[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 6 (Monday, January 11, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Pages S17-S19]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                   Tribute to Officer Jesse Hartnett

  Mr. President, I wish to briefly address one other item this evening 
before I yield the floor. I want to speak about the appalling shooting 
that occurred in Philadelphia just last Thursday evening when a shooter 
attempted to assassinate a police officer in the name of ISIS on the 
streets of Philadelphia. The shooter wasn't counting on the amazing 
bravery of Philadelphia Police Officer Jesse Hartnett.
  It was late, about 11:30 at night on Thursday, and apparently a man 
waved down Jesse Hartnett as he was driving along in his police 
cruiser. Officer Hartnett stopped the cruiser. The man walked over as 
if to ask for directions, and instead, out of the blue, he started 
firing shots at pointblank range into the driver's side window at 
Officer Hartnett. He kept walking up to the car. As he walked, he kept 
shooting. At one point he actually had his arm, with the gun, inside 
the window of the car and was still shooting. In total, the shooter 
fired 13 shots.
  Cameras that happened to be in that area captured the incident. It is 
absolutely amazing that Officer Hartnett managed to survive. It is 
amazing. But he didn't just survive. He jumped out of his patrol car. 
He had been hit three times and was very seriously injured. His arm was 
bleeding profusely. He got out of his car and chased down the shooter. 
He shot and wounded the would-be killer, and because of his heroic 
action while literally under fire, the shooter was apprehended.
  This is an amazing example of true grit, and the people of 
Pennsylvania couldn't be more proud of Officer Hartnett. Our prayers 
are certainly with Officer Hartnett and his family. He has a very 
difficult recovery ahead of him. He has already had one surgery. My 
understanding is that he has undergone a second surgery today, or is in 
the process of undergoing that surgery. The

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doctors are trying to save his arm, which was badly injured.
  I want to be clear about this. What happened that Thursday night was 
an act of terrorism. It was an act of terrorism inspired by violent 
Islamic extremism. The shooter reportedly declared that he had pledged 
his allegiance to the Islamic State. He said that he was targeting 
police officers because he believes that the police are defending and 
enforcing laws that are contrary to the Koran, and the shooter himself 
said that he acted in the name of Islam and the Islamic State.
  We don't know for sure yet whether the shooter has direct personal 
ties to ISIS abroad, but the FBI has reported that the shooter traveled 
to Saudi Arabia in 2011 and then went to Egypt for several months in 
2012. Regardless of what he was doing over there or what his purpose 
was, we should make no mistake; this was an act of terrorism just as 
the shootings at Fort Hood and San Bernardino were.
  Let me be abundantly clear. I think everyone obviously knows that 
this cop killer--this would-be cop killer--doesn't represent all 
Muslims. No one would suggest that, but he does represent a terrible 
strain of violent Islamic extremism, a strain that has amassed millions 
of dollars, has followers all around the planet, and is, in fact, at 
war with America.
  ISIS and the violent Islamic extremists that are followers of ISIS 
pose a very serious threat to America. We have seen this repeatedly 
now, including in my home State of Pennsylvania in the City of 
Philadelphia. We are very fortunate. We have incredibly courageous law 
enforcement officers, such as Officer Hartnett, protecting us, but we 
shouldn't in any way diminish the magnitude and gravity of this threat.
  I commend Officer Jesse Hartnett for his bravery. To Officer Hartnett 
and his family, please know that the people of Pennsylvania are behind 
you, thinking of you, and praying for a full and speedy recovery.
  With that, I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Pennsylvania.
  Mr. CASEY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to speak on the 
nomination.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. CASEY. Mr. President, I rise to offer some remarks about the vote 
we are going to cast on Judge Restrepo, which Senator Toomey spoke to 
earlier, and I thank him for his work on this nomination.
  We are finally at the point where we are voting, and we are grateful 
for that opportunity. Senator Toomey has noted and I know others are 
aware of Judge Restrepo's qualifications. I will highlight a few, some 
of it by way of reiteration.
  I will start with the story itself. This is a great American story. 
An individual came to this country from Colombia and, through hard work 
and the benefit of a great education, has risen to the point of being a 
member of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of 
Pennsylvania. Upon a positive confirmation vote, he will be a member of 
the Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, the second highest Federal 
court in the land, just below the Supreme Court.
  Judge Restrepo is a 1986 graduate of Tulane University Law School. He 
graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1981 with a degree in 
economics and international relations. As I said, he has served as a 
member of the U.S. district court in Philadelphia, which pretty much 
covers the eastern half of our State. We have a Middle District and a 
Western District. He is a judge in one of the three districts. He 
started there in June of 2013, so his nomination to the appeals court 
was a rapid rise in the Federal judiciary. Before being on the district 
court, he served as a U.S. magistrate judge from June of 2006 until his 
appointment to the U.S. district court.
  I believe all of the other information is already in the Record, but 
I want to reiterate what I said before and what I know Senator Toomey 
has said. This nominee is qualified by way of experience, intellect, 
and education, but maybe the most important thing is by way of 
integrity. He is someone who has the character to serve on the 
appellate court after serving with distinction on the U.S. district 
court.
  With that, I yield the floor.
  Mr. BOOKER. Mr. President, today I wish to support the nomination of 
Judge Luis F. Restrepo, the President's nominee for appointment on the 
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.
  Filling a vacancy on the third circuit is important to New Jerseyans. 
Because only a handful of cases each year reach the Supreme Court, 
circuit courts often have the final word in the vast majority of 
Federal cases. That means, for most of my constituents who bring cases 
in Federal courts, the buck stops with the third circuit.
  The third circuit currently has two judicial vacancies. The vacant 
seat that President nominated Judge Restrepo to fill has been declared 
a judicial emergency. That means it has a very heavy caseload. In fact 
the third circuit has more than 900 weighted filings per judgeship. 
Filling a vacancy on that important Federal appellate court will lower 
the caseload burden and ensure access to justice for more Americans.
  Judge Restrepo is a well-qualified individual. There is no question 
about that. He has over 10 years of experience on the Federal bench. In 
fact the Senate unanimously confirmed him to serve as a Federal 
district judge for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Prior to that, 
he served as a Federal magistrate judge. As a member of the Federal 
bench, he has presided over 56 trials that have gone to verdict or 
judgement.
  He has a wealth of experience in both public service and private 
practice. He was a founding member of a Philadelphia law firm, where he 
practiced both criminal defense and civil rights litigation. He served 
as an assistant Federal defender with the Community Federal Defender 
for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and an assistant defender for 
the Defender Association of Philadelphia. He has relevant experience in 
both criminal and civil law, which will serve him well as a Federal 
appellate judge.
  Judge Restrepo has excellent legal credentials. He earned his 
undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania and his law 
degree from Tulane University Law School.
  The work of a Federal appellate judge can often be academic as the 
job requires a judge to address legal issues of first impression. Judge 
Restrepo has more than two decades of teaching experience at both the 
University of Pennsylvania Law School and Temple University James E. 
Beasley School of Law. He also taught with the National Institute for 
Trial Advocacy. In addition, he has written numerous articles appearing 
in a variety of national legal publications.
  He has dedicated his time to public service and to bettering his 
community. He is the former president of the Hispanic Bar Association 
of Pennsylvania. He served on the board of directors for the Defender 
Association of Philadelphia and the Make-A-Wish Foundation of 
Philadelphia and Susquehanna Valley. As a Federal judge, he has also 
participated in a reentry program to assist people recently released 
from federal custody to reenter the community and become productive 
citizens.
  I believe he has a wealth of relevant experience and a strong legal 
background. Other Senators share my confidence in Judge Restrepo. He 
has the bipartisan support from both Pennsylvania Senators and was 
voted out of the Judiciary Committee by a unanimous voice vote.
  Judge Restrepo's confirmation is also historic. He will be the first 
Latino judge from Pennsylvania to serve on the third circuit and only 
the second Latino to sit on that court. He also has the strong 
endorsement of the Hispanic National Bar Association. According to that 
distinguished organization, Judge Restrepo's ``integrity, knowledge of 
the law, breadth of professional experience, and intellectual capacity 
make him well suited to sit as a federal appellate judge.'' I could not 
agree more.
  I urge my colleagues to confirm Judge Restrepo to the third circuit 
today.
  Thank you.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Florida.
  Mr. NELSON. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that I may be 
recognized as in morning business.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. NELSON. Mr. President, I also ask unanimous consent that I be 
able

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to display on the Senate floor these two vials of liquid nicotine to 
tell what just passed.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.