[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 37 (Monday, February 27, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Page S499]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                     Nomination of Jamar K. Walker

  Mr. KAINE. Madam President, I rise in support of Jamar Walker, who 
has been nominated as U.S. district court judge for the Eastern 
District of Virginia, Norfolk Division. We will be voting in a few 
minutes on Mr. Walker's nomination. He is an assistant U.S. attorney 
for the EDVA, where he currently serves as the Acting Chief for the 
Financial Crimes and Public Corruption Unit.
  Mr. Walker was raised by a single mother on the Eastern Shore of 
Virginia, where he attended public schools, graduating from Nandua High 
School in Accomack County, VA. He is a double graduate of the 
University of Virginia and clerked for Judge Raymond Jackson, whose 
seat he has been nominated to fill in a particularly nice turn of 
events. Mr. Walker counts Judge Jackson as among his mentors who 
inspired in him not just a life of service but also a deep commitment 
to the Commonwealth of Virginia and the Eastern Shore.
  Following his clerkship, Mr. Walker worked first as an associate at 
Covington & Burling, where he actually was an associate for one of my 
best friends, the head of the litigation section there, John Hall, who 
speaks very highly of Jamar Walker. Then he joined the U.S. Attorney's 
Office in the Eastern District of Virginia.
  Given his deep history with the EDVA, it will come as no surprise 
that Mr. Walker has broad support in this very important court, 
starting with Judge Jackson. In his letter of support, Judge Jackson 
observes that Mr. Walker ``has the intellectual prowess, integrity, and 
temperament that is fundamental in the position of a Federal judge.'' 
Former U.S. attorneys in the Eastern District Dana Boente and Zach 
Terwilliger note that Mr. Walker ``is a person of unimpeachable 
character who is known by the bench and bar for his keen intellect, 
decency, sober judgment, and humility.''
  As you can see, Mr. Walker would be serving the same community that 
raised him, where he has deep ties and is widely respected. For these 
reasons, Jamar Walker received a ``well qualified'' rating from the 
American Bar Association.
  His nomination is also historic in that, once confirmed and sworn in, 
Mr. Walker will be the first openly LGBTQ Federal district judge in 
Virginia.
  I practiced in this court for 17 years. It is justifiably called the 
rocket docket because it has one of the fastest times from filing a 
case to trial of any district in the United States--6 months from 
filing a case to trial. Such speed is tough on the judges, and it is 
tough on the lawyers, but the EDVA does it because, for the litigants, 
the ability to know that they will have their claim heard within 6 
months is a wonderful, wonderful thing.
  The EDVA is also a little bit unique because its proximity to the 
Pentagon and the CIA and Federal Government Agencies gives it a docket 
that has a high percentage of national security cases. Mr. Walker's 
experience in and knowledge of the EDVA and his work on cases of that 
kind will be very critical to his success once he is confirmed.
  In short, this is an exceptional nominee and historymaker who is well 
qualified to serve on a most unique court. He received a strongly 
bipartisan vote in the Judiciary Committee. I urge my colleagues to 
vote in support of his nomination.
  I yield the floor.

                          ____________________