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Associate Supreme Court Justice David Souter To Retire

On May 1, 2009, Associate Supreme Court Justice David Souter announced his intent to retire when the Court's session concludes later this year.  Justice Souter was nominated to the Supreme Court by President George H. W. Bush in 1990, and the Senate confirmed his nomination by a vote of 90-9.

Before his confirmation to the high Court, Souter was a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of New Hampshire, and the Attorney General of New Hampshire.

Justice Souter is a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School.

The Senate Judiciary Committee plays an important role in the consideration of nominations to fill vacancies on the Supreme Court.  For more information about the Supreme Court, click here.

Senate Passes Judiciary Committee-Reported Anti-Fraud Legislation

On Tuesday, April 28, the Senate overwhelmingly passed anti-fraud legislation that was reported earlier this year by the Senate Judiciary Committee.  The Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act was introduced on February 5 by Committee Members Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), and Ted Kaufman (D-Del.).  On February 11, the Committee held a hearing to consider the legislation.  The Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act was reported by the Committee on March 5.

The Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act of 2009 is also cosponsored by Committee Members Arlen Specter (R-Pa.), Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.).  In total, nearly 30 senators have cosponsored the legislation.

Nominees Pending On The Senate Executive Calendar
Pending on the Senate's Executive Calendar is the nomination of Dawn Johnsen to be the Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legal Counsel.  Johnsen appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee on February 25.  Her nomination was reported on March 19.  icon_webcast

Also pending on the Senate's Executive Calendar is the nomination of R. Gil Kerlikowske to be the Director of National Drug Control Policy.

R. Gil Kerlikowske Nomination Materials
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Did You Know?  Only three U.S. Presidents have not appointed a Justice to the Supreme Court.  Thirty-nine Presidents have made a total of 158 nominations to the Supreme Court, of which 122 were confirmed.  Eleven nominations were rejected in Senate roll call votes, 11 were withdrawn, and 14 lapsed at the end of a Congressional session.  There have been 12 instances when the President has made temporary recess appointments to the Court, without submitting nominations to the Senate.

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