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Pelosi Remarks at CHC Reception for Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor;

September 22, 2009

Pelosi Remarks at CHC Reception for Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Contact: Brendan Daly/Nadeam Elshami/Drew Hammill, 202-226-7616

Washington, D.C. - Speaker Nancy Pelosi will deliver brief remarks at a reception this evening hosted by the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute to honor Justice Sonia Sotomayor. Below are the Speaker's remarks as prepared for delivery:

â€Å"Thank you, Chairwoman [Nydia] Velazquez, for your introduction and for your leadership of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.

â€Å"The Congressional Hispanic Caucus Foundation was founded, in part, to help ensure that Hispanics have an opportunity to contribute to our nation at the highest levels of public service.

â€Å"The confirmation of Justice Sonia Sotomayor to serve in our nation's highest court realizes the ideals upon which the CHC was founded, and fulfills the hopes of millions of Americans.

â€Å"I would also like to acknowledge the leaders from the many civil rights organizations that join us here today. Your advocacy is essential to ensuring that America lives up to its promise. I thank you for all you do to promote justice.

â€Å"The confirmation of Justice Sonia Sotomayor was an affirmation of our nation's values and the American dream. As the first Latina to serve on our Supreme Court, Justice Sotomayor's nomination and life story are a testament to the American ideals of equality, opportunity, and justice.

â€Å"Already, Justice Sotomayor is serving with great distinction. I know she will protect and defend the Constitution of the United States as she renders opinions on cases whose outcome hold enormous significance for millions of Americans. She will serve as a guardian of our judiciary - that serves as model for the world.

â€Å"As we honor the significance of this moment in our national history, it is also an opportunity for all Americans to feel great pride in what is possible in our country.

â€Å"With Justice Sotomayor a member of the Supreme Court of the United States, our nation moves closer to the ideal of equality - which is both our heritage and our hope.â€