Nomination of Lauren J. King
Floor Speech
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Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I rise today in support of the nomination of Lauren King to serve as U.S. District Court judge for the Western District of Washington in the Seattle courthouse.
Ms. King is an immensely talented and experienced practitioner of the law, whom I had the honor of recommending to the President for this position, and I am proud to be advocating for her confirmation here today.
Ms. King currently chairs Foster Garvey's Native American Law Practice Group and has served as a pro tem appellate judge for the Northwest Intertribal Court System since 2013. She has served as a commissioner on the Washington State Gambling Commission and taught Federal Indian law at Seattle University School of Law.
Her qualifications are exemplary, and Ms. King's confirmation will also be a historic one. She is a citizen of the Muscogee Nation, and she would be the first-ever Native American Federal judge in the history of my home State of Washington.
Out of the 890 currently confirmed Federal judges, only 3 are Native American. Ms. King would become the fourth, and she would be the sixth- ever Native American judge in U.S. history.
While this number is still too low, Ms. King's confirmation will be an important step toward making sure the members of the Federal judiciary reflect the diversity of our Nation and have critical experience and insight into the unique relationship between our Federal Government and Native Tribes.
This is especially important in Washington State, which for those who don't know, is home to 29 federally recognized Indian Tribes.
So it is not just important but essential that our Federal judges understand the unique histories and perspectives of Native people and the legal principles that protect and preserve Native American standing under Federal law.
I believe this is a perspective that matters and one that has been missing for far too long. With her experience in the Northwest Intertribal Court System and representing Tribes in private practice, Ms. King has a deep understanding of these principles and the legal issues that Tribes in Washington State face. And she has the support of major Native voices in the space. She has been strongly endorsed by the National Native American Bar Association, the National Congress of American Indians, the Native American Rights Fund, and more.
She has earned the support by being a sharp legal mind and a fair and just arbiter of the law. I firmly believe Ms. King has the experience, knowledge, and perspective required to serve on our Federal judiciary with distinction.
I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting her nomination. We can confirm highly qualified judges, and we can make sure our Federal bench reflects the diversity of the people it serves.
And before I close, I also want to acknowledge the two historic U.S. attorneys for Washington State who were confirmed last week. Nick Brown, of Seattle, is the first Black U.S. attorney for the Western District of Washington, and Vanessa Waldref, of Spokane, is the first U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Washington.
I know that both of these historic appointees have the experience needed to be successful, and I am confident they will work diligently to pursue justice for the people of my home State.
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