[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 120 (Wednesday, July 20, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3508-S3509]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                  Nomination of Gregory Brian Williams

  Mr. CARPER. Mr. President, today I have the honor to rise in support 
of Greg Williams to serve as a judge on the U.S. District Court for the 
District of Delaware, one of the busiest and, we believe, most 
important district courts in our Nation.
  Before delving into what makes Delaware's district court such an 
essential part of the American economy and what makes Greg Williams an 
exceptional nominee to serve, in the words of the American Bar 
Association, they deem him ``well qualified'' to be a Federal judge.
  I want to share some background and the process that we use in 
Delaware for making recommendations to the Federal bench to the 
President.
  A few years ago my friend--and I call him my wingman--Senator Chris 
Coons and I had the opportunity to make recommendations to the White 
House for two vacancies on this same court. There was, at the time, a 
President of a different party, and the majority here was on the other 
side, not on this side at that time.
  Our process was simple then and was straightforward and borrowed 
heavily from the process that I used while serving as Governor of 
Delaware for 8 years. Throughout those 8 years when I was privileged to 
serve as Governor, we relied on a judicial nominating commission and 
charged them with a simple task. Basically, this was it: find the most 
qualified individuals, regardless of political party, make 
recommendations to the Governor for appointments to Delaware's many 
important State courts, including our State supreme court and the court 
of chancery.
  We used a similar process for Federal district court vacancies. The 
process served Delaware well during those 8 years, and I believe that 
the process Senator Coons and I have used now serves our Nation well, 
too, regardless of which political party controls the White House or 
the Senate. It has yielded yet another extraordinary nominee. That 
nominee is Greg Williams, a partner at Fox Rothschild. Former president 
of the Delaware State Bar Association and President Biden's nominee to 
serve as the next judge on the U.S. District Court for Delaware.
  But Greg is more than a lawyer, much more. He is a father, a husband, 
a son, and a brother. In fact, he is the youngest brother in his family 
of five, with four older sisters, and I know they help to keep him on 
the straight and narrow much like my older sister did with me.
  Greg has been married to his high school sweetheart, Terina, for 27 
years. Together, they have raised two children in Delaware that any one 
of us would be proud to call our own.
  A Villanova Law School graduate, Greg has worked at one of top law 
firms in the Nation, Fox Rothschild, for the past 28 years.
  Through hard work and commitment to excellence, in 2003, Greg became 
the first African-American attorney to have been hired as an associate 
and then be named as a partner at Fox Rothschild. Greg learned those 
values--hard work and commitment to excellence--in part as a member of 
the U.S. Army Reserves, where he served from 1986 to 1994--part of 
those years when I was his commander in chief as Governor of the State 
of Delaware.
  After law school, Greg embarked on a successful legal career that has 
earned him the respect and admiration of Delaware's highly regarded 
legal community.
  Greg has particular expertise in intellectual property and business 
litigation, which make him particularly well-suited for the Delaware 
District Court.
  More than his professional qualifications, though, Greg is the 
personification of the Golden Rule, which calls on us to treat one 
another the way we want to be treated. And, as a result, he is also the 
personification of judicial temperament in that courtroom--and any 
courtroom, for that matter.
  Like Senator Coons and me and many of our colleagues, Greg is a 
person of deep faith. He understands personally the words ``Golden 
Rule'' and what they mean. And if confirmed, I believe he will use that 
rule to guide him on the bench.
  Let me close by saying this: We have all probably heard a saying that 
is oftentimes used in relationship to an undersized boxer--someone who 
punches above their weight.
  The Delaware District Court is one of the busiest courts in our 
country. It handles an array of cases related to intellectual property 
law, patent law, bankruptcy law, and other specialized business cases 
that are critical to the functioning of our national economy.
  Like our small State, this court punches above its weight, and our 
nominee Greg Williams not only has the credentials and the temperament, 
but the strong work ethic that are necessary for this court to continue 
to function as one of the most important district courts in our land.
  I consider it a privilege to give him my strongest possible 
endorsement, and I encourage my colleagues to join Senator Coons and me 
today in supporting his nomination on the Senate floor.
  And with that, I don't see if--I don't know that our colleague--here 
comes Senator Coons, here to speak on behalf of this nominee as well.
  I will just say this: You know, we have judicial nominees come before 
us, not every day but often in this body. In some cases, the folks who 
are from the State where that nominee hails, they know them, have at 
least a passing knowledge of them, and have maybe met them.
  We have known Greg Williams for almost a quarter of a century. He is 
not just one of the finest lawyers in our State; he is one of the 
finest human beings in our State.
  It is an honor for me to join Senator Coons in suggesting his name to 
the President of this country. We are grateful the President actually 
submitted that name now to the U.S. Senate for our consideration.
  And with that, I am going to yield the floor. I see we have Senator 
Cassidy here. I don't know if he has the opportunity to--no, he is 
going to wait for a while.
  I am going to just stop right here. Senator Coons stopped just 
briefly. I think he is going to be right back on the floor; and, 
hopefully, he will be able to pick up right where I--I will do the 
handoff to my colleague from Delaware.
  Mr. COONS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent for 1 minute of 
floor time to speak to the impending nomination.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so 
ordered.
  Mr. COONS. Mr. President, I would like to thank my colleague and 
senior Senator, my friend, Mr. Tom Carper, who allows me to be his 
wingman here on the floor of the Senate and in our home State of 
Delaware.
  I just wanted to speak briefly to the outstanding qualifications of 
the nominee that will be before us in a moment, Greg Williams of 
Delaware.
  As a member of the Delaware Bar, as a member of the Judiciary 
Committee, I have joined my senior Senator, friend, and colleague in 
advancing this nomination, both suggesting to the White House strongly 
that he would be an excellent next member of the important Federal 
bench in Delaware and

[[Page S3509]]

that he would represent our Nation well and contribute to our Federal 
judiciary, which is globally the gold standard for its capability, its 
independence, and its integrity.
  Greg has practiced for decades in Delaware. He is one of the best 
respected, leading complex commercial litigators, and an experienced 
intellectual property litigator.
  The District of Delaware is one of the busiest Federal courts in our 
entire country. Because of our unique place in American corporate law, 
because of the quality and the competence of our bench, we handle an 
enormous number of patent cases, a significant number of corporate 
cases.
  I don't know if my colleague has mentioned one of the top-of-the-
charts cases about to come to Delaware, but when you make a promise to 
purchase a company like--I don't know, hypothetically, Twitter--and 
then the deal comes apart, that ends up in a Delaware court called our 
chancery court. Our Federal District Court and our Federal Bankruptcy 
Courts handle significant litigation.
  Greg is someone who also, as a family man, as a person of faith, as 
an outstanding leader in our community, as the past president of the 
bar association, as the past chairman of the judicial nominating 
commission on behalf of our Governor, he has served our community.
  He brings his heart, his values, his intellect, and his skill to his 
service each and every day, and I am honored to join my senior Senator 
in speaking on his behalf on the floor. And I look forward to working 
with my colleagues across the aisle to ensure a swift confirmation vote 
today.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant executive clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so 
ordered.