Nominations of Vanita Gupta and Lisa O. Monaco

Floor Speech

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Ms. DUCKWORTH. Mr. President, from police reform to anti-Asian hate crimes, Americans across the Nation are pushing, pulling, and tugging with all their might to make sure that the United States lives up to our founding ideals of equality and justice for all. At the same time, the Biden administration is charged with the immense responsibility of restoring confidence and integrity to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Donald Trump's political appointees undermined the Department's mission and demoralized its dedicated career civil servants through years of gross mismanagement and improper politicization. We desperately need leaders with integrity, honor, and just basic competence to restore morale at the Department of Justice and empower the Agency to meet the moment.

Fortunately, I am confident that both Vanita Gupta and Kristen Clarke are among the most qualified and prepared public servants to take on the daunting challenges that lie ahead.

For far too many people in this country, equal protection under the law is not a reality. All across this country, there are communities that believe--and for good reason--that the law is not on their side. Individuals fear coming forward to report that they have been a victim of a hate crime, or, even worse, law enforcement fails to identify and report racist violence and discrimination.

And the senseless killing of unarmed Black and Brown Americans at the hands of law enforcement has become an all-too-common occurrence. Just a few days ago, the country was shocked by video footage documenting local law enforcement officers brazenly threatening and assaulting an Army second lieutenant who was in his military uniform and simply asking to know why he had been pulled over.

If this is how the Windsor Police Department, while knowing it is being videotaped, treats an Army officer in uniform--a man who swore an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States with his own life, if necessary--one wonders if such misconduct represents a systemic pattern or practice of abuse. This incident simply reinforces why our Nation must have a strong and proactive DOJ Civil Rights Division.

Additionally, the promise of the ADA is still not a reality for far too many Americans with disabilities. After years of disability rights being neglected or, at worst, undermined by partisan efforts, it is time for the DOJ to step up and ensure that the rights of Americans with disabilities are fully recognized, enforced, and protected.

I look forward to working with Kristen Clarke and Vanita Gupta to fulfill the promise that America made to people with disabilities, including myself, over 30 years ago.

We need Ms. Gupta and Ms. Clarke's leadership at DOJ to energize and inspire the Department as it refocuses on its mission of ensuring the fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans.

As a former head of the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division and leader of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, which is one of the largest civil rights organizations in the Nation, Ms. Gupta's record shows that she is committed to advancing the rights of all Americans.

Her decades of effective leadership and advocacy are why her nomination has garnered widespread support not only from civil rights groups but also from prominent law enforcement organizations like the Fraternal Order of Police.

Likewise, Ms. Clarke is widely respected and admired as one of our country's leading legal experts on civil rights. She has proven her effectiveness in defending the civil rights of all Americans as a Federal and State official, as well as a leader of the NAACP, and, most recently, as the president of the national Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.

Representation matters. Confirming these barrier-breaking women, who would both be the first women of color to formally occupy the positions to which they have been nominated, sends a clear message we are committed to having our Federal Government's leadership look like the country that it serves.

There should be no doubts about these nominees' qualifications for these critical DOJ leadership positions, and I urge my Senate colleagues in joining me to confirm Vanita Gupta and Kristen Clarke.

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