[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 75 (Wednesday, May 3, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1477-S1478]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                  Nomination of Orelia Eleta Merchant

  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, today the Senate will vote to confirm 
Orelia Merchant to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of 
New York.
  Ms. Merchant received her B.S. from Dillard University, an M.A. from 
the College of William and Mary, and her J.D. from Tulane University 
Law School. She began her legal career as assistant regional counsel 
for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
  Ms. Merchant then served as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney in the 
Eastern District of Louisiana before transferring to the U.S. 
Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York. She spent 17 
years in the civil division of the U.S. Attorney's Office, handling 
matters involving asset forfeiture and various forms of fraud including 
environmental, healthcare, and mortgage fraud.
  Since 2019, Ms. Merchant has worked in the New York Attorney 
General's

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Office as chief deputy Attorney General for State counsel. In this 
role, she manages 250 attorneys and oversees more than 8,000 active 
cases, including prosecution and defense actions in State and Federal 
court on behalf of State officials, the State legislature, and State 
agencies. Nearly the entirety of Ms. Merchant's practice has involved 
litigation and the vast majority of her experience has been in Federal 
court. She is a seasoned litigator whose expertise will be an asset to 
the Eastern District of New York. The American Bar Association has 
rated Ms. Merchant as ``qualified,'' and she has the strong support of 
Senators Schumer and Gillibrand.
  I will be supporting her nomination, and I urge my colleagues to do 
so as well.
  Mr. KENNEDY. I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. HEINRICH. 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for the quorum call be rescinded.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. HEINRICH. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the vote 
begin immediately.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.