Samuel Alito’s nomination hearing to the U.S. Supreme Court began Monday, and Sen. Sam Brownback, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, was in the thick of things.Human Events Online posted Brownback’s opening statement, in which the senator once again – without precisely using the term – urged the curbing of “activist” judges:”Seems like we’re back to an old debate; the role of the Courts. I believe you and others would realize that the role of the courts is limited….”This is the most fundamental of issues. And yet we’re back to discussing it because of the expanding role of the judiciary. “It may seem ironic, but the judicial branch preserves its legitimacy through refraining from action on political questions.”And Brownback said Alito shouldn’t be subjected to an idological test by Democrats interested in keeping Justice Sandra Day O’Connor’s seat out of the hands of conservatives:”Seats on the bench are not reserved for causes or interests they are given to those who will uphold the rule of law, so long as a nominee is well-qualified to interpret and apply the law. “This has long been the case with the Supreme Court. I want to note historically, its makeup has changed, just as the elected branches have changed. In fact, nearly half of the Justices 46 of 109 who have served on the Supreme Court replaced Justices appointed by a different political party. In recent years, even as the Court has become an increasingly political body, the Senate has not focused on preserving any perceived ideological balance when Democratic presidents made appointments to the Court.” ProLifeBlogs.com focuses on Brownback’s statement about the Roe V. Wade abortion statement: “…between 80 percent to 90 percent of the children in America diagnosed with Down’s Syndrome will be killed in the womb simply because they have a positive genetic test which can be wrong, and is often wrong, but they would have a positive genetic test for Down’s Syndrome and they will be killed.”America is poorer because of such a policy. We are at our best when we help the weakest. The weak make us strong. To kill them makes us all the poorer, insensitive, calloused and jaded.”The Washington Post includes Brownback’s remarks in its coverage here. The audio of Brownback’s opening remarks can be found here. And updated coverage of Brownback’s role in the Alito hearings can be found here.How to contact As always, you can find information to contact members of the Kansas congressional delegation here.