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Floor Speech

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Mr. COONS. Mr. President, I would like to thank my colleague and senior Senator.

As a member of the Delaware bar myself for 30 years and a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I could not be prouder of the moment we are about to participate in here in the U.S. Senate confirming the next member of the Third Circuit Court of Appeals.

It was 30 years ago that I was a clerk on that same court for Judge Jane Roth of Wilmington, DE, a distinguished jurist, a remarkable mind, and a great leader in the Delaware bench and bar.

And I am thrilled that, as we left Thursday evening, we had, by a bipartisan vote of 57-to-39, the cloture vote that set up the confirmation vote that is about to happen here; and of those votes, nine were from our Republican colleagues.

Frankly, she should be confirmed here unanimously, as she was by the Delaware State Senate, but we are in a more divided, more partisan time, and I am thrilled that we had as strong and bipartisan a vote in the committee and here in the Senate as we have.

It reflects the fact that Justice Tamika Montgomery-Reeves is a highly qualified, well-rounded, skilled nominee to the Third Circuit.

The Third Circuit is one of those Federal circuit courts that provides a critical role. The most important cases in our country go to Federal courts, although Delaware jurists would disagree, and of the courts that hear those cases--overwhelmingly district courts--only a few of those cases are appealed and make it to a circuit court, and a tiny number of cases make it to the U.S. Supreme Court.

So for the States represented on the Third Circuit--Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and the U.S. Virgin Islands--this is likely the last stop for almost every major appeal.

And in just a few moments, someone known for her skill, her intellect, her patience, her compassion will be confirmed by this Senate and sent on her way to serve on the Third Circuit Court of Appeals.

She is very highly regarded in Delaware as a member of our supreme court. She is someone highly regarded by our bench and bar.

We have, in front of our committee, letters of endorsement from Governor John Carney as well as former Governor Jack Markell.

And as you heard from my colleague, the Delaware State Senate unanimously endorsed her.

She served on the Delaware Court of Chancery, the premier business court in our country, from 2015 to 2019.

And she is a trailblazer: the first Black woman to serve on the Delaware Court of Chancery and on the Delaware Supreme Court and soon on the Third Circuit Court of Appeals.

Her confirmation today will add diversity to a court that represents three States and the Virgin Islands, which are demonstrably diverse. And in our country, this helps to further advance representation and justice.

I want to thank my chief counsel, Cassie Fields, for playing a central role in shepherding her nomination through the committee and through this floor.

And I want to close by saying that I want to express my deepest personal thanks to this native of Jackson, MS, this graduate of the University of Mississippi and University of Georgia School of Law, who, through the good offices of Chancellor Bill Chandler, found her way to practice in Delaware, to service on the Delaware Court of Chancery; through the help and leadership of our State Senate and our Governor to service on our State supreme court; and in just a few moments, to the Third Circuit Court of Appeals.

To Justice Tamika Montgomery-Reeves, to your husband Jeffrey, your sons Jackson and Tyson: Congratulations. Know that our President and our Senate is proud of you, has confidence in you, and looks forward to your years of service on this most important Federal Circuit Court.

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