[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 9]
[Senate]
[Page 12386]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       NOMINATION OF KEVIN NEWSOM

  Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, this week the Senate will continue 
considering a number of nominations, beginning with Kevin Newsom of 
Alabama to serve as judge on the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals.
  Mr. Newsom has earned bipartisan support, having been voted out of 
the Judiciary Committee 18 to 2. As Chairman Grassley pointed out prior 
to that vote, several lifelong Democrats and Republicans have penned 
letters to the committee touting Mr. Newsom's ``professionalism and 
qualifications.'' He is an ``exceptionally accomplished nominee,'' 
Chairman Grassley said, ``who spent the last 20 years building an 
impressive legal resume.''
  That resume includes things like clerking for an Associate Justice on 
the U.S. Supreme Court, serving as Alabama's solicitor general, and 
earning an appointment to the Advisory Committee on Appellate Rules.
  For his exceptional work, Mr. Newsom has garnered a number of awards 
from the legal community. The American Lawyer magazine has included him 
on its list of America's top 50 litigators under age 45. Chambers USA 
has ranked him Band 1 for appellate litigation. The National 
Association of Attorneys General has awarded him on several occasions 
the Best Brief Award for his briefing before the Supreme Court.
  During his impressive legal career, Mr. Newsom has argued four cases 
before the Supreme Court, filed amicus briefs in many other cases, and 
argued more than 35 cases in Federal circuit courts.
  As indicated by his distinguished professional background, Mr. Newsom 
will be an excellent addition to the court. I look forward to 
supporting his nomination today and confirming him to the Eleventh 
Circuit later this week.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
order for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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