[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 111 (Tuesday, June 16, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2981-S2982]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    NOMINATION OF JUSTIN REED WALKER

  Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, this week, like most weeks for a 
month and a half now, has brought a study in contrasts to the U.S. 
Capitol. Over in the Democratic-led House of Representatives, the 
lights are off. The doors are locked. There is nobody home.
  With our country facing a once-in-a-century pandemic, a historic 
economic disruption, a major discussion of racial justice, and all of 
the other important business we were already set to tackle this year 
before all of this, the Speaker of the House has mostly kept her 
Chamber on the longest running spring break in human history--lots of 
talk about supposed priorities but few votes; lots of partisan attacks 
leveled at the Republicans from a distance but little action. Over here 
in the Senate, the story has been very different. We are holding 
hearings. We are legislating. We are confirming nominees. With 
precautions, we are manning our posts for the country.
  Tomorrow, the Senate will begin considering the President's 
nomination of Judge Justin Walker to fill a vacancy on the DC Circuit--
the second most important Federal bench in the country.
  As my fellow Kentuckians and I can attest, Judge Walker is exactly 
the kind of individual our country deserves

[[Page S2982]]

to have in such a role. He graduated from Duke summa cum laude and then 
from Harvard Law magna cum laude. He clerked on the DC Circuit himself 
for an impressive young judge named Brett Kavanaugh and then on the 
Supreme Court.
  He has built a national reputation as a leading academic scholar of 
the law. It is no wonder that even the ABA rates him ``well 
qualified.'' He has quickly made a name for himself as a district 
judge.
  A few weeks ago, when the mayor of Louisville tried to cancel drive-
in Easter services with disparate restrictions that did not apply 
equally to other parking lots, Judge Walker won national attention for 
his eloquent defense of religious liberty. This subject becomes more 
important by the day. The American people deserve to have strong 
respect for their First Amendment rights, including their rights of 
religious exercise and conscience, on one of our country's highest 
courts. So I look forward to continuing to detail our Kentucky pride 
for Judge Walker as this week unfolds, and I will take great pride in 
voting to advance his nomination and to confirm him.

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