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Floor Speech

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Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, the Senate gavels back into session to consider more Federal judges, continue working to fund the government, and to find a path forward to protect marriage equality and other critical issues.

Later this afternoon, the Senate will vote on the confirmation of Judge Salvador Mendoza to serve a lifetime appointment on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The child of Mexican immigrant farmworkers, Mr. Mendoza was the first Latino judge to ever serve in the Eastern District of Washington.

And if confirmed today, he would be the first Latino from the State of Washington ever to sit on the Ninth Circuit. In 2014, the Senate confirmed Mr. Mendoza with an overwhelming bipartisan vote, 92 to 4. Today, it should be no different.

If confirmed, Judge Mendoza's elevation will be significant for another reason. He would be the 80th, the 80th--8-0--judicial nomination confirmed under President Biden. That is more judges confirmed under President Biden than were confirmed by this point under President Trump, President Obama, and President Bush. It is something we Democrats are very proud of because the impact of these judges will last for years, if not decades.

And we are by no means done. After Judge Mendoza is confirmed, we will turn to the nomination of Arianna Freeman to serve as circuit judge for the Third Circuit. She would be the fourth circuit judge nominee we would consider since the beginning of this work period.

Let me say that again. We are going to begin considering the fourth circuit court nominee since we returned from the August State work period. I said judges would be a priority, and this is what that looks like.

And it is my intention, as majority leader, to keep the Senate focused on judges this week and beyond. Our fundamental rights and our democracy itself depend on it.

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