FAA Air Transportation Modernization and Safety Improvement Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, I thank the chairman of the Commerce Committee dealing with an exceptionally important bill. I appreciate his courtesy at this time.

Mr. President, later in the evening the Senate will confirm Judge Marco Hernandez, who has been nominated to serve as a U.S. district court judge for the District of Oregon. The vacancy that Judge Hernandez will fill is one that Chief Justice Roberts has designated a judicial emergency. Given that, I thank Chairman Leahy, Ranking Member Grassley, Majority Leader Reid, and Minority Leader McConnell for bringing this nomination to the floor today.

I also note Oregon has another opening and another outstanding nominee, Mr. Michael Simon, whom I expect to be reported out of committee this week. I hope he, too, will be brought to the Senate floor quickly.

It is no surprise that Judge Marco Hernandez was nominated to the Federal bench because his life could serve as a billboard for the American dream. At the age of 17, Marco Hernandez moved to Oregon by himself. Needing to support himself, he took a job as a dishwasher, later found a better job as a janitor, and eventually Marco became a teacher's aide. At that point, Judge Hernandez began taking night classes at a local community college with the hope of one day attending a 4-year college. Finally, he was able to enroll at Western Oregon State College, and he quickly demonstrated his ability to excel.

Judge Hernandez earned the Delmer Dewey Award as the most outstanding male student in his class. Following college, Marco went on to graduate from the University of Washington School of Law.

From the beginning of his legal career, Judge Hernandez demonstrated a strong commitment to public service. After law school, Judge Hernandez worked at Oregon Legal Services representing farm workers. He then served as a deputy district attorney and was later appointed as a State court judge, a position he has served in for the past 15 years.

Judge Hernandez is so well regarded across my home State and across the political spectrum that he has been nominated not by one but by two Presidents of different parties and at the recommendations of two Senators of different parties. Judge Hernandez was first nominated for the district court by President Bush in 2008 when my friend and former colleague, Senator Gordon Smith, led the nomination process. At that time I supported the recommendation of Judge Hernandez.

Unfortunately, the 110th Congress was unable to act upon his nomination before adjourning. In the 111th Congress I recommended Judge Hernandez's nomination to President Obama, and I am very pleased that Senator Merkley, who has joined me in the Senate, has been a strong supporter of Judge Hernandez as well. I was very pleased when President Obama announced that he, too, like President Bush, thought it important for Judge Hernandez to serve on the Federal bench.

One of the reasons leaders from both political parties support Judge Hernandez is that throughout his judicial career he has demonstrated a special affinity for creative solutions. He implemented an innovative domestic violence program to aggressively pursue offenders and created a new program for mentally ill defendants, which Judge Hernandez continues to oversee.

With a tremendous record of public service, innovation, and commitment to justice, no one was surprised when Judge Hernandez was reported out of the Judiciary Committee unanimously. He has had the support of both Republicans and Democrats and a broad range of legal organizations. He has received the strong backing of the Hispanic National Bar Association. In fact, Judge Hernandez would be the first Hispanic article III judge in my home State.

It is good news for the people of Oregon, and it is good news for the Federal bench that today the Senate is taking up the confirmation of Judge Hernandez. I strongly urge all my colleagues to join me in supporting an outstanding individual, Judge Marco Hernandez, for U.S. district court judge.

I thank, again, Chairman Rockefeller, who is dealing with an extremely important bill for his courtesy for letting me make these remarks about Judge Hernandez.

I yield the floor.

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