[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 48 (Wednesday, March 15, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S792-S793]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                         Judicial Confirmations

  Mr. PADILLA. Madam President, I rise today to celebrate the 
confirmation of four qualified, exemplary public servants who will now 
serve as district court judges in California.
  One month ago, we celebrated a landmark achievement of the Biden 
Presidency: 100 Federal judges confirmed by the Senate. That is worthy 
of being celebrated by all Americans because, from the moment President 
Biden entered office, he set out to nominate candidates with a diverse 
range of legal and life experience. We sought to work together to build 
a Federal bench that looks like the America that it serves.
  With the confirmations of Judge Daniel Calabretta, Ms. Araceli 
Martinez-Olguin, Judge James Simmons, Jr., and Judge Andrew Schopler, 
we are once again fulfilling that commitment and putting forth the best 
of the great State of California and the best that our country has to 
offer.
  Now, earlier this year, we confirmed Judge Daniel Calabretta to the 
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California. Judge 
Calabretta is an exceptional nominee with the qualifications to serve 
in the Eastern District with distinction. He earned his B.A. from 
Princeton University and his J.D. from the University of Chicago Law 
School.
  Since then, his nearly two-decade legal career has been defined by a 
commitment to serving the public's interests. Before he was appointed 
to the California Superior Court in 2019, his career spanned from the 
California Department of Justice to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 
Ninth Circuit, and from Sacramento, CA, to the Supreme Court. In each 
and every role, he has demonstrated a keen legal mind and a clear 
commitment to justice.
  But beyond his exceptional legal credentials, he brings a valuable 
diversity of life experience to the Eastern District, a court with one 
of the highest average per-judge workloads in the country.
  Judge Calabretta's confirmation makes him the first openly gay man to 
serve on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of 
California, bringing a voice and experience not yet represented in such 
a role. But I am confident, with his experience, his acumen, and his 
judgments, that he will be a tremendous asset for the millions of 
people that he will now serve.
  Now, 2 weeks ago, this body confirmed Araceli Martinez-Olguin to 
serve on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of 
California. Born in Mexico City but raised in Northern California, Ms. 
Martinez-Olguin received her bachelor's degree from Princeton 
University. She then returned home to California to work as a 
kindergarten teacher before attending the UC Berkeley School of Law.
  She spent her career representing those who all too often are 
overlooked by the legal system: immigrants, low-income women, and women 
of color. Ms. Martinez-Olguin has experience at community legal service 
organizations, as well as the Department of Education and the National 
Immigration Law Center.
  She has litigated at every level of our Federal courts in States 
across the country and has established herself as a respected leader 
and expert in the legal community. Her commitment to fighting for the 
greater good, her decency, and her experience will serve the Northern 
District well, and I thank my colleagues for supporting her nomination.
  Now, just last week, we confirmed Judge James Simmons, Jr., to the 
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California. Born in 
Inglewood, CA, Judge Simmons was raised by a single mother in the proud 
working-class and very diverse community of South Los Angeles.
  Judge Simmons was the first person in his family to graduate from 
college when he earned his undergraduate degree from UC Berkeley and 
then, later, his J.D. from Golden Gate University School of Law.
  Soon after, he became a deputy city attorney in San Diego before 
working his way up to serve as a deputy district attorney for San Diego 
County for over a decade. In 2017, Judge Simmons was appointed to the 
Superior Court of California for San Diego County.
  Looking back, in my conversation with him, I had the opportunity to 
ask him a specific question: why he wanted to become a prosecutor as 
opposed to working with defendants. And Judge Simmons very articulately 
said, well,

[[Page S793]]

it is because that is where he could do the most good. And he explained 
why. He felt it was important for people like him to bring their 
experiences and backgrounds to the role of prosecutor, someone with an 
understanding for defendants with backgrounds similar to his own. Now 
Judge Simmons will bring his good work to the U.S. District Court for 
the Southern District of California.

  Finally, just last week, we also confirmed Judge Andrew Schopler to 
the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California. Judge 
Schopler earned his undergraduate degree from Dartmouth College and his 
J.D. from Harvard Law School. He then briefly worked as a public 
defender before joining a criminal defense law firm.
  In 2004, he earned his spot as an assistant U.S. attorney in the 
Southern District of California, where he served until 2016, eventually 
rising to the position of deputy section chief of the Major Frauds and 
Special Prosecutions Unit. Given his exemplary work ethic, he was then 
selected to serve as magistrate judge in the Southern District.
  But his service to our country extends beyond the bench. In 2014, at 
the age of 43, Judge Schopler chose to join the California National 
Guard as a judge advocate. He worked to obtain an age and medical 
waiver to serve. In 2018, he deployed to Afghanistan as part of 
Operation Freedom's Sentinel. He earned the Bronze Star for his service 
and was promoted to the rank of major.
  He has committed his career to protecting our freedoms truly, at home 
and abroad, and I am proud this body came together to support his 
confirmation.
  I am so grateful for all four of these newly confirmed judges' 
willingness to serve our country, and I know California and the country 
will be a stronger, more just place because of them and because of 
their service.
  With that, I yield the floor.