[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 110 (Monday, July 23, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5248-S5250]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                         Shooting in Aurora, CO

  Mr. President, I do plan on talking about a confirmation vote coming 
up

[[Page S5249]]

on the floor, but one can't address the public at-large on this day, so 
soon after a tragedy of enormous proportion, without taking just a few 
moments to discuss the events that took place in Aurora, CO, last 
Friday. The question arises: What do we do besides weep with these 
people? What do we do besides feel sad and see a gloom hanging over our 
country? What do we do about this? What do we want to do to prevent it 
in the future? That will be the test of the general character of this 
body and others in government.
  So many promising young lives were lost, changed forever. We see 
pictures of those who lost a loved one in our newspapers. It is 
heartbreaking just to look at those pictures. What I sense from my 
visits around New Jersey today and over the weekend is a certain 
kinship one feels with the people who are mourning the loss of a 
child--an 8-year-old--or a daughter or son, husband or wife. One feels 
a certain kinship. One can feel the sadness and it is depressing, and 
it is not the kind of characterization we would like to see for the 
United States and the young lives lost forever.
  But our duty in this body is not simply to mourn and offer our 
condolences. We want to do that. We want those families who lost 
someone to understand that we, in some strange way, join them in their 
mourning, but the best way to prove our sadness, the best way to prove 
we care is to take action to protect young, innocent lives. On that 
score, we don't rank very high.
  I remember so clearly the time in 1999 the pictures of young people 
at a high school, hanging out the window, imploring for help, imploring 
to be saved, heartbroken at what they were seeing and what they were 
feeling. So we have to do something more.
  The gun laws on the books are outdated, and we even have let key 
protections expire. It is tragic. In the coming days, I am sure, some 
of my colleagues and I will be discussing specific measures, 
commonsense measures, because when it comes to our gun laws, we need to 
act before another outburst of gun violence overtakes us with the 
terrible consequences that brings.
  Around here we have opportunities to do great things, and I have one 
of those, I believe, today--an opportunity that I take with great 
pleasure--to come to the floor to strongly endorse Judge Michael Shipp 
for a position on the U.S. District Court for the District of New 
Jersey.
  Judge Shipp brings an impressive background to the bench. To start, 
he was born in Paterson, NJ, as was I. It is a city of significant 
poverty and difficulty, but he rose from humble beginnings in Paterson 
to graduate from Rutgers University and Seton Hall Law School, two of 
New Jersey's fine educational institutions.
  Judge Shipp has dedicated his career to our justice system, and he 
spent much of it in public service. I learned so much about him in my 
meeting with him. Not only does he bring a sincerity about wanting to 
do what is right, but he has the knowledge and the sensitivity that 
will make him a terrific district court judge.
  He began his career as a law clerk to a New Jersey Supreme Court 
justice, James H. Coleman, Jr. He then served in the office of New 
Jersey's attorney general, where he developed not only a thorough legal 
expertise but also real leadership acumen. As counsel to the attorney 
general, he oversaw 10,000 employees, including 800 attorneys. For more 
than a decade, Judge Shipp has taught our State's students as an 
adjunct law professor at Seton Hall University.
  Since 2007, he has served our city and our Nation as a U.S. 
magistrate judge in the district court. In this capacity, he has 
conducted proceedings in both civil and criminal cases and has included 
rulings on motions, issuing recommendations to district court judges, 
and performing district court judge duties in cases with magistrate 
jurisdiction. With this experience, Judge Shipp is going to be well 
prepared to serve on the district court.
  The law, our constitution, are the greatest denominators of our 
democracy, and the judges are the faithful stewards to protect these 
precious guidelines of our society. That is why, as a Senator, I 
consider it a sacred duty, given by the Constitution, to carefully 
select judicial nominees and to provide the President with advice and 
consent.
  Our faith in the legal system depends on the just application of the 
law as it is soundly written law. Judge Shipp has served New Jersey 
extraordinarily well, he is eminently qualified, and his broad 
experience will prepare him well for his new role. I have no doubt he 
will continue his excellence as a judge on the U.S. district court.
  The success of our democracy depends on all our citizens receiving 
equal and just representation before the law. As leaders in our 
judicial system, judges hold that equality and justice in their hands. 
It means they must be fair-minded, honorable, and humble. I am 
confident Judge Shipp is going to make a terrific judge. He is highly 
qualified to meet this challenge, and I urge my colleagues to support 
this confirmation.
  With that, I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from New Jersey.
  Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that I be 
recognized for 4 minutes; that following my 4 minutes, the 
distinguished Senator from Iowa, the ranking member of the Judiciary 
Committee, be recognized for 6 minutes.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, I rise to strongly support the 
nomination of Judge Michael Shipp for the U.S. District Court for the 
District of New Jersey.
  All of us in New Jersey, everyone who has dealt with him, everyone 
who knows him is very familiar with Judge Shipp's strong qualifications 
and reputation for excellence. He is an exceptional candidate for the 
Federal bench--an accomplished jurist with impressive credentials.
  I recommended Judge Shipp to President Obama, and I urge all my 
colleagues in the Senate to support his nomination, as the Judiciary 
Committee did.
  With almost 5 years' experience as a Federal magistrate judge for the 
District of New Jersey, he is well prepared to assume a seat as a 
Federal district judge. As a magistrate, he has successfully managed 
significant and complex cases. On occasion, he has served as the 
district court judge in cases with magistrate jurisdiction.
  The first 8 years of his distinguished legal career were spent in the 
litigation department at the law firm of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher 
& Flom. In 2003, he turned to public service to give something back to 
the community as an assistant attorney general for consumer protection 
in the Office of the Attorney General of New Jersey, where he honed his 
expertise in consumer fraud, insurance fraud, and securities fraud 
cases.
  Judge Shipp clearly excelled. He was twice promoted within the 
office, first as a liaison to the attorney general and second as 
counsel to the attorney general. As counsel, he was in charge, in 
essence, of day-to-day operations of the Department of Law and Public 
Safety, a department with over 10,000 employees and 800 attorneys.
  An accomplished jurist, an experienced prosecutor, a dedicated public 
servant, and an effective administrator and manager as well, that is 
Michael Shipp. It is what all of us in New Jersey have known him to be.
  Judge Shipp has not stayed on the sidelines. Even with a full plate, 
he has been deeply involved in the legal community in helping address 
the profession's needs and concerns. He held a leadership role with the 
New Jersey State Bar Association and is actively involved with the 
Garden State Bar Association, which is the association of African-
American lawyers.
  As a faculty member of Seton Hall University's School of Law's Summer 
Institute for Pre-Legal Studies, he helped disadvantaged students 
develop their interest in the law, and he served on the faculty of the 
New Jersey Attorney General's Advocacy Institute, which ensures that 
attorneys representing the State of New Jersey maintain the highest 
possible levels of professionalism.
  Judge Shipp is also a very proud New Jerseyan--part of the 
community--with deep roots in the State. A native of Paterson, he grew 
up and has lived in New Jersey all his life. He earned his degrees from 
Rutgers, the State university, and Seton Hall University School of Law. 
After graduating, he

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went on to clerk for the Honorable James Coleman, a former justice on 
the New Jersey Supreme Court.
  To put it simply, Michael Shipp will be an extraordinary district 
court judge for the District of New Jersey. He is a man of honor, 
principle, and he possesses an excellent judicial temperament, has 
extraordinary legal experience, and a deep and abiding commitment to 
the rule of law.
  I have full confidence he will serve the people of New Jersey and the 
country with all the dignity, fairness, and honor he has shown 
throughout his extraordinary career. We are lucky to have a nominee of 
his caliber, and I wholeheartedly urge the full Senate to vote to 
confirm Judge Shipp to the District of New Jersey.
  I am thrilled we are actually going to do a confirmation vote and not 
a cloture vote and I appreciate those who made that possible.
  With that, I yield the floor to my distinguished colleague from Iowa.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Iowa.