[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 119 (Tuesday, July 19, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Page S3344]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                          Judicial Nominations

  Mr. President, now on judges, as we move forward on legislation to 
boost chip manufacturing, there is a lot to do on the nominations front 
too.
  Let me start with a very important number: 73. Let me say that again: 
73. That is the total number of judges the Senate will, hopefully, have 
confirmed by the end of today. A year and a half into President Biden's 
term, that is nothing short of a towering achievement.
  Here is how we reach that figure today: Later this morning, the 
Senate will vote to confirm Nina Nin-Yuen Wang as U.S. district court 
judge for the District of Colorado. This afternoon, we will hold a 
confirmation vote on Nancy Maldonado for the Northern District of 
Illinois. I expect these well-qualified nominees to move through this 
Chamber with bipartisan support. And as soon as today, the Senate will 
also vote on the confirmation of Judge Michelle Childs of South 
Carolina to serve on the DC Circuit.
  Judge Childs will be the fourth--only the fourth--Black woman to ever 
sit on the DC Circuit, founded nearly 130 years ago. Confirming this 
remarkable jurist is an important step to reversing generations of 
underrepresentation and making our courts better reflect the Nation.
  Let's not forget, after the Supreme Court, the DC Court of Appeals is 
the most important Federal court in the country, regularly taking up 
cases that the Supreme Court is unable to consider. Oftentimes, the DC 
Circuit makes the final decision on some of the most important cases in 
the country, particularly those involving Congress and the executive 
branch. It is a really important court. Remember, the Supreme Court 
only hears about 75 cases a year. So lots of very vital cases 
are decided by this circuit court of appeals.

  The judges who preside on the DC Circuit must be individuals of high 
character and unassailable qualification, and that is precisely what we 
have in Judge Childs. She is a native of Detroit, a graduate of the 
Universities of South Florida, South Carolina, and Duke. Judge Childs 
built a reputation as both a trailblazing jurist and a staunch defender 
of the Constitution. She already commands strong bipartisan support 
from both sides of the aisle, and I thank my Democratic and Republican 
colleagues for their support of the judge.
  As the Senate continues to fulfill its duty of confirming well-
qualified judges, we hope the trailblazers of today can be closer to 
the norm of tomorrow. We want our courts to include more women, more 
diverse candidates, both demographically and professionally, and more 
judges who come from unique backgrounds. Our courts, our democracy, and 
the American people will be better off through these efforts. There is 
not a doubt in my mind Judge Childs will help advance this noble goal. 
I look forward to her final confirmation.