Hoyer Statement on the Passing of Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor

WASHINGTON, DC — Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) released the following statement today on the passing of former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court Sandra Day O'Connor:

“I join the nation in mourning a trailblazer of great principle, intellect, and reverence for our Constitution and our Democracy: Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. She broke down barriers that had stood for centuries when she came to Washington to serve on the Supreme Court in 1981. That someone who grew up on an Arizonan cattle ranch without electricity and running water was able to become the first woman to serve on the United States Supreme Court is a testament to the American Dream.
 
“I, like many liberals and conservatives alike, did not always agree with Justice O'Connor's opinions. I never doubted, however, that her legal reasoning was based on careful consideration not only of the Constitution and precedent but also the real-world context of the case. Justice O'Connor did not allow narrow, rigid doctrines of originalism to constrain her judgment or blind her to the implications that a decision would have on the lives of individual Americans. Her crucial opinion in Planned Parenthood v. Casey upholding the Roe precedent – and with it, women's constitutional right to access reproductive care – is just one example of her diligent approach to jurisprudence.
 
“Amid the American public's growing perception of impropriety and partisanship in today's Supreme Court, we ought to reflect on the integrity and ethics that Justice O'Connor displayed throughout her 24 years on the bench. Last year, I was proud to join both Democrats and Republicans in passing a resolution authorizing the display of a bust of Justice O'Connor, as well as another of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, in the Capitol. The best way to honor her, however, is to emulate her reverence for justice.”