The US Senate Judiciary Committee will begin hearings Monday, July 13, for the confirmation of Judge Sonia Sotomayor as President Barack Obama’s appointee to the United States Supreme Court.

Here are some facts about Judge Sotomayor:

- Born June 25, 1954; New York, N.Y.

- Daughter to Puerto Rican parents and raised in South Bronx

- Educated in Catholic grammar and high schools

- Father died when she was young

- Married and divorced during college years; no children

- Took her undergraduate degree from Princeton University (1976)

- Took her law degree from Yale Law School (1979)

- Career: assistant district attorney, New York County, 1979-84; private practice, New York City, 1984-92; judge, US District Court, Southern District of New York, 1992-98; judge, US Court of Appeals for Second Circuit, 1998-present.

- Appointed to federal bench by presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton

- Past board member of abortion-friendly group in New York with historic ties to Planned Parenthood founder Margaret Sanger

- Has made no public comments about abortion, but former colleague “guarantees” she’ll back “abortion rights”

- Ruled in favor of federal government pro-life policies during George W. Bush presidential administration

- Is NOT first Hispanic named to high appellate court; that was President Bush’s unsuccessful nominee Miguel Estrada

- IS first Hispanic woman nominated to the highest court

Faith and Action IS NOT taking a position for or against this nominee. Instead, we are praying truth will prevail in the confirmation process and God’s people will make their feelings about it known to their two US senators before a vote is cast.

Stay with us throughout the confirmation hearing and voting process by watching our website, www.faithandaction.org, and on Twitter, Facebook and MySpace!