth by the Constitution. Others describe Judge Alito’s judicial philosophy as a philosophy of restraint and in accordance with the rule of law. Other witnesses from a broad range of ideologies who know Judge Alito confirm that he is measured and judicial in his decisions.

“In closing, I would like to comment on the increasing political nature in which judicial nominees are subjected to during the nominations process. During my remarks on the nomination of now Chief Justice John Roberts, I highlighted the elevated level of partisanship in the Senate. This trend of partisan bickering further threatens the comity and respect that has long been the standard for conducting Senate business. The tenor and manner of questioning or, grilling as referred to in the news headlines, of Judge Alito frays the spirit of our Constitutional fabric under which we operate. I call on my colleagues to work together to raise the level of discourse in these hallowed halls of Congress.”