September 15, 2023

Senate Judiciary Committee Votes To Advance Twelve Judicial And Executive Nominees To The Full Senate

After today’s meeting, 25 lifetime judges - including two circuit court nominees and 21 district court nominees - are eligible for a vote on the Senate floor

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee advanced twelve judicial and executive nominations to the full Senate, continuing the Committee’s work filling judicial and executive vacancies with highly qualified, diverse candidates who help ensure the fair and impartial administration of the American justice system.

“We voted to advance nine highly qualified, diverse nominees for lifetime positions on our federal district courts, and we will continue to advance them at an efficient pace. We also advanced one nominee to the Court of Federal Claims and two executive nominees, including April Perry to be the first woman to serve as U.S. Attorney in the Northern District of Illinois,” said U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee. “Unfortunately, Ms. Perry will likely join other U.S. Attorney nominees being blocked by the junior Senator from Ohio. If the Republican Party wants to continue to project as the ‘party of law and order,’ they will release their holds on these important law enforcement officers.”

Following this week’s confirmation of Judge Jeffrey Cummings to the Northern District of Illinois, the Senate has confirmed 141 judges to lifetime appointments on the federal bench under Chair Durbin and during the Biden administration. After today’s meeting, 25 lifetime judges – including two circuit court nominees and 21 district court nominees – are eligible for a vote on the Senate floor.

The following nominees advanced by the indicated vote totals:

  • Jerry Edwards, Jr., to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Louisiana: 16-5;
  • Margaret M. Garnett, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of New York: 12-9;
  • Jennifer L. Hall, to be United States District Judge for the District of Delaware: 16-5;
  • Brandon S. Long, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Louisiana: 16-5;
  • Matthew James Maddox, to be United States District Judge for the District of Maryland: 13-8;
  • Brandy R. McMillion, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Michigan: 12-9;
  • Karoline Mehalchick, to be United States District Judge for the Middle District of Pennsylvania: 11-10;
  • Joseph A. Laroski, Jr., to be a Judge for the United States Court of International Trade: 18-3;
  • Lisa W. Wang, to be a Judge for the United States Court of International Trade: 12-9;
  • Philip S. Hadji, to be a Judge of the United States Court of Federal Claims: 17-4;
  • Rebecca C. Lutzko, to be United States Attorney forthe Northern District of Ohio: approved by voice vote; and
  • April M. Perry, to be United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois: 12-9.

An archived video of today’s hearing can be found here.

-30-