WASHINGTON -- The 18 senators who will question Samuel Alito at confirmation hearings next week are taking on their second Supreme Court nominee in less than four months.
After voting to recommend John Roberts as chief justice in September, the members of the Senate Judiciary Committee are turning to a veteran federal appeals court judge who was chosen by President Bush to succeed retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.
The committee holds hearings on all nominees for federal judgeships and decides whether to send their nominations to a confirmation vote in the full Senate. Last September, the panel voted 13-5 in favor of Roberts, all 10 Republicans and three of the eight Democrats recommending confirmation. The Senate later confirmed his nomination, 78-22.
A look at the panel's members:
REPUBLICANS:
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Arlen Specter, Pennsylvania: Chairman. Five-term senator, 75. A moderate and abortion-rights supporter. Nearly lost the chairman's post when he angered conservatives after his 2004 re-election by saying anti-abortion judges would have difficulty winning confirmation. His aggressive questioning in 1991 of law professor Anita Hill, who accused Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas of sexual harassment, upset women's groups. Specter closely questioned Roberts about abortion. Plans similar questioning of Alito on that issue. Says Alito assured him that his personal view of abortion would play no role in his rulings if confirmed for the high court.
Orrin Hatch, Utah: Former committee chairman. Five-term senator, 71. Loyal conservative and reliable supporter of Bush's judicial nominees. Has co-sponsored legislation with liberal stalwart Sen. Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts. Sought the Republican presidential nomination in 2000. Opposes abortion. Says Bush "hit a home run" with Alito's nomination. Up for re-election in November.
Charles Grassley, Iowa: Five-term senator, 72. The farmer and chairman of the Finance Committee is in the middle of the debate over Bush's plans for tax cuts and the future of Social Security. Opposes abortion. An advocate for whistleblowers, farmers and the elderly, and critic of wasteful government spending.
Jon Kyl, Arizona: Two-term senator, 63. Helps shape the party's image and message as chairman of the Senate Republican Policy Committee. Pro-business conservative. Up for re-election in November. Recently benefited from Bush's appearance at a million-dollar fundraiser in Phoenix.
Mike DeWine, Ohio: Two-term senator, turns 59 on Thursday. One of a bipartisan group of 14 Senate moderates who this year helped avert a showdown over Bush's nominees to lower federal courts. Says Alito is "clearly within the mainstream of conservative thought." Has warned he will side with GOP leaders if Democrats try to block a Senate vote on Alito. Up for re-election in November.
Jeff Sessions, Alabama: Two-term senator, 59. Serves with a few of the senators who rejected his 1986 nomination to be a federal district judge in Alabama. Civil rights groups contended Sessions had made racially insensitive statements and prosecuted civil rights activists for political reasons. A former U.S. attorney and Alabama attorney general, Sessions has said he might push for curbs on the use of filibusters against Bush's judicial nominees. Says Alito has the qualities to be a "superb Supreme Court justice."
Lindsey Graham, South Carolina: Freshman senator, 50. An attorney, Graham is the only sitting senator serving in the National Guard or Reserves. Member of the bipartisan group of Senate moderates who averted a confrontation over judicial nominees. Like DeWine, Graham has put Democrats on notice that he will not support efforts to block Alito's nomination.
John Cornyn, Texas: Freshman senator, 53. A former Texas Supreme Court justice and state attorney general. Defender of Bush's judicial nominees against the threat of Democratic filibusters. Says Alito has "impeccable qualifications" to serve on the Supreme Court. Says Alito's track record shows he is capable of putting aside his personal views on abortion and will continue to do so.
Sam Brownback, Kansas: Second full term, 49. Youngest committee member. Possible candidate for Republican presidential nomination in 2008. Outspoken opponent of abortion and research using embryonic stem cells, a practice he compares to abortion. Like others on the panel, Brownback has met privately with Alito but says they did not discuss Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court's 1973 ruling legalizing abortion.
Tom Coburn, Oklahoma: Freshman senator, 57. Newest committee member, Coburn is a physician who has delivered hundreds of babies. Known for his strong conservatism and equally strong opposition to abortion. After meeting with Roberts, Coburn said he would have preferred a nominee who would vote to overturn Roe. Says Alito deserves a fair hearing before senators make up their minds.
DEMOCRATS:
Patrick Leahy, Vermont: The committee's senior Democrat. Six-term senator, 65. Has led the party through several high-profile confirmation battles, from the 1991 Thomas hearings to former Sen. John Ashcroft's nomination in 2001 to be attorney general. Has upset the White House by supporting filibusters of Bush's judicial nominees. After criticizing Roberts' judicial record, Leahy disappointed liberal interest groups by voting for confirmation as chief justice. Says Alito's nomination was "needlessly provocative" and that his record raises questions about his commitment to civil rights and the rights of workers, consumers, women and individuals who allege discrimination.
Edward M. Kennedy, Massachusetts: Seventh full term, 73. After saying he had an open mind on Alito, Kennedy has grown increasingly critical of the nominee. He has questioned Alito's rulings on privacy and disability rights, his commitment to civil rights and his explanations for why he participated in a court case involving Vanguard, in which Alito had invested hundreds of thousands of dollars. One of five Democrats who voted against Roberts in committee and on the Senate floor. Up for re-election in November.
Joseph R. Biden, Jr., Delaware: Six-term senator, 63. Former chairman who ran the confirmation hearings for Supreme Court Justices Anthony Kennedy, David H. Souter, Thomas, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Stephen G. Breyer and defeated nominee Robert Bork. Possible candidate for Democratic presidential nomination in 2008, two decades after a first unsuccessful run. Says the odds of a filibuster against Alito had increased because of Alito's assertions in a 20-year-old document that he had some disagreement with the one-man, one-vote principle established by the high court under Earl Warren. Voted against Roberts in committee and on the Senate floor.
Herbert Kohl, Wisconsin: Third-term senator, 70. Self-made millionaire. Ran family grocery and department store businesses before 1979 sale. Bought NBA's Milwaukee Bucks in 1985 to keep team in town. One of a dozen Democrats to vote for Bush's $1.35 trillion tax cut in 2001. Up for re-election in November.
Dianne Feinstein, California: Third term, 72. The lone female committee member. A former San Francisco mayor and moderate who sometimes sides with Republicans, though not on Roberts. She voted against him in committee and on the Senate floor. An abortion-rights supporter who questioned Roberts intently on the issue. Says she asked Alito in private about a 1985 document in which the then-Reagan administration lawyer said he was proud to help argue that "the Constitution does not protect a right to an abortion." Feinstein later said she believed Alito's explanation that he was an advocate then, but that he now interprets the law. Up for re-election in November.
Russell Feingold, Wisconsin: Third-term senator, 52. Best known as co-author, with Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., of McCain-Feingold campaign finance law limiting donations. Champion of tighter ethical standards for Congress. Provided only vote against Patriot Act. Member, with Roberts, of Harvard Law School class of 1979 but did not know him. After meeting privately with Alito, Feingold said he had asked and would pose additional questions about the Vanguard case.
Charles Schumer, New York: Second-term senator, 55. A leader of the party's opposition to Bush's judicial nominees. In charge of raising money for Democratic Senate candidates next year. Says Alito would make the court far more conservative." Says revelations that Alito urged the Reagan Justice Department to work for limitations on abortion instead of an outright repeal of Roe "cast serious doubt" on whether he can be objective about the rights to privacy and abortion. Voted against Roberts in committee and on the Senate floor.
Dick Durbin, Illinois: Second-term senator, 61. No. 2 Democrat in the Senate. Has led opposition to several of Bush's judicial nominees. Says Alito told him he saw a right to privacy in the Constitution. Says he'll question Alito about civil and women's rights, and that a decision on whether to try to block the nomination should come after the confirmation hearings. Voted against Roberts in committee and on the Senate floor.
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