[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 127 (Monday, September 8, 2014)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5364-S5365]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           EXECUTIVE SESSION

                                 ______
                                 

 NOMINATION OF JILL A. PRYOR TO BE UNITED STATES CIRCUIT JUDGE FOR THE 
                            ELEVENTH CIRCUIT

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the Senate will 
proceed to executive session to consider the following nomination, 
which the clerk will report.
  The assistant legislative clerk read the nomination of Jill A. Pryor, 
of Georgia, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Eleventh Circuit.
  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, today we will finally vote on the 
confirmation of Jill Pryor of Georgia to fill a judicial emergency 
vacancy on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit. Her 
nomination has been pending in the Senate since February 2012--more 
than two and one-half years, which is longer than any other currently 
pending judicial nominee. She received the American Bar Association's 
highest rating of unanimously well qualified and has the support of 
both of her Republican home State Senators--Senator Chambliss and 
Senator Isakson. Rather than vote to confirm her before the August 
recess, some Senate Republicans continued their senseless obstruction 
to keep the Senate from fulfilling its constitutional duty of advice 
and consent by filibustering her nomination for the sake of delay.
  Despite this unyielding partisan strategy, the Senate has made great 
strides to fill vacancies on courts around the Nation. This year the 
Senate has confirmed 61 nominees to the circuit and district courts and 
in doing so, it has hit an historic milestone for diversity on the 
Federal appeals courts. More women and people of color are serving on 
the Federal appellate bench than ever before. Today I am happy that we 
will add to this laudable record with yet another well-qualified 
nominee.
  From the outset, President Obama has understood that our Federal 
courts should reflect the diverse communities that it serves. He has 
nominated more women and more lawyers of color than any previous 
President in American history. Since the first day of the Obama 
administration, former Senate staffer Christopher Kang has worked with 
home State Senators to implement President Obama's goal of finding 
judicial nominees who not only embody the necessary integrity, 
intellect, and commitment to the rule of law, but who are also drawn 
from diverse backgrounds. I urge my fellow Senators to vote to confirm 
Jill Pryor of Georgia and to agree to votes on the remaining district 
court judges on the calendar without delay.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is, Will the Senate advise and 
consent to the nomination of Jill A. Pryor, of Georgia, to be United 
States Circuit Judge for the Eleventh Circuit?
  Mr. CHAMBLISS. Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second?
  There appears to be a sufficient second.
  The clerk will call the roll.
  Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from New York (Mrs. 
Gillibrand) is necessarily absent.
  Mr. CORNYN. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the 
Senator from Missouri (Mr. Blunt) and the Senator from Alaska (Ms. 
Murkowski).
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Donnelly). Are there any other Senators in 
the Chamber desiring to vote?
  The result was announced--yeas 97, nays 0, as follows:

                      [Rollcall Vote No. 257 Ex.]

                                YEAS--97

     Alexander
     Ayotte
     Baldwin
     Barrasso
     Begich
     Bennet
     Blumenthal
     Booker
     Boozman
     Boxer
     Brown
     Burr
     Cantwell
     Cardin
     Carper
     Casey
     Chambliss
     Coats
     Coburn
     Cochran
     Collins
     Coons
     Corker
     Cornyn
     Crapo
     Cruz
     Donnelly
     Durbin
     Enzi
     Feinstein
     Fischer
     Flake
     Franken
     Graham
     Grassley
     Hagan
     Harkin
     Hatch
     Heinrich
     Heitkamp
     Heller
     Hirono
     Hoeven
     Inhofe
     Isakson
     Johanns
     Johnson (SD)
     Johnson (WI)
     Kaine
     King
     Kirk
     Klobuchar
     Landrieu
     Leahy
     Lee
     Levin
     Manchin
     Markey
     McCain
     McCaskill
     McConnell
     Menendez
     Merkley
     Mikulski
     Moran
     Murphy
     Murray
     Nelson
     Paul
     Portman
     Pryor
     Reed
     Reid
     Risch
     Roberts
     Rockefeller
     Rubio
     Sanders
     Schatz
     Schumer
     Scott
     Sessions
     Shaheen
     Shelby
     Stabenow
     Tester
     Thune
     Toomey
     Udall (CO)
     Udall (NM)
     Vitter
     Walsh
     Warner
     Warren
     Whitehouse
     Wicker
     Wyden

                             NOT VOTING--3

     Blunt
     Gillibrand
     Murkowski
  The nomination was confirmed.

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