Our mandate is to be a nation of laws. And the Supreme Court is the place where we look to safeguard our civil rights and our individual liberties.

The Republicans want to take us forward to the dark ages again ... when women were property that you could easily control, even trade if you wanted to. It's appalling we are having this debate in the 21st century.

The ocean is tired. It's throwing back at us what we're throwing in there.

I ask the vice president to stop dodging the issue with legalese, and acknowledge his continued ties with Halliburton to the American people.

Judge Samuel Alito's accomplishments in life are the embodiment of the American dream.

I believe that justices must recognize that our Constitution is an 18th-century document that needs to be applied in the context of the 21st century.

I had hoped to hear the President tonight tell the Congress and the American people exactly how he plans to tackle some of the important issues facing this country, unfortunately I did not.

I'm convinced that our duty to provide advice and consent for justices of the Supreme Court is our most important constitutional responsibility.

Judge Samuel Alito was born and raised in the great state of New Jersey. Our state has a legacy of producing outstanding jurists, most notably the late William J. Brennan, who ushered in our nation's recommitment to civil rights in the latter half of the 20th century.

Having members of the Bush administration actually sit down and discuss counter terrorism with the very countries that support terrorists is absurd.

So the effect of this Republican provision to allow doctors to be gagged from even discussing abortion with their patients is outrageous.

We have other legislation that all of you are aware that I have been so active on, with my colleagues here, and that is to shut down the gun shows.

People at .08 are too impaired to drive. Studies show that at .08, the ability to perform critical driving functions is decreased by as much as 60 percent.