[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 38 (Tuesday, February 28, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Page S516]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                   Confirmation of Jamal N. Whitehead

  Ms. CANTWELL. Mr. President, I come to the floor this afternoon to 
support the nomination of Jamal Whitehead to serve as a judge for the 
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington. Mr. 
Whitehead is extremely well qualified and has demonstrated an 
allegiance to the rule of law throughout his very impressive law 
career.
  My Senate colleagues on the Judiciary Committee saw what an 
exceptional judicial candidate Mr. Whitehead is, and they recognized 
how valuable his perspective would be on the Federal bench. I was 
pleased to see that he was voted out of committee with a bipartisan 
vote of 11 to 9.
  Mr. Whitehead has spent his entire career in the Western District, 
making him uniquely knowledgeable of the district in which he will be 
serving. Throughout his career, he has defended workers from 
discrimination and enforced Federal employment discrimination laws. He 
has been dedicated to ensuring equal justice under the law and has 
demonstrated a profound commitment to public service.
  Mr. Whitehead has also sought to promote diversity in the legal field 
through outreach and education and is deeply involved in the community. 
He serves on the Executive Committee for the ACLU of Washington as well 
as on the board of Amara, a child welfare organization in the Seattle 
and Tacoma area dedicated to meeting the needs of children and families 
who have been impacted by foster care.
  In addition to his outstanding qualifications, Mr. Whitehead's 
confirmation continues the President's commitment to ensuring that the 
Federal bench better reflect the American public. Mr. Whitehead is the 
first judicial nominee by President Biden to have a physical 
disability. Now confirmed, he will be one of only a handful of Federal 
judges with a disclosed disability.
  Jamal Whitehead is well prepared to serve on the U.S. District Court 
for the Western District of Washington. This is a historic 
confirmation. I am pleased to see that my colleagues supported Mr. 
Whitehead's confirmation to our Federal court.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. WHITEHOUSE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. WHITEHOUSE. I ask that the scheduled vote be allowed to occur 
immediately.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.