Padilla Delivers Speech Supporting Confirmation of Federal Judges to California District Courts
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, spoke on the Senate floor in support of the confirmation of two judges to serve on California’s federal district courts. During his remarks, Padilla urged his colleagues to confirm Judge Ana de Alba as a judge for the Eastern District of California. Judge de Alba will be the first Latina to serve on the Eastern District’s bench. She was confirmed by a vote of 53-45. Padilla also applauded Judge Robert Huie, who was confirmed last month to serve on the Southern District of California.
“As a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I’m proud of our work to confirm outstanding, effective, and diverse judges across the federal court system,” said Senator Padilla. “That’s especially important in places like the Southern and Eastern District of California, two of the busiest federal judicial districts in the country. As we confirm more nominees like Judge de Alba and Judge Huie, we are building a federal court system that can better deliver on the promise of equal justice for all.”
Senator Padilla is committed to rebuilding a federal judiciary that better reflects and understands the America it serves. Within weeks of being sworn in to the Senate, Padilla established a Judicial Evaluation Commission, that is approximately 70 percent attorneys of color and a majority women, to evaluate candidates for federal judicial vacancies in California. Over the last year, Senator Padilla has worked closely with the Biden administration to recommend and support the nominations of highly-qualified, outstanding judges to the federal courts.
A downloadable version of Padilla’s remarks can be found here.
Padilla’s full remarks, as prepared for delivery, are below:
Mr. President, today, I’m proud to celebrate two district judges joining the federal bench for the state of California.
We’re scheduled to vote shortly on the confirmation of Judge Ana de Alba, who is nominated to become a judge for the Eastern District of California.
Judge de Alba brings a lifelong commitment to advancing justice in California’s Central Valley.
The daughter of immigrants from Mexico, she was born in Merced and grew up in a family of farm workers.
Judge de Alba watched her mother and grandmother struggle with unfair treatment, as they worked together in some of the hardest jobs in the world.
She decided that one day, she would become a lawyer to help families like her own.
A first-generation high school graduate, Judge de Alba went on to earn her bachelor’s degree and her JD from UC Berkeley.
After graduating, she built a successful career in private practice in the Central Valley.
And she realized her childhood dream of service by establishing a Worker’s Rights Clinic for low wage workers to learn their rights and seek legal advice.
In 2018, based on her extensive legal experience and commitment to the public good, Judge de Alba was appointed by Governor Brown to serve as a Superior Court Judge for Fresno County.
Judge de Alba is dedicated, fair, and universally respected by her colleagues.
I also want to note that if confirmed, Judge de Alba will be the first Latina to sit on the Eastern District bench.
She will bring a deep knowledge of the Central Valley, and a passion for equal justice informed by her own family’s story.
I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting Judge de Alba’s confirmation today.
I would also like to celebrate the confirmation last month of Judge Robert Huie, now serving on the Southern District of California.
Judge Huie is a resident of San Diego, where he has lived and worked for nearly twenty years.
But his roots in California began generations ago.
His grandfather immigrated to San Francisco from China in the 1930s, making his home there until he joined the U.S. Army.
Judge Huie is a talented lawyer who has continually sought out opportunities to promote justice.
He earned his undergraduate degree from Calvin College and his JD from Yale Law School.
His career includes twelve years of service as an Assistant US Attorney for the Southern District of California.
During that time, he investigated and prosecuted more than 600 district court cases and two dozen appeals, on matters ranging from public corruption to securities fraud to bank robberies.
And at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Judge Huie took the initiative to create a district-wide working group that combatted pandemic-related fraud.
Judge Huie’s commitment to service, his strong work ethic, and his insightful legal thinking will benefit the community of the Southern District.
As a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I’m proud of our work to confirm outstanding, effective, and diverse judges across the federal court system.
That’s especially important in places like the Southern and Eastern District of California, two of the busiest federal judicial districts in the country.
As we confirm more nominees like Judge de Alba and Judge Huie, we are building a federal court system that can better deliver on the promise of equal justice for all.
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