Samuel A. Alito Jr., of New Jersey, was confirmed by the Senate as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, replacing Sandra Day O'Connor. Alito served as Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and had been U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey. NOW opposed confirmation because of Alito's extensive record of more than 300 decisions and writings which indicate that he would narrow many of the civil rights, environmental and employment protections passed by the Congress. Alito, while working for Ronald Reagan, suggested a long term judicial strategy to gradually overturn Roe v. Wade, and he has further attempted to dismantle the Family and Medical Leave Act, and has disregarded claims of discrimination in classrroom and workplace settings. Also, Alito wrote a very troubling dissenting opinion in Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey (1992) in which he voted to uphold a spousal notification requirement before a woman can have an abortion. The confirmation of Alito signals a distinct change in the Supreme Court's direction in cases pertaining to women's rights. The crucial vote on this nomination was the cloture vote, which passed. A vote against confirmation was correct.