President Bill Clinton stands behind Ruth Bader Ginsburg as she is sworn-in to serve on the Supreme Court on Aug. 10, 1993.Photo:AP Photo/Barry Thumma

Supreme Court Chief Justice William Rehnquist, right, administers the oath to defend the Constitution to Ruth Bader Ginsburg as President Bill Clinton looks on in the East Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., Tuesday, Aug. 10, 1993

AP Photo/Barry Thumma

Thirty years ago, PresidentBill Clintonintroduced the world to his first Supreme Court nominee, then-D.C. Circuit JudgeRuth Bader Ginsburg, calling her a “path-breaking attorney” and “person of immense character” whom he trusted to approach the job with wisdom and fairness.

“When I appointed Ruth Bader Ginsburg to the Supreme Court, I knew it would be one of the most important decisions I would make in my presidency,” Clinton, 76, tells PEOPLE in a statement on the 30th anniversary of her swearing-in.

“I had reviewed dozens of candidates and carefully studied their records, and she stood out for her compelling life story, her landmark legal victories on behalf of women, and her unique combination of intelligence, rigorous analysis, and sense of humor,” he continues. “I interviewed her in the White House residence on a Sunday evening and I knew early in the conversation that she was the right person for the job.”

President Bill Clinton covers his eyes and laughs as Ruth Bader Ginsburg speaks in the Rose Garden of the White House after her Senate confirmation in August 1993.AP Photo/Dennis Cook

President Bill Clinton covers his eyes and laughs as Judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg talks to reporters in the Rose Garden of the White House on Tuesday, August 3, 1993

AP Photo/Dennis Cook

“Over the next 27 years on the Court, she far exceeded even my wildest hopes — advancing our rights and liberties, defending the Constitution, and making our union more perfect,” Clinton says. “Along the way, she became a cultural icon because people admired her brilliance, identified with her story, and appreciated the way she redefined what strength and power look like.”

Ginsburg earned a reputation for authoring passionate dissenting opinions and repeatedly defending human rights as it pertained to gender equality, abortion access and voting rights.

Former President Bill Clinton pays his respects as Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg lies in repose in front of the U.S. Supreme Court on Sept. 23, 2020.ALEX BRANDON/POOL/AFP via Getty

Former US President Bill Clinton pays his respects as Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg lies in repose in front of the US Supreme Court in Washington, DC on September 23, 2020.

ALEX BRANDON/POOL/AFP via Getty

Ginsburg overcame several bouts of cancer in the final decades of her life, rarely missing work amid treatments and sharing that she would not retire from the Supreme Court until she was unable to do her work.

On Sept. 18, 2020, still a sitting justice at the age of 87, Ginsburg died from complications of pancreatic cancer.

“On this 30th anniversary of her swearing in,” he says, “I’m giving thanks for her life and all that she did to move America forward.”

source: people.com