[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 147 (Tuesday, September 13, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4550-S4551]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                    Nomination of Arianna J. Freeman

  Mr. CASEY. Mr. President, I rise today in support of the pending 
nominee, Arianna J. Freeman, who has been nominated to serve on the 
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. For those who may not know 
all the geography, that includes, under the jurisdiction of that court, 
Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and the Virgin Islands.
  Arianna Freeman has dedicated her legal career to service, especially 
in the Philadelphia community. After graduating from Swarthmore College 
and Yale Law School, Ms. Freeman returned to Philadelphia to start her 
legal career. After clerking for three Federal judges in the Eastern 
District of Pennsylvania, she joined the Federal Community Defender 
Office in Philadelphia. Through her experience in the defender's 
office, she has briefed over 15 appeals in the Third Circuit and 
presented oral argument on seven occasions, including before the Third 
Circuit en banc, meaning the entire court. She has submitted four 
briefs before the U.S. Supreme Court as well.
  Her legal reputation, her intellect, her ability, and her integrity 
are unquestioned. I will just give you three or

[[Page S4551]]

four examples of what others have said about her work.
  Former U.S. District Court Judge Giles wrote:

       Ms. Freeman has the character and intellectual attributes 
     that will lead her to be a wonderful appeals court judge. She 
     is discerning, open-minded, logical and is both a listener 
     and contributor to debate and conversation.

  A group of appellate practitioners from the Third Circuit wrote as 
follows:

       Arianna Freeman has the strong intellect, tenacious work 
     ethic, and even temperament necessary to become an 
     outstanding federal judge. Her integrity and experience will 
     ensure that she will be ready to serve from the first day.

  Third example: Given Arianna's background as a Federal public 
defender, perhaps most important is the praise that she has received 
from over 20 former Federal prosecutors. One group wrote:

       We are impressed by Arianna's diligence, intelligence, 
     dedication, and integrity. It is because of her ethics and 
     compassion, grounded in sensibility, that we are confident 
     she will provide sound and measured opinions, while 
     approaching each case without bias and with respect for the 
     rule of law.

  So said 20 former Federal prosecutors.
  Arianna is so well respected that her nomination has garnered strong 
support even beyond the State of Pennsylvania, as evidenced by a letter 
submitted by over 30 law school professors from across the Nation who 
described Arianna Freeman as a ``brilliant, careful, and talented 
lawyer with impressive professional credentials and a strong commitment 
to fairness, equal justice, and the rule of law.''
  There is no doubt that Arianna Freeman's extensive legal experience, 
keen intellect, and dedication to the principles of fairness and equal 
justice will serve the Third Circuit well. Furthermore, if confirmed, 
she will not only provide a critically important professional 
perspective to the Third Circuit as a career public defender; she will 
also become the first woman of color to serve on the Third Circuit and 
just the third active woman on that bench.
  This is an important and historic nomination not only for 
Pennsylvania but, of course, for the entire Third Circuit Court of 
Appeals.
  I would like to share a final passage from a letter written to the 
Senate Judiciary Committee by a group of law school deans from 
Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware, led by Professor Danielle 
Conway from the Penn State Dickinson School of Law. They wrote:

       The nomination of Arianna J. Freeman to serve as a judge on 
     the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit is 
     inspired and her ultimate confirmation will be inspiring. As 
     legislative leaders in this great society, the Committee and 
     the full Senate will be favorably rewarded with history's 
     account of how you worked to elevate this brilliant lawyer to 
     the bench.

  It couldn't be said any better than that. I urge her confirmation and 
urge my colleagues to vote yes.
  I yield the floor.