[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 145 (Wednesday, September 11, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Page S5435]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                           EXECUTIVE CALENDAR

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the next nomination.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk read the nomination of 
Stephanie A. Gallagher, of Maryland, to be United States District Judge 
for the District of Maryland.
  Thereupon, the Senate proceeded to consider the nomination.
  Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I rise today to urge the Senate to confirm 
the nomination of Stephanie Gallagher of Maryland to be a U.S. District 
Judge for the District of Maryland. This is a noncontroversial 
nomination which the Senate should be able to confirm in short order.
  Judge Stephanie Gallagher brings tremendous experience to the 
courtroom as a sitting U.S. magistrate judge in Baltimore, as well as 
being a former prosecutor, private law firm attorney, and judicial law 
clerk. Her strong roots in the Maryland legal community, tremendous 
understanding and respect for the rule of law, and willingness to 
volunteer her time in service outside the courtroom make her an 
exceptional nominee. I was pleased to recommend Judge Gallagher's 
nomination to President Trump, along with Senator Van Hollen.
  I must note for my colleagues that I originally recommended Judge 
Gallagher's nomination to President Obama along with Senator Mikulski, 
back in 2015, given the impending retirement of Judge William Quarles 
in 2016. Judge Gallagher's nomination has actually been favorably 
recommended by the Judiciary Committee on three separate occasions, in 
2016, 2018, and now in 2019. Most recently, on June 20, 2019, the 
Judiciary Committee favorably recommended Judge Gallagher to the full 
Senate for confirmation by a vote of 21-1.
  I want to thank Senator Van Hollen for working with me to ensure we 
seek out the best attorneys in our State for Federal judicial 
vacancies, which are lifetime appointments and one of the most 
important obligations we have as U.S. Senators. We have recommended 
judicial nominations to the President that have made Marylanders proud 
of our Federal courts.
  Stephanie Gallagher, of Baltimore, MD, has been a U.S. magistrate 
judge in Baltimore since April 2011. As a magistrate judge, Judge 
Gallagher works closely on a daily basis with district court judges, 
the very position she has been nominated for today. In her current 
position as a magistrate judge, Judge Gallagher convenes settlement 
conferences, resolves discovery disputes, and prepares reports and 
recommendations on dispositive motions. With the consent of the 
parties, Judge Gallagher can take jurisdiction over civil cases. In 
consent cases, she becomes the presiding judge, making all rulings in 
the case and overseeing the trial. In this capacity, she has presided 
over civil bench and jury trials. She has served as the criminal duty 
judge on a rotating basis with her colleagues, where she presides over 
preliminary proceedings in felony cases and handles misdemeanor cases, 
including those occurring at Federal military installations in 
Maryland.
  Previously, Judge Gallagher was a partner and cofounder at Levin & 
Gallagher LLC, now Levin & Curlett, for 3 years, served as an Assistant 
U.S. Attorney in Baltimore for 6 years, and was a litigation associate 
at Akin Gump in Washington, DC, for 2 years. She practiced in a wide 
variety of legal issues, including complex civil litigation, employment 
disputes, constitutional issues, criminal defense, and criminal 
prosecution.
  Judge Gallagher began her legal career as a law clerk for then-Chief 
Judge J. Frederick Motz of the U.S. District Court for the District of 
Maryland from 1997 to 1999. She received her J.D. in 1997 from Harvard 
Law School, graduating cum laude, and received her B.S. in government 
from Georgetown University in 1994, graduating magna cum laude.
  The Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts has declared this 
Maryland seat as a judicial emergency, based on the length of the 
vacancy and the caseload of the court.
  Judge Gallagher was given the rating of unanimously well qualified by 
the American Bar Association's Standing Committee on the Federal 
Judiciary, which is their highest possible rating.
  Judge Gallagher brings tremendous experience and credentials to the 
courtroom as a sitting U.S. Magistrate Judge in Baltimore, as well as 
being a former prosecutor, private law firm attorney, and judicial law 
clerk. Her strong roots in the Maryland legal community and fantastic 
understanding and respect for the rule of law make her an exceptional 
nominee. I was pleased to recommend Judge Gallagher's nomination to 
both President Obama and President Trump. I am confident that she will 
serve the people of Maryland extremely well once she is finally 
confirmed for this lifetime appointment as a U.S. District Judge for 
the District of Maryland.
  I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this nomination and confirm 
Judge Gallagher.
  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. President, I rise today in strong support of the 
confirmation of Judge Stephanie Gallagher to serve as a Federal judge 
for the U.S. District Court of Maryland. Judge Gallagher has an 
impressive legal background and has provided years of service to the 
State of Maryland.
  She is currently a U.S. magistrate in Maryland having served in this 
capacity since 2011. Moreover, she has occupied the position of 
Assistant U.S. Attorney office for the State of Maryland. Finally, she 
clerked for the Honorable J. Frederick Motz, a Judge in Maryland's 
Federal district court.
  Judge Gallagher has been lauded repeatedly as a rising star, as one 
of Maryland's Super Lawyers, and has received a number of awards and 
commendations from a number of Federal agencies.
  Moreover, she has strong academic credentials having graduated from 
Harvard Law School, J.D. cum laude. I cannot think of anyone more 
qualified to occupy this critical position at this important time and 
am grateful for her nomination and the Senate's overwhelming support 
for her confirmation to serve as a Judge in Maryland's Federal District 
Court.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is, Will the Senate advise and 
consent to the Gallagher nomination?
  The nomination was confirmed.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Wyoming.