[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 147 (Tuesday, September 13, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Page S4546]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          JUDICIAL NOMINATIONS

  Mr. SCHUMER. On judges, last night I moved to file cloture on the 
nomination of Sarah Merriam to be U.S. circuit judge for the Second 
Circuit. She will be the sixth circuit court judge this Chamber has 
considered since the beginning of this work period--the sixth. She will 
be in exceedingly good company.
  Later today, we will vote on the nomination of Arianna Freeman to be 
U.S. circuit judge for the Third Circuit, followed by cloture on the 
nomination of Lara Montecalvo to serve on the First Circuit.
  Altogether, the Senate has now confirmed 80--80--judicial nominations 
to serve lifetime appointments on the Federal bench. I made clear that 
confirming more of President Biden's judicial nominees would be a top 
priority for Senate Democrats, and we are making good on our promise by 
being on track to vote on six circuit court judges in the first 2 weeks 
of this work period alone.
  Among the judges confirmed this month are a number of notable firsts: 
the first Latino to serve from the State of Washington to the Ninth 
Circuit, the first Black Tennessean to ever sit on the Sixth Circuit, 
and the first Asian American from anywhere to sit on the Seventh 
Circuit. And that is just in the last 2 weeks.
  The 80 jurists we have confirmed also include the first Native 
American judge, the first Muslim American district judge, and the first 
Black woman, of course, in the history of the U.S. Supreme Court. I 
mention these firsts because even though it takes a lot to be a 
successful jurist, representation is a key part of the equation.
  There has been a lot of talk lately about the public's trust in our 
courts--in my judgment, for very good reasons. So if our courts are to 
long endure--to say nothing of our democracy--they must reflect the 
rich vibrancy of our country.
  So as we continue confirming judges, we will make sure that the 
individuals on the bench meet this important standard. We have come a 
very long way, but there is much work left to be done.

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