Honoring the accomplishments of Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, the first woman to serve on the United States Supreme Court.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

H. Res. 1141 honors the accomplishments of the Honorable Sandra Day O'Connor, the first women to serve on the United States Supreme Court.

Justice O'Connor was born in El Paso, Texas, in 1930 and grew up on a cattle ranch called the ``Lazy-B'' near Duncan, Arizona. The ranch was isolated and she did not have a sibling to play with until she turned eight. To compensate, young Sandra demonstrated the initiative and drive that would later propel her to the Court.

She befriended cowboys who worked on the ranch, learned to drive a car and shoot a gun, and became an expert equestrian. She also kept many pets during her childhood, including a bobcat, which probably taught her how to deal with lawyers.

Her parents decided she needed an education, so O'Connor went to live with her maternal grandmother, Mamie Scott Wilkey, in El Paso. Although homesick, O'Connor became an outstanding student and graduated from the Radford School for Girls at age 16. O'Connor always credited Mrs. Wilkey for instilling confidence in her.

She later studied economics at Stanford with an eye toward running the Lazy-B or another ranch. However, a legal dispute over the Lazy-B sparked her interest in the law. O'Connor enrolled in Stanford's law school and graduated in only 2 years, third in her class that included valedictorian and future Chief Justice of the United States William Rehnquist. One of her other classmates, John Jay O'Connor, became her husband.

This was the early 1950s and, despite her stellar law school record, O'Connor could not find work as a lawyer. The legal profession was not an easy place for women at that time.

But O'Connor was determined. She started out as a legal secretary before finding employment as the deputy county attorney for San Mateo, California. When her husband was drafted into the Judge Advocate General's Corps, she joined him in Frankfurt, Germany, where she served as a civilian attorney in the Quartermaster's Corps.

Returning to the United States in 1957, the couple settled in Phoenix and started a family--three children arrived in the next six years. O'Connor eventually hung out a shingle with one partner and began a general law practice. But with the birth of her second child, she devoted herself to homemaker duties, charitable work, and local Republican politics.

Following five years as a full-time mother, O'Connor returned to work as an Arizona assistant attorney general. Later, the governor appointed her to fill a vacant state senate seat, a position she successfully defended twice in successive elections. By 1974, O'Connor had become the first woman to serve as the majority leader in a state legislature. This achievement propelled her to the bench--first as a Maricopa County Superior Court judge and then, in 1978, as a member of the Arizona Court of Appeals, the state's intermediate appellate court.

Justice O'Connor distinguished herself as a smart, fair, even- tempered judge. She had overcome de facto discrimination through persistence, hard work, and a devotion to institutions and causes bigger than herself.

This compelling story intrigued President Ronald Reagan, who was searching for a successor to replace retiring Justice Potter Stewart at the United States Supreme Court. In Sandra Day O'Connor, he found his nominee.

Senate confirmations are not for the faint-hearted, but O'Connor came through like an experienced pro. She was confirmed by a vote of 99-0 and was sworn as the 102nd member of the Court on September 21, 1981. Of obvious importance then and now, she became the first women to serve as an Associate Justice.

Justice O'Connor served on the Court for nearly a quarter of a century before retiring in 2006. Early in her tenure, she was known as a conservative jurist who preferred analyzing cases with a narrow, fact-specific approach. Later, she acquired the reputation as a ``swing vote.'' Law Professor Steven Green once paid her perhaps the ultimate compliment when he observed that she ``seemed to look at each case with an open mind.''

Since retiring from the Court, Justice O'Connor really hasn't retired. She selflessly devoted herself to caring for her husband, John, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease in 1990 and passed away last November.

In addition to travel and spending time with other family members, Justice O'Connor has worked on an ABA project to educate Americans about the role of judges, served as a the Chancellor of The College of William & Mary, and performed trustee duties for the National Constitution Center.

In recognition of her life's work, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom--the highest civilian honor of the United States--on August 12, 2009.

Mr. Speaker, Justice Sandra Day O'Connor is a pioneer for women and an inspiration to all Americans. I urge my colleagues to support H. Res. 1141, which honors her many accomplishments.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1141 honors the accomplishments of the Honorable Sandra Day O'Connor, the first woman to serve on the United States Supreme Court.

Justice O'Connor was born in El Paso, Texas, in 1930, and grew up on a cattle ranch called the Lazy-B near Duncan, Arizona. She befriended cowboys who worked on the ranch, learned to drive a car and shoot a gun, and became an expert horseback rider.

Her parents decided that she needed an education, so O'Connor went to live with her maternal grandmother in El Paso. She later studied economics at Stanford University with an eye toward running the Lazy-B or another ranch. However, a legal dispute over the Lazy-B sparked her interest in the law. O'Connor enrolled in Stanford's law school, and graduated in only 2 years, third in her class, that included valedictorian and future Chief Justice of the United States William Rehnquist. One of her other classmates, John Jay O'Connor, became her husband.

This was the early 1950s, and despite her stellar law school record, O'Connor could not find work as a lawyer. But she was determined. She started out as a legal secretary before finding employment as the deputy county attorney for San Mateo, California. When her husband was drafted into the Judge Advocate General's Corps, she joined him in Frankfurt, Germany, where she served as a civilian attorney in the Quartermaster's Corps.

Returning to the United States in 1957, the couple settled in Phoenix and started a family. Three children arrived in the next 6 years. O'Connor eventually hung out a shingle with one partner and began a general law practice. But with the birth of her second child, she devoted herself to homemaker duties, charitable work, and local Republican politics.

Following 5 years as a full-time mother, O'Connor returned to work as an Arizona assistant attorney general. Later, the Governor appointed her to fill a vacant State senate seat, a position she successfully defended twice in two elections. In 1974, O'Connor became the first woman to serve as the majority leader in the State legislature. This achievement propelled her to the bench, first as a Maricopa County Superior Court judge and then in 1978 as a member of the Arizona Court of Appeals, the State's intermediate appellate court. Justice O'Connor distinguished herself as a smart, fair, even-tempered judge.

This compelling story intrigued President Ronald Reagan, who was searching for a successor to replace retiring Justice Potter Stewart at the United States Supreme Court. In Sandra Day O'Connor, he found his nominee.

Senate confirmations are not for the faint-hearted, but O'Connor came through like an experienced pro. She was confirmed by a vote of 99-0 and was sworn in as the 102nd member of the Court on September 21, 1981. Of obvious importance, then and now, she became the first woman to serve as an Associate Justice. So much for glass ceilings.

Justice O'Connor served on the Court for nearly a quarter of a century before retiring in 2006. Early in her tenure, she was known as a conservative jurist who preferred analyzing cases with a narrow fact- specific approach. Later, she acquired the reputation as a swing vote. Law Professor Steven Green once paid her perhaps the ultimate compliment when she ``seemed to look at each case with an open mind.''

Since retiring from the Court, Justice O'Connor really hasn't retired. She selflessly devoted herself to caring for her husband, John, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 1990 and passed away last November.

In addition to travel and spending time with other family members, Justice O'Connor has worked on an American Bar Association project to educate Americans about the role of judges, served as the chancellor of the College of William and Mary, and performed trustee duties for the National Constitution Center.

In recognition of her life's work, President Obama awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor of the United States, on August 12, 2009.

Mr. Speaker, Sandra Day O'Connor is a pioneer for women and an inspiration to all Americans. I urge my colleagues to support H. Res. 1141, which honors her many accomplishments.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1141) honoring the accomplishments of Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, the first woman to serve on the United States Supreme Court.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to wish you and all of America a happy St. Patrick's Day, and in support of House Resolution 1141, to honor the accomplishments of Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.

Justice O'Connor blazed paths of history for women throughout her career. In 1969, she was appointed to the Arizona State Senate, and in 1972 she became the first woman to serve as the majority leader of any State senate in the United States.

Later, she became a trial judge for Maricopa County, Arizona, and only a few years later was appointed to the court of appeals. Then in 1981, she was nominated to the Supreme Court, the first woman to sit on the United States Supreme Court, and she did us proud.

Justice O'Connor retired in 2006, but she continues to be actively involved with promoting good government and civic education. For example, she spearheaded ``Our Courts,'' a Web-based education project designed to reinvigorate learning inside and outside the classroom.

There were so many opinions when she was a part of the majority and also when she was a part of the minority to where we know her voice is missed today. Although appointed by a Republican President, she was bipartisan and called them by the book and did a lot to see that this country's Supreme Court was highly respected and not politicized.

This resolution is a way to honor her for service to our country. I commend my colleague, Gabby Giffords of Arizona, for introducing this resolution. I urge my colleagues to support it. I hope we have more Justices like her in the future.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I would just like to reiterate my extreme commendations of Justice Sandra Day O'Connor's life and the appropriateness of the resolution.

When I was a member of the National Conference of State Legislators, I suggested we give an award each year to the State legislator who had done the most later in their lives, and Sandra Day O'Connor as well as Julian Bond were the two people I put up as examples of people who should be honored by the National Conference of State Legislators to encourage State legislatures to go on beyond that and to do extra in their lives.

And Sandra Day O'Connor was a State senator who did much. And, as Mr. Smith said, she had an open mind, and that is something we need to commend. And in Arizona, where Representative Giffords is from and sponsored this resolution, we had Barry Goldwater who, like her, came in at a certain posture. But as his career went on, he had an open mind, and he stood up for tolerance and he stood up for diversity.

I am proud to be here to speak in favor of this resolution, and I would

ask that my colleagues vote to support unanimously this resolution and to pass H. Res. 1141.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Madam Speaker, unfortunately, I missed the following recorded votes on the House floor the week of Monday, March 15, 2010.

For Monday, March 15, 2010, had I been present I would have voted ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 112 (on motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 1145), ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 113 (on motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 1170), ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 114 (on motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 1163), ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 115 (on motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 267).

For Tuesday, March 16, 2010, had I been present I would have voted ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 116 (on motion to suspend the rules and agree to H.R. 4628), ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 117 (on motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 311), ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 118 (on motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 605), ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 119 (on motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 1128).

For Wednesday, March 17, 2010, had I been present I would have voted ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 120 (on motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 1089), ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 121 (on motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 1167), ``no'' on rollcall vote No. 122 (on motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 1184), ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 123 (on motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 1141), ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 124 (on motion to suspend the rules and agree to S. 1147), ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 125 (on motion to suspend the rules and agree to H.R. 3954), ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 126 (on motion to suspend the rules and agree to H.R. 946), ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 127 (on motion to suspend the rules and agree to H.R. 4825).

For Thursday, March 18, 2010, had I been present I would have voted ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 131 (on motion to refer H. Res. 1193, raising a question of the privileges of the House), ``no'' on rollcall vote No. 132 (on motion to table H. Res. 1193, raising a question of the privileges of the House), ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 133 (on motion to suspend the rules and agree to H.R. 3542), ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 134 (on motion to suspend the rules and agree to H.R. 3509), ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 135 (on motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 1173).