Majority Leader Schumer Floor Remarks Commemorating The Senate Reaching The Historic Milestone Of 200 Well-Qualified And Diverse Judicial Nominees Confirmed Under President Biden
Washington, D.C. – Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today spoke on the Senate floor on the Senate confirmation of the 200th federal judge under the Biden Administration, marking a significant milestone and the most diverse slate of judicial confirmations under any president in American history. Below are Senator Schumer’s remarks:
This is an amazing moment in the history of the Senate, because in just a few moments, the Senate will confirm Angela Martinez to be a District Judge for the District of Arizona. Judge Martinez will be the 200th federal judge under the Biden Administration and this Democratic Majority.
Reaching 200 judges is a major milestone. Simply put, our 200 judges comprise the most diverse slate of judicial confirmations under any president in American history. Our federal judiciary is now far more balanced, far more diverse, far more experienced than it was just a few years ago before President Biden took office.
I’m so proud of the 200 judges, 127 are women. 125 are people of color. That’s a majority of the judges – more than a majority, over 60 percent women. Two-thirds women, two-thirds people of color. Fifty-eight Black judges. Thirty-seven Black women judges. Each a record. Thirty-six Hispanic judges. Thirty-three Asian American Pacific Islander judges, also a record. It’s amazing.
And there’s also not just demographic diversity, but professional diversity. It’s not just a lot of white male partners in big fancy law firms anymore. It’s people who are public defenders, civil rights lawyers, labor lawyers, immigration lawyers, consumer lawyers. We have so much greater diversity on the bench. And that is so good for America, because the bench – the powerful federal judiciary filled with lifetime appointments – should reflect America. We’ve taken too long to get to this point. We still have more ground to make up, but we’re getting there and we’re so proud of it.
And, of course, the first Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. Ever since I’ve gotten on the Judiciary Committee, it’s been my goal to diversify the bench. And the judges I’ve chosen in New York have been like that for, you know, over two decades. But now, under the Biden administration, and under the great leadership of Chairman Durbin and his Judiciary Committee, we have really moved forward.
And I want to give special consideration, because she works full-time on this, to my Nominations Director, we work so closely with the White House, and that is Catalina Tam, who has been so important and so dedicated behind the scenes in getting these judges confirmed.
This is a really fine day for America. When you look at all the trouble and all the things swirling around and then you realize so many fine people who never would have even had access to the federal bench are getting on the bench, it gives you faith in the future of this great country.
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