The appointment of a Supreme Court Justice is an event of major significance in American politics. Each appointment is important because of the enormous judicial power the Supreme Court exercises as the highest appellate court in the federal judiciary. Appointments are usually infrequent, as a vacancy on the nine-member Court may occur only once or twice, or never at all, during a particular President's years in office. Under the Constitution, Justices on the Supreme Court received lifetime appointments. This book reviews the procedure for appointing a Supreme Court Justice.

In the last few years, the U.S. has considered bilateral and regional free trade areas (FTAs) with a number of trading partners. FTAs could raise some important policy issues if the 111th Congress considers implementing legislation as it monitors ongoing negotiations as part of its oversight responsibilities. This book examines the complex issues of trade policy in a rapidly changing economic landscape, the issues that the 111th Congress faces in the political and economic context in which these issues are being debated, and the future form and role of trade policy.