Floor Statements

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the resolution be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, 10 years ago today, when I first heard the news, I couldn't believe it. Then, as I heard the details and learned of what had happened in Connecticut, I thought to myself, This is the moment. This shooting is so outrageous and horrible, this is the moment when finally America will come to grips with the reality of gun violence.

What I am referring to, of course, is the Sandy Hook Elementary School. It was 10 years ago today that 20 beautiful little children and 6 teachers and staff were murdered in a classroom at this grade school. I thought, This was it. All of the gun violence and all the gun deaths notwithstanding, this will do it. It is the tipping point. America will come to the honest reality that gun violence is unacceptable and will do something about it.

Other nations have done something. Other nations have had incidents like this, maybe even fewer victims, and they have decided to change their nation's laws. They have done so, and they made their nation safer because of it.

We are gathering here this morning at the request of Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut to remember what happened 10 years ago. Senator Murphy was with the families of Sandy Hook, as was Senator Blumenthal, when they learned of the children's fate.

Can you imagine being the parent of one of these little kids and being asked to wait in a building across the street while they looked at the remains of these children and tried to identify them with their parents? I don't know if I would ever recover from that as a parent or a grandparent.

Senator Murphy and Senator Blumenthal tried to give the families comfort. I can't imagine that assignment. They both have brought much more than sorrow to this cause. Since that shooting 10 years ago, they have brought a fierce resolve to do something about it and to end the horrific carnage of gun violence in America.

This has been an important year for gun safety in this Congress. After the racism-fueled mass murders at a grocery store in Buffalo, NY, after the slaughter of 19 little children and 2 teachers in their elementary school in Uvalde, TX, Congress passed the most significant gun safety law in 30 years: the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. And the Senate did something that hadn't been done for 7 years: We actually confirmed a Director for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. That is a position the gun lobby had fought to keep open and unfilled for 7 years. We have a man on the job now. So we have made some progress, but we have a lot more to do. The American people want us to do more.

It is hard to say, in this great Nation that we have been blessed to live in, that we are the only--only--Nation on Earth that accepts these horrifying levels of gun violence on a daily basis and mass shootings. A mass shooting is a shooting where at least four and sometimes more people are shot or killed.

Many times, because of the repetition of this horrific conduct, we think it is inevitable, unpreventable, and we in America shrug our shoulders and say: That is what happens in the United States of America. Just in the category of fatal shootings in schools, kindergarten through 12th grade schools, how many fatal shootings have taken place in America in those schools in the 10 years since Sandy Hook? There have been 189--189 school shootings since Sandy Hook in America.

Gun violence is now the leading cause of death of American children. Think about that for a second--the leading cause of death. Every year, more than 3,000 children and teens die by firearms--3,000 a year-- another 15,000 are wounded, and more than 3 million American children are exposed to gun violence every year. For many of these kids, the trauma of seeing friends, parents, siblings, classmates shot may result in lifelong damage to their physical, mental, and emotional health. That is what trauma does to the survivors.

This past June, 2 weeks after their 10-year-old daughter Lexi was murdered at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Kimberly and Felix Rubio testified before the House Committee on Oversight and Reform. In their testimony, Lexi's mom Kimberly issued a prophetic warning. She said:

There's a mom listening to our testimony thinking, I can't

imagine the pain that family is going through, not knowing

that our pain will one day be their pain unless we do

something.

While school massacres and other mass shootings tend to capture the Nation's attention, there are tens of thousands of Americans who die every year from the daily toll of gun violence, and many of these deaths barely make the news, they are so commonplace in modern America. They die in suicides, gun accidents--alone or in small groups--domestic disturbances, gang disputes, and crossfire.

There is no corner of the country that hasn't been impacted by the gun violence epidemic. Some of the politicians like to point and say: Oh, Chicago has got all of the problems. Sadly, that is not the case. We all face these problems. There are many so-called red States that vote on the other side politically that have terrible gunshot and violence statistics. It affects red States and blue States, big cities, suburbs, small towns, rural areas--you name it. America is awash in guns and gun violence.

So far this year in the city of Chicago, so far, 2,718 shootings have taken place. According to the Chicago Sun-Times tracker, 88 of those killed by guns in Chicago this year were children.

Last Sunday, I was at a vigil in the Hyde Park section of Chicago at Augustana Lutheran Church. We come together each year to pray for an end to this gun violence, but we know in our heart of hearts that prayer is not enough. I believe the Good Lord expects us to pray but expects us to take action, too.

The Senate Judiciary Committee, which I chair, has held 11 hearings on gun violence in these last 2 years. We have heard from a lot of witnesses. One I remember was Ernest Willingham from the West Side of Chicago. After the Cabrini-Green housing project towers were torn down, Ernest and his family moved to the west side of town. Before he was 17, Ernest Willingham's father, brother, and cousin had all been shot. A few years ago, he lost his best friend to a stray bullet.

Despite the horror around him, Ernest became the first in his family to go to college. He is now a premed student at Northeastern University in Boston. He has been accepted to medical school.

Ernest said that when he grew up, young people ``attend a lot more funerals than weddings,'' and parents ``live in constant fear that their [kid] will be the next'' victim.

Since Sandy Hook, millions of Americans have advocated to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and people with mental instability and to protect their kids, but the gun lobby has worked to put more guns in more hands across America.

Many gun manufacturers and sellers have launched aggressive marketing campaigns for their deadly guns.

One of the more notorious ads showed a photo of an assault weapon-- this is a military-style weapon--with the words under it ``Consider your man card reissued.'' The assault rifle in that ad is a Bushmaster XM-15, the same kind of semiautomatic assault rifle used to commit that mass murder at Sandy Hook Elementary School. ``Consider your man card reissued.''

Another ad showed soldiers in combat with the words ``Use what they use.'' Use the same weapons that soldiers and marines use in combat, but use them here in America. The ad came from the company called Daniel Defense, the manufacturer of one of the semiautomatic assault rifles used to murder those 19 little kids and teachers in Uvalde.

It gets worse. AR-15s and AR-style weapons have become the weapons of choice for mass shooters.

This is an ad for a JR-15, a junior model of the AR-15. It is 20 percent smaller and lighter. It is designed for children--children-- under the age of 18.

Look at the logos in this ad. I hope you can see it. They are also on the weapon. This gun manufacturer uses cartoon skulls sucking on pacifiers to try to hook children on using military-style assault weapons.

If I made that statement without this ad, you would say: Durbin is making up a lie. That can't be true. They really want to sell these guns to adults to give to little kids, and they have them festooned with these images that children will find interesting?

On July 4 this year, a 21-year-old with a Smith & Wesson AR-15 military-style rifle went up on a rooftop during a Fourth of July parade in Highland Park, IL.

Now, Highland Park, IL, is one of these idyllic suburbs, a beautiful little place, wonderful families, a great community. And a Fourth of July parade is like a rite of passage. You take your kids out to see the flags, hear the bands, and enjoy every single moment of it.

This Fourth of July that we just witnessed was different. Up on top of the roof, he pulled out his AR-15. He fired off 83 rounds in less than a minute. Don't tell me about good shooters with guns, good guys with guns that stop bad guys. There were good guys with guns all over the place, in uniform, with firearms by their side. What could they do in the 60 seconds when he fired off 83 rounds? Nothing to stop him. That gunman killed seven people and injured dozens more.

Fourth of July parade, Highland Park, IL--he left a little 2-year-old boy, Aiden McCarthy, an orphan. He killed his mother and his father. He paralyzed an 8-year-old boy with a bullet that severed his spine.

The Fourth of July attack in Highland Park was the 309th mass shooting in America in 2022. Do you know how many we have had since the Fourth of July? We have gone from 309 on the Fourth of July to 627 mass shootings in the United States of America this year.

Not every shooting is committed with an assault weapon, but if a gunman wants to cause mass harm, assault weapons are the weapon of choice. And you ought to see, if you haven't already, the ``60 Minutes'' segment of what happens to the human body when it is hit with a bullet from one of these guns. It doesn't pass through neatly and cleanly. It does damage inside the body which is almost impossible to repair.

Doctors know the harm these bullets cause when they tear through the flesh. They don't just pierce bones and organs; they pulverize them.

I will make it clear: I support banning these military-style assault weapons from civilian use. We have banned them before, and I voted for that. It saved lives. It is time to ban them again.

Military assault weapons belong in the hands of the military, not in the hands of an 18- or 19-year-old on a roof in Highland Park, firing off 83 rounds in less than 60 seconds.

One other point: Federal law gives the firearms industry broad and unjustifiable immunity from civil liability. I am embarrassed to say that the

laws of the United States protect the manufacturers of these weapons from liability. There may be a way around that, and I hope there is. Firearm manufacturers should not have a license to recklessly peddle high-powered killing machines to those who shouldn't have them. They should be held accountable.

Every other product in America is held accountable. Why do guns get off the hook?

The brave families of Sandy Hook took assault weapon manufacturers to court for their marketing practices. The families prevailed, leading to a landmark settlement earlier this year.

Congress should do more to allow victims of gun violence and negligence to seek justice in our courts. If naming and shaming won't cause the gun industry to act responsibly, a day in court just might.

As we mark the grim anniversary of that devastating day 10 years ago in Newtown, CT, we have got to recommit ourselves to do more--more to protect our kids, more to prevent mass shootings, more to reduce the daily toll of shootings in our homes and neighborhoods. Our work is not done. Families across America are counting on us. Let's do something. Let's stop this carnage in America.

I yield the floor.

I announce that the Senator from Colorado (Mr. Hickenlooper) is necessarily absent.

I announce that the Senator from Colorado (Mr. Hickenlooper) and the Senator from Vermont (Mr. Sanders) are necessarily absent.

Mr. President, one of the frustrations of local government is that good work tends to go unnoticed. If the streets are clean and the trains run on time, it can be easy to overlook the hours upon hours of work and collaboration that go into good governance.

And in my home State of Illinois, we have a team of heroes working behind the scenes of local government every day, in the second-largest county in the country. They are the 17 members of the Cook County Board of Commissioners. And each one of them is responsible for funding Cook County's many agencies, keeping our streets safe, and providing oversight for everything from Chicago's courtrooms to one of the largest health systems in America.

This year, one of Cook County's best is retiring after nearly 20 years of effective, dedicated service to the 13th district. His name is Larry Suffredin. And I have been honored to count him as a friend and admire his leadership for many years.

Larry entered office as a reformer, a title he has proudly lived up to since he was first elected to the board of commissioners in 2002. Over the past two decades, he has been a staunch advocate for the health and safety of his constituents--from Rogers Park to Glencoe--and an expert on the innerworkings of county government.

But long before Larry was elected commissioner, his commitment to the people of Cook County was clear to anyone who knew him.

In fact, it is a commitment he demonstrated all the way back in the sixth grade, when he was hired for his first job: delivering newspapers to his neighbors in Westchester, IL. In Larry's words, it was a job that ``helped me figure out how to deal with people.'' And it meant waking up early in the morning, keeping close track over each stop on his route, and--occasionally--outrunning his neighbors' dogs.

It was an experience that melded together two of Larry's great qualities: his assiduous attention to detail and his determination to help his community however he could.

By the time Larry graduated high school, he had set his sights on a career in law. And after earning his bachelor's degree from Loyola in Chicago, he made his way to Washington, where he--like me--attended Georgetown Law. He actually received his J.D. just 3 years after me.

With his law degree and sharp mind, Larry could have easily landed a comfortable job at a big law firm, but instead, he enlisted in the Air Force and served as a captain in the U.S. Air Force Reserves.

After being honorably discharged, Larry returned home to Cook County to serve his community as an assistant public defender. In just 2 years, he tried 32 cases to verdict.

It was around this time that Larry started developing a reputation as an outstanding attorney. He distinguished himself in the courtroom with his knowledge of the law and a masterful command of the complexities of State government. Soon enough, the calls started flooding into Larry's office, and over the past several decades, he has been hired to argue cases before courts at every level, even the U.S. Supreme Court.

But no matter how far his legal talents took him, Larry's heart always led him back to Chicagoland.

And soon after Larry was elected to the board of commissioners, he emerged as one of Cook County's strongest advocates. Over the years, I have had the privilege of working alongside Larry. For instance, in 2008, he was instrumental in saving the Cook County Health System from financial collapse. Under his leadership, the county created an independent health board, a decision that received criticism at the time but, in retrospect, was both courageous and wise. Thanks to Larry, the Cook County Health System is still in operation today, providing comprehensive care that would not have been possible without the creation of that independent board.

As commissioner, Larry has also been a champion for transparency. One of his first accomplishments was codifying the Cook County code of ordinances for the first time ever. Now, that may not sound like a big deal, but for the residents of Cook County, it was a game changer; it meant that everyday citizens could keep tabs on the Cook County Board, along with the laws making their way through the legislative process. It was a testament to one of Larry's core values: that government works best when it is both clear and accessible. That is why, as commissioner, he has regularly held community meetings with his constituents--to personally answer their questions about newly enacted laws or provide his take on the latest county board meetings.

If you ask Larry, he would likely tell you that one of his proudest accomplishments in county government is the work he has done as Forest Preserve Commissioner. Cook County's forest preserves encompass 70,000 acres of wild, wonderful nature. In Larry's words, ``it's one of the most beautiful things we have . . . [the preserves hold] about 85 percent of all the stormwater runoff in the area. It gives us oxygen, because of all the trees. There are so many things that this land does to improve the quality of life in our area that we just take for granted.''

Well, under Larry's leadership, these forest preserves have never been taken for granted. In one of his last acts as commissioner, Larry pushed for a bond referendum to fund the cost of the preserves' restoration and maintenance. In last month's election, the referendum passed, with the vast majority of Cook County voters supporting it.

Perhaps one of the only enemies that Larry has made throughout his years of service to Cook County is the gun lobby. Back in 2006, he spearheaded an ordinance banning assault weapons in Cook County. And that measure has withstood one legal challenge after another, making Larry one of the most effective advocates for gun safety reform in all of Illinois.

It is hard to imagine Cook County government without Larry at the helm. But his legacy will be felt for years and decades to come by the more than 5 million Illinoisans who call Cook County home.

For every resident appealing a property tax assessment or enjoying a sunny day by Bullfrog Lake, Larry has made a world of difference.

Larry, I want to thank you for everything you have done for our friends and family in Chicagoland. I am grateful for your many years of partnership and friendship.

Loretta and I look forward to celebrating your retirement with you, your wife Gloria, and your two children, who have grown up right before our eyes, Tom and Elizabeth.

Mr. President, today, the Senate will vote to confirm Judge Dana Douglas to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

Born and raised in New Orleans, Judge Douglas' passion for the law and public service was inspired by her family's background in law enforcement. In particular, her mother, Ms. Ida Woodfork, served in the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office for 30 years, and her uncle, Mr. Warren Woodfork, Sr., was the first Black superintendent of the New Orleans Police Department.

Judge Douglas earned her B.A. in social work and Black world studies at Miami University and received her J.D. from Loyola University School of Law. From there, she clerked for Judge Ivan L.R. Lemelle on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.

Judge Douglas then spent 18 years litigating, trying four cases to verdict or judgment and handling several administrative matters before State agencies. Although she worked in private practice, she also served the community for 9 years as a commissioner and then vice president of the New Orleans Civil Service Commission, a quasi-judicial body regulating the city's civil service.

Since 2019, Judge Douglas has served as a magistrate judge for the Eastern District of Louisiana. In that time, she has authored 111 reports and recommendations, all of which have been adopted in whole or in part by the district court.

Judge Douglas enjoys the strong support of Senators Kennedy and Cassidy, and the American Bar Association unanimously rated her as ``qualified'' to serve on the Fifth Circuit.

If confirmed, Judge Douglas will be the first woman of color to serve on the Fifth Circuit.

Judge Douglas' experience, qualifications, and temperament will be assets on the Fifth Circuit, and I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting her nomination.

Vote on Douglas Nomination

I announce that the Senator from Colorado (Mr. Hickenlooper) is necessarily absent.

I announce that the Senator from Colorado (Mr. Hickenlooper) and the Senator from New Hampshire (Mrs. Shaheen) are necessarily absent.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Madam President, I rise today to speak about the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023, about to come before us.

First, let me say this bill is aptly named in recognition of nearly three decades of service in the Senate of our colleague Senator Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma. I count him as a friend, and I wish him the very best in his future endeavors.

I am grateful to him, Chairman Jack Reed from Rhode Island, and their staff for working to produce this bill.

This is the 62nd year that Congress has reached a bipartisan, bicameral agreement to produce this Defense authorization bill. It is about the only thing which you can count on with regularity every year, and I commend Senator Reed and Senator Inhofe for maintaining that tradition and maintaining our commitment to the men and women in uniform and the defense of the United States.

This fiscal year 2023 Defense authorization bill has a top line of nearly $858 billion for defense and a deserved 4.6-percent pay raise for our troops--that is the largest increase in 20 years--to help military families deal with inflation.

The bill also supports employment opportunities for military spouses, their kids, and improved military housing and childcare.

It ensures that the United States can defend effectively against threats from China, North Korea, or any other nation foolish enough to challenge.

And it boosts military aid to Ukraine, which is at the frontline of democracy, as defense against the Russian thug's brutal and illegal war.

The bill invests important and innovative capabilities and technologies to improve the safety of military tactical vehicles and discover PFAS-free alternatives to firefighting.

And it includes several provisions that I requested with Senator Duckworth, from protecting Scott Air Force Base--one of our premier Air Force bases--from divestment to strengthening security cooperation with our Baltic allies, to expanding Federal mental health services after FEMA emergency declarations.

I am pleased the bill also includes bipartisan provisions from the Judiciary Committee to improve the security of Federal judges and strengthen protection for sexual assault survivors.

You wonder, What is that doing in this bill?

This bill is the vehicle for many good things to happen, and the bills that I have just referenced were bipartisan bills coming out of committee which we have hitched a ride on this bill to deliver.

At the same time, I am troubled by several provisions in the text of the bill.

First, this bill would lift the Pentagon's policy of requiring servicemembers in the military to receive COVID-19 vaccines. This is an extremely alarming and even dangerous decision.

Mandatory vaccinations for the U.S. military are not new. They date back to the earliest days before we were a nation, when George Washington ordered small pox inoculations for troops in the Continental Army.

The Pentagon currently requires several vaccines for military members, and appropriate exemptions already exist for medical and religious purposes.

So many troops serve around the world in extreme conditions and in close quarters for extended periods of time by assignment, making any risk of infectious disease such as COVID all the more threatening and troubling.

And the lingering damage of long COVID--and don't discount it. There are Members of the Senate who are privately and quietly battling with this issue--including respiratory, heart, neurological, and autoimmune conditions. This underscores the importance of our servicemembers being vaccinated.

Thankfully--thankfully--more than 97 percent of all Department of Defense employees have been fully vaccinated, and more than 99 percent of Active-Duty servicemembers have had at least one dose.

But the repeal of this mandate at the insistence of Republican Members of the House is a dangerous, disturbing insertion of politics into an important public health and national security matter.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, whom I greatly respect, has made it clear that he opposes this provision, as do I.

In addition, the final bill extends for another year unnecessary restrictions on transferring detainees from the detention facility at Guantanamo. Did you think Guantanamo was gone and closed? No, it isn't.

Included in this bill is a complete ban of transfer of any of these detainees to the mainland of the United States for any purpose whatsoever for any period of time.

This ban includes even transfers to the United States for prosecution in a Federal court or necessary medical care.

This puts our medical professionals in a terrible, untenable, unprofessional position of having to provide medical

care that cannot be safely provided on that naval base, Guantanamo.

That endangers the lives of their patients, when we mandate it in this bill.

I have come to this floor to advocate for the closure of Guantanamo for years. It saddens me that for more than two decades, the legacy of torture and indefinite detention has continued to betray our values as a nation and the rule of law. This detention facility was deliberately created to serve as a legal black hole where detainees could be held incommunicado, beyond the reach of law, and even subjected to torture. There is still, all of these years later, no due process for the prisoners at Guantanamo and no justice for the families of the thousands of people who died on 9/11.

We held a hearing on Guantanamo, and one of the family members of the survivors of that terrible 9/11 occurrence came and said to us: Finally get it over with. Close this facility. Try these individuals if you have a charge against them; if not, put an end to it.

Since that prison opened in Guantanamo, hundreds of detainees have come and gone. Today, there are 35 individuals at an unjustified and embarrassing cost of $550 million per year to keep the facility open. Quick math--we are spending $15 million a year for each of these detainees while there are ample vacancies in our Federal prisons. Why?

The vast majority of the men who remain indefinitely detained have never--never--been charged with any crime and have been unanimously approved for transfer by defense and intelligence agencies, and American taxpayers pay $15 million a year for each of them to stay at Guantanamo. They languish at Guantanamo for no justifiable reason, contrary to any notion of due process or rule of law.

I filed an amendment to this bill that I am referring to earlier this fall to close this prison at Guantanamo once and for all. Put it behind us. I am disappointed that it wasn't taken up and that the final bill doesn't address it.

The Senate, again, did not have a regular floor process for this bill, which would have allowed debate and amendments. That is what the Senate used to do routinely. Now, it hardly ever happens in this body.

Ultimately, I will vote for this bill even with my objections I have stated, but I want the record to be clear: The Defense Authorization Act has not been bogged down by ``liberal nonsense,'' as the Senate minority leader stated last week on the floor of the Senate. The reality is, this bill authorizes nearly $75 billion more for the national defense compared to the last fiscal year--a significant increase and critical for our Nation's defense and our troops--but I hope it will be matched in an omnibus by nondefense spending to keep parity as well.

We must finalize and pass an omnibus bill without delay to keep our Federal Government functioning.

I want to note one top priority that should have been included in this bill and should be included now in the omnibus spending bill. The bipartisan Justice for Victims of War Crimes Act is cosponsored by Republican Senator Chuck Grassley and myself. We introduced it, and several of our colleagues joined us.

Most Americans would be shocked to learn that the laws of the United States of America do not allow us to prosecute foreign war criminals who are roaming free right here in the United States--hard to believe.

As that unspeakable atrocity continues in Ukraine, we must not allow those who are murdering and torturing the people of Ukraine to come and reside in the United States with impunity, period. We must close this gap in our laws and ensure that foreign nationals here on our soil can be prosecuted for war crimes. America must send a message to the Vladimir Putins of the world that their henchmen will find no safe haven here.

I look forward to finally getting to this critical bill as soon as possible.

Mr. President, today, the Senate will vote to confirm Tamika Montgomery-Reeves to a Delaware seat on the Third Circuit Court of Appeals.

Justice Montgomery-Reeves has significant experience as both a litigator and a judge.

She received degrees from the University of Mississippi and the University of Georgia School of Law before clerking on the Delaware Court of Chancery. Following this role, she worked as a litigator with two national law firms, where she focused on complex commercial matters.

In 2015, Justice Montgomery-Reeves was appointed to serve on Delaware's Chancery Court. There, she presided over cases involving corporate issues, trusts, estates, real property, and other contractual matters. In 2019, she was appointed to serve as a justice on the Delaware Supreme Court. She is both the youngest person ever to serve on that court and the first African-American supreme court justice in Delaware history.

During her time on the bench, Justice Montgomery-Reeves has demonstrated a fair judicial temperament and a deep commitment to evenhanded decisionmaking. In recognition of her exceptional legal acumen, the committee has received many letters of support from her colleagues in both private practice and on the bench.

Justice Montgomery-Reeves has been rated unanimously ``well qualified'' by the American Bar Association, and she has strong support from her home State Senators, Mr. Carper and Mr. Coons.

I strongly support her nomination and urge my colleagues to do the same.

I announce that the Senator from Maryland (Mr. Cardin), the Senator from Colorado (Mr. Hickenlooper), the Senator from Oregon (Mr. Merkley), the Senator from New Hampshire (Mrs. Shaheen), and the Senator from Oregon (Mr. Wyden) are necessarily absent.

Mr. President, today, the Senate will vote to confirm another highly qualified judicial nominee: Jeffrey Hopkins, who has been nominated to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio.

Judge Hopkins received his A.B. from Bowdoin College and his J.D. from the Ohio State University College of Law. After graduating from law school, Hopkins clerked for Judge Alan E. Norris, both on the Ohio Court of Appeals for the Tenth District and on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.

For the last 25 years, Judge Jeffrey Hopkins has served with distinction as a Federal bankruptcy judge in the Southern District of Ohio. In this role, Judge Hopkins has presided over approximately 3,000 cases that have gone to verdict or judgement, and he served as chief judge of the district's bankruptcy court from 2014 to 2021. Prior to being appointed to the bench, Judge Hopkins worked as a litigator in private practice and served as Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of Ohio, where he became chief of the civil division in the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Judge Hopkins has the strong, bipartisan support of his home State Senators, Mr. Brown and Mr. Portman. Additionally, he received a unanimous rating of ``well qualified'' from the ABA. I support this highly qualified nominee, and I urge my colleagues to do so as well.

I announce that the Senator from Illinois (Ms. Duckworth) and the Senator from Colorado (Mr. Hickenlooper) are necessarily absent.

I announce that the Senator from Illinois (Ms. Duckworth) and the Senator from Colorado (Mr. Hickenlooper) are necessarily absent.