Today, President Joe Biden announced a significant achievement in his administration's judicial appointments. The United States Senate has confirmed the 235th federal judge during his presidency, marking the highest number of confirmations in a single term since the 1980s. This milestone includes one Supreme Court Justice, 45 Circuit Court Judges, 187 District Court Judges, and two judges on the Court of International Trade.
President Biden stated that these appointees "represent the best of America" and are all "highly qualified" with distinguished careers in legal, judicial, and academic fields. He emphasized his commitment to creating a judiciary that reflects America's diversity and fulfills his campaign promise to enhance confidence in judicial decision-making.
The 235 confirmed judges feature unprecedented diversity in backgrounds and experiences. President Biden highlighted appointing individuals from historically underrepresented groups such as civil rights advocates, workers' rights defenders, immigrants' rights supporters, former public defenders on the Seventh and First Circuits, prosecutors, and plaintiffs’ attorneys.
Notably, President Biden appointed the first Black woman and public defender to the United States Supreme Court and more Black women to the Courts of Appeals than any previous administration combined. His nominees also include the first Hispanic-American judge on the D.C. Circuit, the first openly LGBTQ woman on any federal court of appeals, AANHPI judges on the Third and Seventh Circuits, the first Muslim-American life-tenured judge, and the first Native Hawaiian woman life-tenured judge.
The president attributed this milestone to bipartisan support in the Senate along with leadership from Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senate Judiciary Chairman Dick Durbin.
President Biden underscored that judges play a crucial role in shaping American lives by preserving freedoms and defending liberties through their rulings on key issues like voting rights, labor unionization for fair wages, clean air quality standards for children’s health.
In conclusion, President Biden expressed pride in his legacy concerning judicial appointments: "I am proud of those who have stepped forward and heeded the call to serve."
