[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 214 (Monday, December 13, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S9114-S9115]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                     Nomination of Lucy Haeran Koh

  Mr. PADILLA. Mr. President, I rise today in support of the nomination 
of Judge Lucy Koh to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth 
Circuit. Judge Koh is an outstanding legal thinker and a trailblazing 
public servant. Her commitment to equal justice for all has earned her 
support on both sides of the aisle. From her first judicial appointment 
by former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to her unanimous 
Senate confirmation to serve as a Federal district judge in California, 
to her strong bipartisan advancement recently from the Senate Judiciary 
Committee for this appointment, Judge Koh has a reputation for 
excellence that stretches far and wide.
  She built this reputation over the course of a stellar legal career 
that started right here in this Senate, as a women's law and public 
policy fellow with the Senate Judiciary Committee. She then spent 7 
years with the U.S. Department of Justice, earning numerous accolades 
for her work, including an FBI award for excellence in prosecuting 
major fraud.
  From the Department of Justice, Judge Koh made her way to 
California--to Silicon Valley, specifically--where she made a name for 
herself as an expert litigator on intellectual property cases.
  In 2008, Governor Schwarzenegger, as I mentioned, appointed her to 
the California Superior Court. Just 2 years later, President Obama 
nominated Judge Koh to the Federal District Court bench, and she was 
confirmed unanimously by this Senate. And in the decade since, Judge 
Koh has gone on to distinguish herself as a jurist. She is well known, 
not only in her district but across the country as talented, 
thoughtful, smart, and fair.
  This nomination is actually her second nomination to the Ninth 
Circuit. In 2016, she was nominated and advanced out of the Senate 
Judiciary Committee at that time on a bipartisan basis but, 
unfortunately, never received a floor vote in this Senate.
  But now that we have this vote scheduled, I hope that my colleagues 
will join me in voting to confirm Judge Koh on a strong bipartisan vote 
once again. I know the people of California, the Ninth Circuit, and the 
country at large will benefit from her dedication, her integrity, and 
compassion as a circuit court judge.
  In many ways, the story that Judge Koh brings to the bench is the 
epitome of the American Dream. The daughter of Korean immigrants who 
fled communism and dictatorship in search of a better life, Judge Koh 
was born in Washington, DC, and raised in Vicksburg, MI. And growing 
up, Judge Koh

[[Page S9115]]

studied at public schools and was no stranger to poverty and 
discrimination.
  She spent weekends and summers working in her father's small 
business, and she was surrounded by the love and lessons of her 
immigrant family. Now, these experiences all helped to shape the unique 
and needed perspectives that she now brings as a Federal judge. If 
confirmed, Judge Koh will become the first Korean-American woman to 
serve on a Federal circuit court.
  Now, as the first Latino to represent California here in this Senate, 
I know the importance of diversity at all levels of government, and 
that includes the judiciary. Our country is stronger and fairer when we 
are guided by the voices and experiences of all of our people. And we 
still have a lot of work to remake our justice system to better reflect 
the country that it serves.
  Based on Judge Koh's record, her skill, intellect, and respect for 
the rule of law, her confirmation is a big step in helping us achieve 
that goal.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in voting to confirm her to the Ninth 
Circuit.
  I yield the floor.

                          ____________________