[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 171 (Tuesday, November 19, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Page S6624]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                    Nomination of Rebecca L. Pennell

  Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I was very proud to recommend Judge 
Rebecca Pennell to serve as a U.S. district court judge in the Eastern 
District of Washington, and I was honored to introduce her at her 
confirmation hearing, where she demonstrated her extensive legal 
knowledge and deep commitment to making sure equal justice is there for 
all who come to her courtroom. I am thrilled to rise today to strongly 
urge all of my colleagues to join me in voting for her confirmation.

  I want to emphasize--especially for my colleagues across the aisle--
that, just like the other nine Federal judges we have confirmed at my 
recommendation, Judge Pennell has been vetted and endorsed by my 
State's nonpartisan judicial merit selection committee. This is a 
committee that is made up of both Democratic and Republican legal 
experts.
  A review of Judge Pennell's record and the many letters of 
recommendation that came with her nomination make it easy to see why 
the committee put her name forward. In letter after letter, people from 
different perspectives--prosecutors, law enforcement officials, judges, 
and many others--described Judge Pennell with the same high praise: 
fair, insightful, professional, prepared. In other words, she is a 
qualified and deserving pick to entrust with upholding our Nation's 
laws and protecting our citizens' rights.
  I am especially pleased to say that Judge Pennell's roots in 
Washington State run as deep as her impressive legal knowledge. She 
grew up in Richland, where her father worked at the Hanford Nuclear 
Reservation. She attended the University of Washington, returned from 
Stanford Law to clerk for District Court Judge Whaley in Spokane, and 
has been an active and respected member of our State's legal community 
ever since.
  It is important that we have a court system that delivers justice for 
everyone, not just the powerful and well connected. We have to make 
sure every person has their rights protected and no person is above the 
law. That requires a judge who carefully reviews each case on its 
merits, shows a deep understanding of the law and respect for everyone 
who appears before them, and appreciates how their decisions will 
affect the lives of people across Washington State. Some of the best 
and brightest legal minds in Washington State have made clear they 
think Judge Pennell is exactly that kind of judge. And having viewed 
her record, I completely agree and strongly urge my colleagues to join 
me in voting to confirm her.
  I yield the floor.