Political Quotes

“Mr. President, I rise today to urge my colleagues to confirm several highly qualified nominees to serve on the local District of Columbia courts--the DC Superior Court, which functions as the State-level trial court, and the DC Court of Appeals, which serves as the State-level appellate court right here in our Nation's Capital. Both courts are currently suffering from a vacancy crisis. There are 16 of the 62 DC Superior Court seats that are currently empty, and 3 of the 9 seats on the DC Court of Appeals are also vacant, slowing justice and impeding public safety for all District residents. Last year, the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs reported seven nominees to serve on the DC courts by a bipartisan voice vote. These include five nominees to serve on the DC Superior Court--Rupa Ranga Puttagunta, Kenia Seoane Lopez, Sean Staples, Ebony Scott, and Donald Tunnage--and two nominees to serve on the DC Court of Appeals--John Howard III and Loren AliKhan. Judge Puttagunta currently serves as an administrative judge for the DC Rental Housing Commission. She began her legal career as a law clerk in the DC Superior Court and the DC Court of Appeals and practiced for several years in the District of Columbia, focusing on family and criminal law. I am certainly pleased that my colleagues confirmed her earlier today.…”