[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 191 (Monday, November 1, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Page S7524]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              NOMINATIONS

  Mr. SCHUMER. Now, Madam President, on judges and nominations, last 
week, the Senate confirmed seven--seven--more judges to serve lifetime 
appointments on the Federal bench.
  Just about all of them were people of color; all but two were women. 
Among them were more Federal defenders, civil rights lawyers, election 
experts. They will bring sorely needed diversity to the judiciary--not 
just personal diversity or demographic diversity, as important as that 
is, but professional diversity as well, adding to the breadth and width 
and depth of knowledge possessed by the courts.
  It is no longer a bench that we are appointing that is simply 
prosecutors or partners in large law firms, but many, many others from 
walks of life with different and needed perspectives on the Federal 
bench.
  Today, we are going to pick up right where we left off. Later this 
afternoon, we will vote to confirm Beth Robinson, of Vermont, to serve 
on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, and Toby Heytens 
to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.
  A former clerk to the late Justice Ginsburg, Mr. Heytens is a veteran 
of the Justice Department and is the current Solicitor General of the 
Commonwealth of Virginia. He is regarded by both sides of the aisle as 
a superbly skilled lawyer and an impartial thinker.
  In Justice Robinson, who has spent 10 distinguished years on the 
Vermont State Supreme Court, the Senate is presented with another 
experienced, dedicated, and historic nominee. She would be the very 
first openly gay woman to serve not just in the Second Circuit, but in 
any Federal circuit court in the country--another barrier torn down in 
the halls of justice. We are proud of tearing down those barriers and 
making the bench more inclusive and more like America. I look forward 
to her confirmation today.
  In the weeks and months to come, Senate Democrats will continue 
pressing ahead to bring balance back to our Federal courts with 
diverse, mainstream, qualified, and impartial jurists.

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