Nomination of William Barr

Floor Speech

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Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, today, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a vote on William Barr to be the next Attorney General of the United States.

During his confirmation hearing a few weeks ago, we saw an articulate, measured, and highly capable individual. There is no question in my mind why two separate Presidents have selected him to lead the Department of Justice.

Throughout his impressive career, Mr. Barr has displayed both legal acumen and an unwavering commitment to the rule of law--a basic prerequisite to serve as the highest law enforcement officer in the country.

I will add that the Attorney General is a unique member of the Cabinet because, as I said, he is the chief law enforcement officer of the country, but he is also a political appointee of the President. It takes some skill to navigate that very thin line and to do it with distinction and honor--something that Mr. Barr has done before.

President George Herbert Walker Bush recognized the talent in Mr. Barr more than 25 years ago and nominated him for not one, not two, but three important roles in the Department of Justice.

Mr. Barr testified before the Judiciary Committee for each of these positions: Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legal Counsel, Deputy Attorney General, and, finally, Attorney General of the United States. All three times, he was unanimously approved by the Senate.

As impressive as Mr. Barr was during these confirmation hearings, he was even more impressive once he was actually on the job. It is clear he made a lasting impression on his colleagues at the Department of Justice.

A group of 120 former Justice Department and law enforcement officials have written a letter to the chairman and ranking member of the Judiciary Committee supporting Mr. Barr's nomination. The list includes former Attorneys General and Deputy Attorneys General, FBI Directors and Deputy Directors, a Department of Homeland Security Secretary, and a host of high-ranking DOJ officials.

They wrote: ``Bill is that rare combination of intellect and principle who has served our country in the Department of Justice with great distinction and then excelled as a senior executive in the private sector.''

They continued: ``Bill also developed great partnerships with state and local law enforcement around the country through the Department's Executive Working Group, creating joint task forces to combat white collar crime, drug trafficking and violent crime across the nation.''

Knowing that, it is no surprise he received the endorsement of several organizations that represent law enforcement, like the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the Major Cities Chiefs Association, the Fraternal Order of Police, the Major County Sheriffs of America, and the National Narcotics Officers' Associations' Coalition, as well as others.

I quote our friend, the ranking member Dianne Feinstein herself, who said: ``No one can say he isn't qualified.''

We are fortunate to have such an individual who is willing to, once again, step back into the spotlight to serve his country. To me, that speaks volumes.

It would be the easiest thing in the world for Mr. Barr to say: Well, I have been there and done that. Now I have worked in the private sector, been a success, and I am ready to hang it up or at least enjoy my retirement years with my grandkids and my wife.

That is not Bill Barr. Bill Barr is a person driven by his sense of duty and his desire to serve the American people. To me, that is one of the distinctions about him that impresses me the most.

It would be easy for him to take a walk and to not accept this responsibility during these polarized times, but he is willing to serve, and I think we ought to embrace that willingness to serve and confirm him.

I was proud to support Mr. Barr's nomination in the Judiciary Committee today, and I look forward to voting yes on his nomination next week when we vote on it.

Although Mr. Barr's name has been in the headlines, there are also a number of well-qualified nominees for Federal judgeships across the United States who were reported out of the Judiciary Committee today, including four Texans. They are J. Campbell Barker and Michael Truncale to be U.S. district judges for the Eastern District of Texas, Matthew Kacsmaryk to be U.S. district judge for the Northern District of Texas, and David Morales to be U.S. district judge for the Southern District of Texas. These individuals are principled and highly qualified for the Federal bench.

Senator Cruz and I worked closely with our Federal Judicial Evaluation Committee--a bipartisan committee of the best lawyers in the State of Texas--to screen these individuals and then make recommendations to the White House. I am confident in their ability to serve Texans by faithfully applying the law, and I hope the Senate will move quickly to confirm them.

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