Executive Session
Floor Speech
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Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, I rise today in support of Goodwin Liu for confirmation to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
Goodwin Liu and I share the immigrant experience. He is the proud son of Chinese immigrants and my father came to this great Nation from Japan. He holds degrees from some of the top universities in the world. Before attending Yale Law School, he worked with the Corporation for National Service in Washington, DC, where he helped launch the AmeriCorps program. In 2000, he served as a law clerk for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Since 2003, he has taught law at the University of California, Berkeley School of Law, Boalt Hall. He has also served as a special assistant to the Deputy Secretary at the U.S. Department of Education, advising the Department on a range of legal issues including the development of guidelines to help turn around low performing schools.
Goodwin also practiced as a litigant for the firm of O'Melveny & Myers in Washington, DC. There, appellate litigation comprised nearly half his practice.
Were these accolades not enough to demonstrate Goodwin's capacity to serve as a Federal appellate judge, I would also point to the ``unanimously well qualified'' rating he received from the American Bar Association, ABA, the ABA's highest rating for Federal judgeships. I believe Goodwin's extensive knowledge of the law, understanding of appellate procedure, and appellant litigation experience make him an outstanding candidate for confirmation.
I would like to remind my colleagues that there are still many judicial vacancies that need to be filled. The constitutional right to a speedy trial correlates to the number of judges able to hear cases. While it is important to ascertain the character and capacity of a nominee to such an important position, postponing Goodwin Liu's confirmation does a disservice to our Nation, and to this body's responsibility for confirming Presidential nominees. I believe Goodwin Liu will make a fine judge, and will serve with distinction in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. I ask my colleagues to join me in confirming Goodwin Liu to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
I thank the Chair and yield the floor.
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