The House of Representatives had initiated impeachment proceedings against Nixon in May 1974, voting to impeach twenty-seven to eleven on a charge of obstruction of justice. He then lost the U.S. Supreme Court case in July 1974. Facing full impeachment in the Senate, Nixon resigned on August 9, 1974. Nixon told the American public: “I have concluded that because of the Watergate matter I might not have the support of Congress that I would consider necessary to back the very difficult decisions and carry out the duties of this office in the way I believe the interests of this nation require.” He added that “the nation needs a full-time President.”