[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 98 (Monday, June 28, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5479-S5480]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   NOMINATION OF GARY SCOTT FEINERMAN

  Mr. BURRIS. Madam President, very shortly, we are going to be voting 
on a judicial nomination. I come before this body to bring my thoughts 
on that action.
  As a lawyer, as a former attorney general for the State of Illinois, 
I consider it a great privilege to evaluate and confirm nominees to the 
bench. The constitutional power of advise and consent is one this 
Senate must exercise with discretion. It determines the makeup of our 
judicial branch and helps preserve the principle of equal justice under 
law.
  That is why I have come to the floor today in support of Gary Scott 
Feinerman, President Obama's nominee to become a judge for the Northern 
District Court of Illinois.
  Gary is an Illinois native and a graduate of both Yale and Stanford 
Universities. Over the past two decades, he has worked extensively in 
private practice--most recently for Sidley Austin, the respected 
Chicago law firm. He has served in the public sector, as well as a 
clerk to the U.S. Supreme Court and counsel at the Department of 
Justice.
  From 2003 to 2007, he was Solicitor General of the State of Illinois. 
That is the person who argues the cases on behalf of the attorney 
general before the highest court, whether in Illinois or in the Nation. 
He held that position with distinction, proving his commitment to the 
highest ideals of fairness and justice.
  Time and again over the years, Gary Feinerman has demonstrated his 
competence in the legal profession. His training is without equal. His 
experience is second to none. That is why I am proud to support his 
nomination to the Northern District Court of the State of Illinois.
  We must demand the very best of our public officials, especially 
those who are entrusted with lifetime appointments on the Federal 
bench.
  These fine men and women are charged with interpreting a body of law 
that is constantly evolving. They must navigate a treacherous 
landscape, full of gray areas, to arrive at sound legal truth. The 
answers are seldom easy, but I have confidence in Gary Feinerman's 
ability to rise to this challenge. At every stage, he has proven his 
considerable intellect and his passion for the law. I am proud to join 
the President in calling for his swift confirmation. I ask my 
colleagues to join me in pledging to afford the nominee with a fair and 
timely vote to confirm him to the bench.
  This body has a crowded legislative calendar in the months ahead, but 
cases have piled up in the Northern District of Illinois, and every 
single day more judicial nominees await as vacancies remain unfilled. 
Even as we consider Mr. Feinerman's confirmation today, another 
Illinois nominee, Judge Sharon Johnson-Coleman, awaits a similar up-or-
down vote. We need to rise to our constitutional duty and vote on these 
nominees. We must waste no more time in allowing this fine public 
servant to get to work.
  Let's put our judges to work. Let's confirm Mr. Feinerman now.
  Madam President, I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Illinois.
  Mr. DURBIN. Madam President, first, I wish to thank the Senator from 
Montana for allowing me to make some brief remarks, and then I will 
turn to him.
  I join my colleague, Senator Burris, in asking my colleagues on both 
sides of the aisle to vote in just a few moments on the nomination of 
Gary Feinerman to be U.S. district court judge for the Northern 
District of Illinois.
  Gary Feinerman is one of the brightest lights in the Chicago legal 
community. He is a partner at one of Chicago's oldest and largest law 
firms, Sidley Austin, where he specializes in litigation and appellate 
work. Before that, he served as Illinois' solicitor general and 
represented our State in many very valuable and important appeals. He 
won five ``Best Brief'' awards from the National Association of 
Attorneys General, and he has argued cases before the U.S. Supreme 
Court and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, as well as 
the Illinois Supreme Court. Earlier in his career, Mr. Feinerman worked 
at the Chicago law firm of Mayer Brown and in the Justice Department's 
Office of Policy Development. He served as law clerk for Supreme Court 
Justice Anthony Kennedy and for Seventh Circuit Judge Joel Flaum. He is 
a leader in the Chicago legal community. He is the president of the 
Appellate Lawyers Association of our State and serves on Chicago's 
Constitutional Rights Foundation and the Midwest chapter of the Anti-
Defamation League. He has also had a very active pro bono practice, 
which speaks well of his commitment as a professional.
  Mr. Feinerman's academic record is also impressive. He graduated from 
Yale and Stanford Law School, where he finished second in his class. 
Not surprisingly, he received the highest possible rating of ``well-
qualified'' from the American Bar Association for this commitment.
  We currently have six--six--vacancies in the Northern District of 
Illinois. We need to fill them quickly so that we don't slow down the 
process of justice. I hope the Senate will confirm Gary Feinerman today 
and move very quickly to Justice Sharon Coleman, who is also on the 
calendar. Mr. Feinerman will be an excellent judge, and Judge Coleman 
will join him, with the blessing of the Senate, to start to fill these 
important vacancies.
  Madam President, I yield the floor and again thank my colleague from 
Montana.
  Mr. TESTER. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent to speak as in 
morning business for 5 minutes.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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