[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 51 (Friday, March 22, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2557-S2558]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                     Nomination of Ernest Gonzalez

  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, today, the Senate will vote to confirm 
Ernest Gonzalez to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of 
Texas.
  Born in San Antonio, TX, Mr. Gonzalez received his B.B.A. from the 
University of Texas at San Antonio and his J.D. from the Thurgood 
Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern University. From 1994 to 2000, 
he worked at the Bexar County District Attorney's Office in San 
Antonio, where he prosecuted misdemeanor and felony crimes. In 2000, he 
joined the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Texas in 
Del Rio as an assistant U.S. attorney, where his portfolio consisted 
primarily of immigration and narcotics violations.
  From 2003 to 2023, Mr. Gonzalez worked as an assistant U.S. attorney 
in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Texas in 
Plano. While there, he served as chief of the Organized Crime Drug 
Enforcement Task Forces Section, and he represented the United States 
in a variety of domestic and international criminal cases, including 
drug-trafficking cases. Since 2023, he has worked as a senior attorney 
advisor for the U.S. Department of Justice in the Narcotics and 
Dangerous Drug Section of the Criminal Division in Washington, DC.
  Mr. Gonzalez has an extraordinary amount of trial experience in both

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State and Federal court. He has tried more than 250 jury trials to 
verdict, including more than 120 State jury trials and more than 135 
Federal jury trials. He enjoys the strong support of both of his home 
State senators--Mr. Cornyn and Mr. Cruz--and the American Bar 
Association unanimously rated Mr. Gonzalez as ``well qualified'' to 
serve on the Western District of Texas.
  During Mr. Gonzalez's confirmation hearing, Senator Cornyn expressed 
his belief that Mr. Gonzalez's ``temperament, his knowledge of the law, 
and ability to handle a large docket will serve the Del Rio Division of 
the Western District well.'' I agree with that assessment. I strongly 
support Mr. Gonzalez's nomination, and I urge my colleagues to join me.
  Mr. SCHATZ. I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. SCHATZ. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so 
ordered.
  Mr. SCHATZ. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that we start the 
12 noon vote now.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Is there objection?
  Without objection, it is so ordered.