[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 184 (Wednesday, October 20, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Page S7098]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                Nomination of Catherine Elizabeth Lhamon

  Mrs. MURRAY. I come to the floor today to support strongly the 
confirmation of Catherine Lhamon to serve as Assistant Secretary for 
Civil Rights at the Department of Education.
  She is extremely qualified for this role. In fact, she has served in 
it before. In 2013, Ms. Lhamon was confirmed to the same role by voice 
vote. During her past tenure, she demonstrated her commitment to 
students across the country as she worked to combat sexual assault on 
college campuses, protect transgender students, reduce the use of 
seclusion and restraint, reduce disparities in school discipline based 
on a student's race or disability, and enforce civil rights laws to 
protect students.
  Unfortunately, the previous administration took major steps backwards 
when it came to supporting and protecting students--for example, by 
significantly reducing efforts to enforce civil rights protections and 
rescinding important policies to address campus sexual assault.
  Now, as we know, the pandemic has also done serious damage and 
worsened deep-seated inequities for students whose families earn low 
incomes, students of color, English learners, and students with 
disabilities.
  We have a lot of work ahead to fix this and help our schools rebuild 
stronger and fairer, which is why I am especially glad to see Secretary 
Cardona and President Biden working so hard to right the wrongs of the 
last administration and support our schools through this pandemic.
  I know Ms. Lhamon will be a critical, capable partner in those 
efforts because not only did she tackle many of these challenges in her 
past service as Assistant Secretary, but even after her service in the 
Obama administration, Ms. Lhamon continued fighting for civil rights 
through her time as the Chair of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, 
her work litigating civil rights cases with the National Center for 
Youth Law, and as legal affairs secretary to the Governor of 
California.
  She currently serves the Biden administration as Deputy Assistant to 
the President and Deputy Director to the Domestic Policy Council for 
Racial Justice and Equity.
  Ms. Lhamon is a highly qualified nominee. She has a long track record 
that proves she is a champion for students through and through, and 
that is exactly what our students need. I am thrilled to have her 
returning to the Education Department's Office of Civil Rights. I urge 
all of our colleagues to join me in voting for her confirmation.
  Thank you.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Kelly). The Senator from Kansas.