I think the president for entrusting me with this profound responsibility as well as for the graciousness that he and the first lady have shown my family throughout this process. Think senator young for introducing me as he did at my hearing to serve on the seventh circuit and i also thanked senator braun for his support. While she could not be with us via satellite, i am also grateful to former dean ohara of the notre dame law school. She hired me as a professor nearly 20 years ago and she has been a mentor, colleague, and friend ever since. The members of this committee and your other colleagues in the senate would have taken the time to meet with me since my nomination. It has been a privilege to meet you. As i said when i was nominated to serve as a justice, i am used to being in a group of nine, my family. Nothing is more important to me, and i am very proud to have been behind me. My husband jesse and i have been married for 21 years. He has been a selfless and wonderful partner every step of the way. I asked my sister, why do you think marriage is hard . We are always saying that. I think it is easy. She looked at me and said, maybe you should ask jesse if she agrees. He agrees. I decided not to take her advice because i know i am far luckier in love than i deserve. We are the parents of seven wonderful children. Our oldest daughter, emma, is a sophomore in college who just might follow her parents to a career in the law. Next is vivian from haiti. When vivian arrived, she was so weak we were told she might never talk or walk normally, but now she deadlifts as much as the male athletes in our gymnasium and i can tell you she has no trouble talking. Seems to have a math gene and it seems to have a math gene. And jesse, who describes jp described the happygolucky attitude that is still his signature trait. Liam is strong, smart, and kind, and it still loves watching movies with mom and dad. 10yearold juliet is already pursuing her goal of becoming an author by writing multiple essays and short stories, one of which she recently submitted for publication. Our youngest, benjamin, is at home with friends. Benjamin has down syndrome and is the unanimous favorite of the family. He was calling out our names as he saw the kids in the back. My own siblings are here. Some in the searing some in this hearing room and some nearby. My kids are my oldest and dearest friends. We have seen them through the hardest parts of life and i am grateful they are here with me now. My parents are watching from their new orleans home. And myer was a lawyer mother was a teacher, which explains why it became a law professor. Why i became a law professor. My parents modeled for me and my siblings a life of service, principles, faith, and love. I remember preparing for a spelling bee against a boy in my class come into boost my confidence, my dad saying, anything boys can do, girls can do better. I spilled my way to victory. Similar encouragement at my high school in new orleans. When i went to college, it never occurred to me that anyone would consider girls less capable than boys. My freshman year, i took a literature class filled with upperclassman english majors. When i did my first presentation, which was on breakfast at tiffanys, i feared i had failed, but my professor took the time to talk to me and filled me with confidence about how well i had done and she became a mentor. When i graduated with my degree in english, she gave me truman capotes collected works as a gift. Well i consider graduate studies in english, i decided my passion for words was better for deciphering statutes the novels. Than novels. The justices for whom i clerked Laurence Silberman gave me my first job in the law. He was by my side during my seventh circuit hearing. He swore me in that my investiture and he is cheering me on from his living room now. I also clerked for justice scalia. Students, iy law felt like i knew the justice before i ever met him because i had read so many of his colorful, accessible opinions. More than the style of his writing, though, it was the content of Justice Scalias reasoning that shaped me. His judicial philosophy was straightforward. A judge must apply the law as it is written, not as he wishes it were. Sometimes that approach meant breaching results that he did not like, but as he put it in his best known opinion, that is what it means to say we have a government of laws, not of men. Justice scalia, more than just law. Family,evoted to his resolute in his beliefs, and fearless of criticism. As i embarked on my own legal career, i resolved to maintain that perspective. There is a tendency in our profession to treat the process of law as allconsuming while losing sight of everything else, but that makes for a shallow and unfulfilling life. I worked hard as a lawyer and a professor. I owed that to my clients, my students, into myself. Definedver let the law my identity or crowd out the rest of my life. A similar principle applies to the rules of courts. Courts have a responsibility to the rule of law, which is critical to our free society, but courts are not designed to right every wrong in our public life. The policy decisions and value judgments of government must branches,e political elected by and accountable to the people. The public should not expect courts to do so and courts should not try. That is the approach that i have strived to follow as a judge on the seventh circuit. In every case, i have carefully considered the arguments presented by the parties, discussed the issues with my colleagues on the court, and done my ad most to reach done my utmost to reach the results required by the law never my preferences might be. I try to remain mindful that while my Court Decides thousands of cases a year, each case is the most important one to the litigants involved. Like all, cases are not statutes, which are often named for their authors. Cases are named for their parties, who stand to gain and lose in the real world. When i write an opinion resolving a case, i read every word from the perspective prospective of the losing party. How i would feel if one of my children was in the party i was really against. Standard i set for myself in every case and it is the standard i will follow so long as i am a judge on any court. Men the president offered this nomination, i was deeply honored, but it was not a position i had sought out and i thought carefully before accepting. The confirmation process and the work of serving on the court if confirmed requires sacrifices, particularly for my family. I chose to accept the nomination because i believe deeply in the rule of and the place of the Supreme Court in our nation. I believe americans of all backgrounds deserve an independent Supreme Court that interprets our constitution and laws as they are written. I believe i can serve my country by playing that role. Committeeore this with humility about the responsibility that i have been asked to undertake and with appreciation for those who have come before me. I was nine years old when Sandra Day Oconnor became the first woman to sit in the seat. She was a model of grace and dignity throughout her distinguished tenure on the court. And i was 21 years old, just beginning my career, Ruth Bader Ginsburg sat in this seat. She told the committee what has become of me could only happen in america. I have been nominated to fill Justice Ginsburgs seat, but no one will ever take her place. I will be forever grateful for the path she marked and the life she led. If confirmed, it would be the honor of a lifetime to serve alongside the chief justice and seven associate justices. I admire them all and would consider each of value call you. Newi might bring a few perspectives to the bench. I would be the first mother of schoolaged children to serve on the court. And i know it would make n that i young and brau would be the first to join from the seventh circuit in 35 years. I would be the only sitting justice that did not attend harvard or yale, but i am confident notre dame could hold its own, and i could even teach them a thing or two about football. As a final note, mr. Chairman, i would like to thank the americans from all walks of life who have reached out with messages of support. I believe in the power of prayer and it has been uplifting to hear that so many people are praying for me. I look forward to answering the committees questions over the coming days. And if i am fortunate enough to be confirmed, i pledge to faithfully and impartially discharge my duty to the American People if you missed any of this Supreme Court nomination hearing for amy coney barrett, head to our website. Announcer the u. S. Supreme court began its term hearing oral arguments via Congress Conference call. Orders she spent listen at cspan. Org Supreme Court. Chicagos vcity of fulton. On wednesday, the justices here rres v. Ts in tou madrid. Cspan. Org supremecourt. Announcer be part of that middle and high school student, be the start of a National Conversation by making a five to mi