Floor Statements

Mr. President, I am quite pleased that the Senate will soon be voting on the confirmation of Margaret Strickland, President Biden's nominee to be a district court judge for the District of New Mexico.

Ms. Strickland was born and raised in the southwest border region where this district court seat presides. She attended New Mexico State University and the University of Texas at El Paso, before attending law school at New York University.

Ms. Strickland returned to the Southwest after law school and started her career with the Las Cruces Office of the New Mexico Public Defender, representing clients in the juvenile drug court and in felony defense work.

In 2011, Ms. Strickland formed her own law firm, continuing her public service work representing indigent defendants in Federal court. Ms. Strickland has litigated both criminal and civil cases, including a significant number in the Federal district court located in Las Cruces, NM. She has also appeared before the New Mexico Court of Appeals, the New Mexico Supreme Court, and the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, and filed before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Ms. Strickland served on the board of the New Mexico Criminal Defense Lawyers for over a decade, including as its president. In 2018, the Federal District of New Mexico appointed her to represent all Criminal Justice Act lawyers as a panel representative.

Ms. Strickland has also done significant volunteer work with programs that reduce the rate of euthanasia for companion animals. She and her husband Greg foster dogs and puppies set for euthanasia so the dogs can be placed in a home.

If confirmed, Ms. Strickland will be faced with one of the biggest Federal dockets in the country and inheriting a very heavy backlog of cases.

I am, however, confident that her experience and her incredible work ethic will best position her to immediately get to work.

Ms. Strickland is a highly qualified nominee with the right experience, the right temperament, and the right disposition to be a fairminded district court judge. The ABA agrees, giving her a majority ``well qualified'' rating.

She has spent her entire professional career working in the community in which she will sit. She knows intimately the impact that the legal system has on everyday Americans, and she understands that serving as a judge is very different from serving as an advocate.

She is ready and prepared to shift from zealously and effectively representing clients to faithfully applying the law to the facts of a specific case.

Both before and after her nomination was announced, New Mexicans called my office in favor of Ms. Strickland. I heard from judges, from prosecutors, from defense attorneys, and everyday New Mexicans. All of them called to say how much they believe in Ms. Strickland. Like those New Mexicans who called into my office, I believe Ms. Strickland belongs on the bench, and I am ready to cast my vote and help her get there.

I enthusiastically support Ms. Strickland's nomination for district court judge for the District of New Mexico, and I hope that all of my colleagues will join me in confirming this highly qualified nominee.

I ask for the yeas and nays.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

I ask for the yeas and nays.

I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to executive session to consider the following nominations: Calendar Nos. 273, 274, 275, 276, 277, 278, 279, 280, 281, 282, 283, 284, 285, 286, 287, 288, 289, 290, 291, 292, and all nominees on the Secretary's desk in the Air Force, Army, Foreign Service, Marine Corps, Navy, and Space Force; that the nominations be confirmed en bloc; that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate; that no further motions be in order to any of the nominations; and that the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

I ask unanimous consent that the Senate consider the following nominations en bloc: Calendar Nos. 163 and 164; that the Senate vote on the nominations en bloc without intervening action or debate; that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate; that any statements related to the nominations be printed in the Record; and that the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to legislative session and be in a period of morning business, with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.

Mr. President, I have 5 requests for committees to meet during today's session of the Senate. They have the approval of the Majority and Minority leaders.

Pursuant to rule XXVI, paragraph 5(a), of the Standing Rules of the Senate, the following committees are authorized to meet during today's session of the Senate:

Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry

The Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, July 29, 2021, at 10 a.m., to conduct a hearing on nominations.

Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs

The Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, July 29, 2021, at 10 a.m., to conduct a hearing.

Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, July 29, 2021, at 10 a.m., to conduct a hearing.

Committee on the Judiciary

The Committee on the Judiciary is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, July 29, 2021, at 10 a.m., to conduct a hearing nominations.

Subcommittee on Superfund, Waste Management, and Regulatory Oversight

The Subcommittee on Superfund, Waste Management, and Regulatory Oversight of the Committee on Environment and Public Works is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, July 29, 2021, at 10 a.m., to conduct a hearing.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that Mackie McIntosh, a detailee with the Committee on Environment and Public Works, and Laura Gentile, Heather Dean, and Emily Tucker, who are fellows with the Committee on Environment and Public Works be given floor privileges for the duration of the consideration of H.R. 3684, the Invest in America Act.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 55, S. 231.

I ask unanimous consent that the committee-reported substitute amendment be withdrawn; that the Peters substitute amendment, which is at the desk, be considered and agreed to; that the bill, as amended, be considered read a third time and passed; and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 80, S. 583.

I further ask unanimous consent that the committee- reported amendments be considered and agreed to; that the bill, as amended, be considered read a third time and passed; and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate

proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 328, submitted earlier today.

I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 329, introduced earlier today.

I further ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 330, submitted earlier today.

I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.