Roberts Approved by Senate Judiciary Committee

The Senate Judiciary Committee today approved the nomination of John Roberts as the next Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court.

Three Democrats voted with ten Republicans in a vote of 13-5.

Five Democrats -- Senators Dianne Feinstein of California, Joseph Biden of Delaware, Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts, Charles Schumer of New York and Dick Durbin of Ilinois voted against his nomination.

Republicans who voted yes:

Sen. Arlen Specter, Pennsylvania
Sen. Orrin G. Hatch, Utah
Sen. Charles Grassley, Iowa
Sen. Jon Kyl, Arizona
Sen. Mike DeWine, Ohio
Sen. Jeff Sessions, Alabama
Sen. Lindsey Graham, S. Carolina
Sen. John Cornyn, Texas
Sen. Sam Brownback, Kansas
Sen. Tom Coburn, Oklahoma

Democrats who voted yes:

Sen. Patrick Leahy, Vermont
Sen. Herbert Kohl, Wisconsin
Sen. Russ Feingold, Wisconsin

Democrats who voted no:

Sen. Edward Kennedy, Massachusetts
Sen. Joseph Biden, Delaware
Sen. Dianne Feinstein, California
Sen. Charles Schumer, New York
Sen. Richard Durbin, Illinois