06.11.19

Senate to Consider Six More Well-Qualified Judicial Nominees

‘This week, the Senate is making more progress in the personnel business. Since returning to more prompt consideration for unobjectionable, lower-level nominees, we’re continuing to fill important vacancies around the executive branch and on the federal bench… I hope my colleagues will join me in voting to confirm each of these nominees with strong bipartisan support here on the floor.’

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor regarding the need to confirm more of the president’s well-qualified nominees:

“This week, the Senate is making more progress in the personnel business. Since returning to more prompt consideration for unobjectionable, lower-level nominees, we’re continuing to fill important vacancies around the executive branch and on the federal bench. Yesterday, we confirmed several more well-qualified nominees to important seats on the federal judiciary — Ryan Holte of Ohio and Richard Hertling of Maryland to the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, and Rossie David Alston of Virginia to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.

“These brand-new judges possess impressive legal and academic credentials. In the case of Mr. Holte, who had taught law school for several years, 125 former students wrote our colleagues on the Judiciary Committee to say their former professor would, quote, ‘provide impartial, unbiased, and principled decisions, and will apply the law faithfully no matter the litigants.’ Well, that’s exactly what this body should look for in every nominee we consider for the federal bench. So I’m glad we’ll have the opportunity this week to consider six more distinguished judicial nominees.

“First up today will be Sarah Daggett Morrison, tapped by the president to serve the Southern District of Ohio. Ms. Morrison is a graduate of the Ohio State University and Capital University Law School. Earlier this year, the Judiciary Committee reported her nomination favorably by voice vote. After Ms. Morrison’s nomination is confirmed, we’ll turn to consider Pamela Barker for the Northern District of Ohio, Corey Maze for the Northern District of Alabama, Rodney Smith for the Southern District of Florida, Thomas Barber for the Middle District of Florida, and Jean-Paul Boulee for the Northern District of Georgia. Following them, we’ll fill two more executive branch vacancies, one each at the State Department and in the diplomatic corps. I hope my colleagues will join me in voting to confirm each of these nominees with strong bipartisan support here on the floor.”

Related Issues: Nominations, Judicial Nominations