WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, spoke on the Senate floor today urging his colleagues to confirm Richard G. Andrews as U.S. District Court Judge for the District of Delaware. This confirmation would allow Delaware to have a full complement of judges on the District Court for first time in five years.

The Senate is expected to vote on his confirmation Thursday afternoon.

- As Delivered on November 3, 2011 -

Mr. President, I move now briefly to support the nomination of Richard Andrews, who's been nominated to be United States District Court Judge for the District of Delaware.

Rich Andrews is an exceptional lawyer, a dedicated public servant and a good man. When the Senate confirms his nomination hopefully later today, Rich will become the fourth active judge serving in the District of Delaware. This will mark the very first time in five years that this very busy court will operate without a vacancy.

 For a small district like Delaware, albeit one with such a specialized and complex caseload, even a single vacancy places a significant burden on the court. Mr. Andrews' nomination has been pending 177 days, and while I am grateful for the consent agreement that I hope will allow his nomination to be considered today, I remain concerned that such a noncontroversial and qualified nominee as Rich could take nearly half a year to reach floor consideration. The judicial vacancy rate hovers near 10%, there are 31 judicial emergencies and it’s my hope that this body will continue to move expeditiously to fill vacancies throughout the country.

 As a member of the Judiciary Committee, I had the chance to chair the nominations hearing for Rich and to take part in the Committee's consideration of his nomination. I have reviewed his record, listened to his testimony, met with him personally, conferred with my senior senator, Senator Carper, and as a result of all this, I assure my colleagues, I have every confidence Rich is a qualified judge and will serve Delaware and this nation brilliantly.

During his 30 years of service for Delaware, so far, he has established himself as a talented, dedicated and humble public servant who possesses a strong work ethic and the highest integrity and intellect. He began his service to our state when after graduating from Berkeley law school he came to Delaware as a law clerk for Chief Judge Collins J. Seitz of the Third Circuit. Luckily for us, he never left. 

After completing his clerkship, he joined the U.S. Attorneys’ Office for the District of Delaware where he spent the next 24 years, much of it serving as the First Assistant U.S. Attorney and Chief of the Criminal Division. He has tried in that role more than 50 felony jury cases and argued 17 cases before the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. Since leaving the U.S. Attorneys' office in 2007, he has served as State Prosecutor for the Delaware Department of Justice and leads more than 70 Deputy Attorneys’ General in the Criminal Division and is overseeing tens of thousands of prosecutions each year.

I am confident then, Mr. President, that his experiences as a prosecutor have given him the knowledge, skills, and temperament to join and serve ably on the District of Delaware federal bench.

When I chaired his nominations hearing, I was impressed at his professionalism, his intelligence, and his demeanor. Rich enjoys broad, bipartisan support, having been reported unanimously by the Senate Judiciary Committee. So I urge all of my colleagues to join me and Senator Carper in supporting Mr. Andrews so he will have the opportunity to continue his selfless service to the people of our state and our nation.

And with that, Mr. President, I yield the floor.

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