Laphonza R. Butler

Mr. President, I rise to join in the honored tradition of the Senate to offer my final floor remarks before departing.

Interestingly, I rise to let the pages know that, breaking traditional Senate practice, there are no written remarks for you to come pick up. I decided just this morning that I was going to write a different speech, that I was going to offer words of my own as I mark what is the end of a journey for me.

As I end this journey as the junior Senator representing 40 million Californians, it is a day that I want to thank them and thank Governor Newsom for giving me the honor and privilege of serving our great State.

It has been a remarkable honor, a completely unimagined adventure to follow in the footsteps of Dianne Feinstein, who so ably served in this Chamber for more than 30 years, and to be blessed to walk the same hallways as Senator Carol Moseley Braun and share the same office space as Vice President Kamala Harris. It truly has been an unbelievable privilege.

Indeed, the footsteps that I have had the opportunity to follow in this walk of service have been filled with decency, honor, integrity, and courage. I can only hope that for the people of California, I was able to do half as well as those who came before me.

As is true for all of us and for those who came before, this journey of public service is not one that we travel alone. Along with us, on the rough side of the mountain, is our staff, the staff who work so hard to help keep the pace, who help to plot the path and bring all of the supplies and make sure that no one is lost or left behind.

I want to thank my capable, incredibly talented staff for making sure that we never lost sight of our North Star, the people of California. They have given not only their hard work and long hours but their brilliant minds and all of their hearts to make sure that the last 14 months have truly been impactful. For all of that, I will forever be grateful.

I know that it is most often true that in the traversing of the roads of service, it is often our family and our friends who serve as the fuel that keeps us going day by day. That has been certainly true for me.

My wife and daughter--Neneki and Nylah--have refilled my tank and refilled my cup at the moments that I thought that I was running low. So to them, I am grateful for never letting me run out.

To my mother, who has watched more C-SPAN in the last 14 months than in all of her 71 years, my brothers, my sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins, and dear friends, just when the clouds get low and start to look a little heavy, it has been your cards, your texts, your letters, your visits to DC that truly have brought out the sunshine. So, to all of you, I am deeply grateful and cannot thank you enough.

To my colleagues and fellow travelers, you have truly made this journey special. The old quote by Tim Cahill that says ``A journey is best measured in friends rather than miles'' is true for me. You have all given me so much to make this journey one to enjoy. It could not have been more true in my short time. I don't have the years or been able to plot the miles of any of my colleagues who have spoken up to this point as they prepare to leave, but I have had the opportunity to build what I believe will be lifelong friendships along this entire journey, and for that--on both sides of the aisle--I truly know that I am grateful.

I want to give a special shout-out to my senior Senator Alex Padilla and his kind and generous comments from yesterday. He has been like a tour guide on this incredible ride, always carrying the compass, making sure I don't stray too far off the path but knowing full well that I am a traveler who is intent on walking her own way. Senator Padilla has supported me all along the journey, and I am grateful.

I know that Senator-elect Schiff is here, and I appreciate him and his support throughout this transition and also a special call to Leader Chuck Schumer, who has given and, throughout these 14 months, offered his wisdom and his trust, his friendship. I am deeply, deeply grateful.

Mr. President, what I know is that I stand on the floor of the Senate as a 14-month Senator, but my road to justice and the pursuit of justice has been much longer than 14 months. I know that I only stand here because of the men and women, the working families of SCIU and our labor movement, and I couldn't end this term without thanking them for sharing with me and inviting me into their stories of courage and hope for what is possible in our great country. I want them to know that I carry their stories with me and I carry their families with me, in my head and in my heart, here in the Senate and wherever it is that I go.

Mr. President, in my final few minutes, I want to end my time in the Senate the way that I began it. On this floor, I gave my first speech talking with and about America's ``now generation'': our young leaders, future Members of Congress, carpenters, plumbers, firefighters, nurses, police officers. I talked with them about what I had heard from them, from so many of them, about what was important. So in my last remarks, I want to come back to them, talk with and about them, offer a few lessons from this experience here with all of you.

All summer long, this ``now generation'' has been bopping to the masterful beats of California's own Kendrick Lamar. We all have been hearing from radio waves and all in our iPods the anthem that ``they not like us.'' As I celebrate what has become a global hit--I, too, have listened to it on repeat so often all throughout the summer--I want America's young leaders to know that the words of Kendrick are just that--words, lyrics in a historic rap battle, sources of great entertainment and joy. What they are not are words upon which we should build our communities or the future of our country because, indeed, ``they'' are exactly ``like us.''

You see, when I was 5, I went to Levi's Temple Head Start Center in Magnolia, MS. Of course, in Head Start, children get just that--a head start in learning the foundational lessons of preparing to be in a school environment. As I have been reflecting on this time and the lessons that this time has given me, I realized that in that old church building in Head Start, the experience there actually shaped who I have become. The seeds planted in Head Start are ones that have grown

in me every day for the 40 years since I left.

It was 1985, and my Head Start teacher was a woman by the name of Ms. Carrie Hilbert. I remember getting ready to graduate Head Start and trying on these royal-blue graduation gowns and graduation caps. For 2 weeks, Ms. Hilbert painstakingly prepared us for Head Start graduation. Our graduation song in 1985, she worked to make sure that we--little, squirmy 5- and 6-year-olds--were going to be able to sing this song and perform for our parents and our loved ones, and she did it masterfully.

Mr. President, in 1985, the lyrics Ms. Hilbert taught me were the lyrics to ``We Are the World,'' written by the great Lionel Richie, Michael Jackson, and Quincy Jones, whom we lost just earlier this year. I remember having to practice that song day after day for probably about 2 weeks, not knowing then that all throughout that graduation rehearsal, seeds were being planted--seeds sang by Stevie Wonder and Lionel Richie:

There comes a time when we must heed a certain call, when

the world must come together as one.

Seeds. Seeds from Tina Turner and Billy Joel:

We're all a part of God's great big family, and the truth,

you know love is all we need.

Seeds sang and planted by the unlikely duo of Willie Nelson and Al Jarreau, who planted the seeds that ``as God has shown us by turning stone to bread, and so we all must lend a helping hand.''

One of the most powerful seeds that really stuck with me were those offered by Michael Jackson, Huey Lewis, and Cyndi Lauper:

When you're down and out and there seems no hope at all,

but if you just believe, there's no way we can fall. Let's

realize . . . that a change can only come when we stand

together as one.

Young leaders, colleagues, Mr. President, I believe it was those 2 weeks of repetition and practice that planted the seeds of possibility and hope, seeds of determination and courage. It was learning the lyrics to that song at 5 years old that inspired a generation full of patriots who believed in the power of this country to do good in the world and for each other, because when we choose to do hard things together--the people of this Nation, all of its elected leaders, our community advocates; when we see each other's humanity; when we see our neighbors as essential to the future we want for our children; when we understand that our differences are our greatest assets, it is then-- then--when we truly are doing and being the best country in the world.

So my final prayer as a Member of this august body is that we realize that, as policymakers, we are generations' Head Start teachers. Every single day, we can plant seeds that will grow in the hearts and minds of young leaders, and we get to decide the seeds we plant. Will we plant seeds that help them understand and imagine what is possible for an America filled with people of different walks, different faiths, different bank accounts, different languages? Will we plant seeds to help them realize and see what is possible not just for the United States but for the world? And, as was taught to me in that old church building, we will reap what we sow.

Mr. President, I yield the floor.

(Applause, Senators rising.)

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that I be permitted to speak for 5 minutes, and Senator Schmitt be permitted to speak for 5 minutes prior to the scheduled vote.

Mr. President, I associate myself with the comments of the colleagues just before me. Senator Collins and Senator Britt talked about the importance of doing the work of the American people. In just a bit, the Senate is going to take some action to continue to do the work--some important work--of the American people, and that is ensuring that they have access to swift and fair justice.

I want to appreciate Leader Schumer and Senator Durbin and all of my colleagues on the Senate Judiciary Committee for moving so expeditiously to ensure that we are not delaying justice for many Americans across the country.

I rise today to proudly support the nomination of Michelle Williams Court to be the United States judge for the Central District of California.

As her name is announced on the floor of the U.S. Senate, I want to recognize her loved ones whose unwavering love and support over the years has undoubtedly shaped Judge Court into the incredible jurist and person we know her to be today. Specifically, I want to acknowledge her husband Jamie and their two sons.

I would also like to start today by highlighting the work we do in the Senate to fill these judicial vacancies and why it is so important.

The Central District of California serves roughly 17 million people, making it the largest Federal district by population in the entire United States. The judges who serve these Californians are currently facing an unprecedented number of filings, making the need to fill the court's vacancies all that more urgent.

It is commonly said that ``justice delayed is justice denied,'' and at this moment, the people of the Central District of California are indeed being denied justice as a direct result of these judicial vacancies.

And as I noted, I want to appreciate and really call attention to the leadership of Chair Durbin and the members of the Judiciary Committee, moving really, really quickly along with and working in partnership with President Biden and the White House to get these nominations advanced, to ensure that the people across our country--in this instance, the people of California--have fair access to justice.

I want to make sure that also in talking about the qualifications of Judge Court, that we are really talking about the importance of these seats in a way that is not just about access to the people but the quality of justice that they will have access to, ensuring that judges that are being nominated and put forth for consideration of confirmation are the most experienced, that they are the most qualified, that they are thoughtful and prepared to follow the rule of law.

And that is really why I am so proud to stand in support of Judge Michelle Court for this nomination. Judge Court's dedication to public service and to the State of California runs deep.

Born into a military family, Judge Court moved to California during high school and has called the State home ever since. She attended Pomona College, where she worked her way through school, sang in the glee club, and earned a bachelor of arts in sociology.

After graduating at the height of the AIDS crisis, Judge Court dedicated 2 years of work to the AIDS Project,

where she was working with that organization that provided lifesaving training to healthcare professionals in Los Angeles.

Judge Court then pursued her legal education at Loyola Law School, where she further demonstrated her commitment to public service. As a student, she worked the National Health Law Program, researching healthcare services provided to incarcerated women.

Following law school, Judge Court began her legal career gaining experience in public interest law, including first as a fellow at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Prior to taking the bench, Judge Court served in various positions as the deputy director of litigation and then director of litigation and, finally, as vice president and general counsel at Bet Tzedek Legal Services. Bet Tzedek, which translates literally into the ``house of justice'' in Hebrew, is one of the premier legal services organizations in the United States that focuses on poverty law.

For 10 years, Judge Court provided critical legal services to low- income, elderly, and disabled clients and worked in collaboration with the California Legislature on codifying related policy efforts.

In 2012, Judge Court was sworn in as a judge on the civil division of the Superior Court of Los Angeles. During her time on the court, she presided over approximately 200 civil trials and ruled on 12,000 motions and requests.

In 2023, she received a well-deserved promotion to supervising judge, where she was responsible for overseeing approximately 150 judges in 35 courthouses throughout Los Angeles County.

Judge Court's robust career has left an impression both on her colleagues and on her community. Since her nomination, she has received letters of support from people and organizations representing a wide range of backgrounds and experiences, including the National Association of Consumer Advocates, the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, and the Association of African American California Judicial Officers, Inc.

And several in California's legal community have come forward voicing their strong support for Judge Court. California Women Judges said:

Her calm demeanor, thorough preparation, and deep knowledge

of whatever the subject is will serve her well in addressing

any audience, answering questions, and keeping the

discussions focused.

Five current supervising L.A. County Superior Court judges say:

She is currently serving as the Supervising Judge of the

Civil Division of the largest unified trial court in the

Nation. Judge Court was selected for this position, in part,

due to her administrative skills, technical knowledge, and

being a subject matter expert in civil law procedure. Her

strong management skills are illustrated by her innovative

approaches to lessening the civil case backlog during the

pandemic.

In addition to the important professional experience that Judge Court brings to the Central District, she also brings a unique lived experience. If confirmed to this position, she would be only the third Black woman actively serving as an article III judge in this court and only the fifth in the court's history.

Her nomination is an important step towards building trust in our legal system by ensuring that our Federal courts reflect and represent the diversity of the people it serves.

Judge Court's dozen years of experience in the superior court, including as supervising judge, demonstrate her ability to smoothly transition to the district court.

Given her remarkable track record serving Californians from all walks of life, I have the utmost certainty in Judge Court's readiness for this role. She is prepared and has demonstrated. So I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting her nomination.

I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.