Judicial Nominations

Floor Speech

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Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, yesterday the Senate took a number of steps forward on our considerable to-do list for the week. We confirmed four well-qualified jurists who are now our country's newest district court judges and voted to advance the nominations of 10 more--10. That is what you call big progress for the Federal Judiciary. Today, we are going to continue moving these nominations forward.

For too long, thoroughly uncontroversial judicial nominees just like these have been held up and delayed by our Democratic colleagues, even when the vacancy qualifies as a judicial emergency.

Uncontroversial district judges used to be confirmed promptly in big groups by voice vote. These days, in a kind of protest theater, our colleagues across the aisle usually insist that we hold a cloture vote and then a rollcall confirmation vote on each one. But we are getting the President's impressive nominees on the job one way or another, and we will continue doing just that.

Our work doesn't stop there. The administration remains in need of a full complement of leaders at the Pentagon and in the diplomatic corps. Last night, we voted to confirm David Norquist, the President's pick to serve as No. 2 at the Pentagon under our new Secretary of Defense, Mark Esper. We also voted to advance the nomination of Ambassador Kelly Craft, a very impressive individual, to serve in the critical role of U.N. Ambassador.

Ms. Craft is a fellow product of the Bluegrass State. She has already made Kentucky and the Nation proud through significant public service, including as an alternate delegate to the United Nations and, most recently, as Ambassador to Canada.

In each of these cases, this impressive nominee earned an unopposed confirmation, and, in each case, she repaid the Senate's confidence by skillfully and effectively advocating for the interests of the United States on the international stage. During her tenure as Ambassador to Canada, America's relationship with our northern neighbor was tested. A number of challenging policy hurdles threatened to trip up progress on several important issues, including trade negotiations, but, by all accounts, Ambassador Craft's involvement led to greater cooperation.

She worked on finalizing the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, encouraged cross-border participation in joint sanctions efforts, and helped more Americans do business in Canada. As she stands in this new role, she brings the ringing endorsements of peers and counterparts she engaged all along the way.

The Premier of Ontario and a former Canadian Ambassador to the United States has said: ``She's done the job very well.''

And another quote: ``Every Premier I know thinks the world of her. . . . She really proved herself over some tough times.''

Our partners to the north have a healthy respect for the hard work and qualifications of Ambassador Kelly Craft, and so does the Senate. Last week, even in this contentious moment, a wide bipartisan majority of our colleagues on the Foreign Relations Committee voted to recommend her nomination to be U.N. Ambassador favorably here to the floor, and before we adjourn this week, we will confirm her.

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