IV 

111TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION 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. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 4, 2010 

Ms. GIFFORDS (for herself, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mrs. KIRKPATRICK of Arizona, Mr. 

MITCHELL, Mr. PASTOR of Arizona, and Mr. SHADEGG) submitted the 

following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

RESOLUTION 

Honoring the accomplishments of Supreme Court Justice 

Sandra Day O’Connor, the first woman to serve on the 

United States Supreme Court. 

Whereas Sandra Day O’Connor was born on March 26, 1930, 

in El Paso, Texas and spent most of her childhood on her 

family’s ranch, the Lazy B, located in the high deserts 

outside of Duncan, Arizona; 

Whereas Sandra Day O’Connor graduated magna cum laude 

from Stanford University in 1950 with a Bachelor of 

Arts degree in economics, and graduated in the top three 

of her class at Stanford University Law School in 1952; 

Whereas Sandra Day O’Connor married John J. O’Connor 

III, a fellow Stanford Law student, in December 1952 on 


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•HRES 1141 IH 

the Lazy B Ranch and raised three children with him in 

Paradise Valley, Arizona; 

Whereas after practicing law in Frankfurt, Germany, and 

Phoenix, Arizona, Sandra Day O’Connor began her career in public service as the Arizona Assistant Attorney 

General in 1965; 

Whereas Sandra Day O’Connor was appointed to the Arizona 

State Senate in 1969 and was subsequently re-elected; 

Whereas Sandra Day O’Connor rose to many leadership positions during her 6 years in the legislature, including as 

the first woman State Senate majority leader in the 

United States; 

Whereas Sandra Day O’Connor was elected judge for Maricopa County Superior Court in 1975; 

Whereas Sandra Day O’Connor was appointed to the Arizona 

Court of Appeals, the State’s second-highest court, by 

Governor Bruce Babbitt in 1979; 

Whereas Ronald Reagan nominated Sandra Day O’Connor in 

1981 to serve as the first woman on the United States 

Supreme Court, which was swiftly approved by the Senate by unanimous consent, with the strong support of Arizona Senators Barry Goldwater and Dennis Deconcini; 

Whereas Sandra Day O’Connor was sworn in as a United 

States Supreme Court Justice by Chief Justice Warren 

Burger on September 25, 1981, commencing her 24 

terms on the Supreme Court, a career distinguished by 

her centrist role and commitment to uphold the law and 

the Constitution; 

Whereas Sandra Day O’Connor’s support for the proposed 

Equal Rights Amendment further strengthened her role 

as a mentor and leader for women of all generations; 


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•HRES 1141 IH 

Whereas, on August 12, 2009, President Barack Obama 

awarded Sandra Day O’Connor the Presidential Medal of 

Freedom, the highest honor given to a civilian; 

Whereas Sandra Day O’Connor has become a nationally recognized leader in the effort to preserve judicial independence through her strong support of selecting judges by 

nonpartisan commissions; 

Whereas Sandra Day O’Connor continues to honor her commitment to public service, most recently through her webbased education project, Our Courts, which strives to engage young people in civics and the democratic process; 

and 

Whereas Sandra Day O’Connor will turn 80 years old on 

March 26, 2010: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives honors 

2 the achievements and distinguished career of Justice San3 dra Day O’Connor, and recognizes her impact as an Amer4 ican symbol of hard work and rugged individualism. 

Æ 


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