01.25.23

Durbin Delivers Opening Statement During Judiciary Committee Hearing On District Court Nominations

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement at the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the nominations of Charnelle Bjelkengren, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Washington; Matthew P. Brookman, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Indiana; Michael Farbiarz, to be United States District Judge for the District of New Jersey; Robert Kirsch, to be United States District Judge for the District of New Jersey; and Orelia Eleta Merchant, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of New York.  This is the Committee’s first nominations hearing of the 118th Congress. 

Key quotes:

“Each of today’s nominees has received blue slips from both of their home state Senators… This includes Judge Matthew Brookman, who has received blue slips from Indiana’s Senators, Senator Young and Senator Braun.   I would like to thank Senator Young and Senator Braun for continuing to work in good faith to fill federal judicial vacancies in their home state.  They have shown, once again, that this process can work on a bipartisan basis—and can result in outstanding nominees.”

“We have received 12 blue slips so far [from Republican Senators on Biden district court nominees].  I think we can do better.  This is a sharp contrast from the previous president.  Under the Trump Administration, Democratic Senators returned 130 blue slips for Trump district court nominees.  This led to the confirmation of 84 nominees – almost half of all Trump district court confirmations.”

“I encourage my Republican colleagues to follow the example set by Senators Young and Braun and a number of other Republican Senators – including our incoming Ranking Member Senator Graham and our outgoing Ranking Member Senator Grassley.  We ask them to engage with the White House and work in good faith to swiftly identify and advance highly qualified nominees for the federal bench.”

Video of Durbin’s opening statement is available here.

Audio of Durbin’s opening statement is available here.

Footage of Durbin’s opening statement is available here for TV Stations.

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