Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor, is greeted by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., center, and the committee's ranking Republican Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., right, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, July 16, 2009, prior to appearing for the fourth day of her confirmation hearing before the committee. Her mother Celina Sotomayor is at left, her brother Juan Sotomayor is second from left. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)AP – Republicans cleared the way Thursday for a Senate vote next month to confirm Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor, placing her firmly in line to become the first Hispanic justice.