[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 143 (Monday, September 16, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Page S6046]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                    Nomination of Kevin Gafford Ritz

  Mr. DURBIN. Madam President, today, the Senate will vote to confirm 
Kevin Ritz to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.
  Mr. Ritz grew up in Memphis and received his B.A., Phi Beta Kappa, 
from the University of Virginia, his M.S. from the Georgetown 
University School of Foreign Service, and his J.D from the University 
of Virginia School of Law. After law school, he served as a law clerk 
to Judge Julia Smith Gibbons on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth 
Circuit in Memphis.
  Mr. Ritz then went to work as an assistant U.S. attorney in the U.S. 
Attorney's Office for the Western District of Tennessee in Memphis, 
serving as criminal appellate chief, special counsel to the U.S. 
attorney, and appellate chief. Mr. Ritz has tried 11 cases to verdict, 
including 10 jury trials. While serving as appellate chief, he 
personally wrote more than 200 briefs and argued 37 Federal appeals.
  Since September 2022, Mr. Ritz has served as the U.S. Attorney for 
the Western District of Tennessee. The Senate confirmed him to that 
role by voice vote. Notably, both of his home State Senators--Mrs. 
Blackburn and Mr. Hagerty--returned positive blue slips on his U.S. 
attorney nomination. In his role as U.S. attorney, Mr. Ritz serves as 
the chief Federal law enforcement officer for the district and oversees 
an office of attorneys who engage in defensive and affirmative civil 
work, appellate work, and criminal work.
  The American Bar Association unanimously rated Mr. Ritz as ``well 
qualified'' to serve on the bench. He has deep ties to Tennessee, and 
his significant litigation background and extensive experience in 
Federal court will serve him well on the Sixth Circuit.
  Mr. Ritz has dedicated his entire legal career to public service. I 
look forward to his continued service as a circuit judge, and I urge my 
colleagues to join me in supporting his nomination.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Tennessee.
  Mrs. BLACKBURN. Madam President, I ask that the vote scheduled for 
5:30 begin immediately.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.