Durbin Applauds Judicial Confirmations Under President Biden in Speech on Senate Floor, Urges Continued Bipartisan Cooperation to Fill Judicial Vacancies

WASHINGTON – In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, applauded the impending confirmation of Darrel Papillion to the Eastern District of Louisiana as an example of bipartisan cooperation to fill judicial vacancies.

“Pending before the United States Senate is the nomination of Darrel Papillion, who wishes to be the Eastern District Court Judge for Louisiana. I want to say a word about this nomination, because it indicates a positive development in the Senate Judiciary Committee… in the fact that this is a bipartisan nomination,” said Durbin.

Durbin elaborated on the significance of Papillion’s impending confirmation: “He [Papillion] wouldn't be here before us today but for the fact that two Republican Senators from Louisiana reached an agreement with the Biden White House for this man to have a lifetime appointment to the federal bench. Now, in case that sounds like front-page news, it happens… The reason I come to the floor at this moment is to make sure it's a matter of record.”

Durbin then highlighted Papillion’s nomination as an example for Senators to look to for bipartisan cooperation to fill judicial vacancies: “Today, we have another [confirmation] – two Republican Senators with a Democratic President. It happens. For it to happen, you need two things. [First,] the will for members to move and put nominees on the bench. Secondly, a person so qualified that both sides don’t feel that they’ll be embarrassed by them. There are more judges and attorneys than there are politicians. In this case, we found that kind of nominee.”

On May 11, Mr. Papillion advanced out of the Judiciary Committee with a bipartisan vote of 15-6, with Republican Senators Graham, Cornyn, Kennedy, and Tillis joining all Democrats in support.

Mr. Papillion’s confirmation continues the Committee’s work filling judicial vacancies with highly qualified, diverse candidates who help ensure the fair and impartial administration of the American justice system. Once Mr. Papillion is confirmed, the Senate will have confirmed 130 judges to lifetime appointments on the federal bench during the Biden administration under the leadership of Chair Durbin.

Video of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.

Audio of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.

Footage of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here for TV Stations.

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