[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 145 (Wednesday, September 11, 2019)] [Senate] [Page S5435] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] EXECUTIVE CALENDAR The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the next nomination. The senior assistant legislative clerk read the nomination of Stephanie A. Gallagher, of Maryland, to be United States District Judge for the District of Maryland. Thereupon, the Senate proceeded to consider the nomination. Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I rise today to urge the Senate to confirm the nomination of Stephanie Gallagher of Maryland to be a U.S. District Judge for the District of Maryland. This is a noncontroversial nomination which the Senate should be able to confirm in short order. Judge Stephanie Gallagher brings tremendous experience to the courtroom as a sitting U.S. magistrate judge in Baltimore, as well as being a former prosecutor, private law firm attorney, and judicial law clerk. Her strong roots in the Maryland legal community, tremendous understanding and respect for the rule of law, and willingness to volunteer her time in service outside the courtroom make her an exceptional nominee. I was pleased to recommend Judge Gallagher's nomination to President Trump, along with Senator Van Hollen. I must note for my colleagues that I originally recommended Judge Gallagher's nomination to President Obama along with Senator Mikulski, back in 2015, given the impending retirement of Judge William Quarles in 2016. Judge Gallagher's nomination has actually been favorably recommended by the Judiciary Committee on three separate occasions, in 2016, 2018, and now in 2019. Most recently, on June 20, 2019, the Judiciary Committee favorably recommended Judge Gallagher to the full Senate for confirmation by a vote of 21-1. I want to thank Senator Van Hollen for working with me to ensure we seek out the best attorneys in our State for Federal judicial vacancies, which are lifetime appointments and one of the most important obligations we have as U.S. Senators. We have recommended judicial nominations to the President that have made Marylanders proud of our Federal courts. Stephanie Gallagher, of Baltimore, MD, has been a U.S. magistrate judge in Baltimore since April 2011. As a magistrate judge, Judge Gallagher works closely on a daily basis with district court judges, the very position she has been nominated for today. In her current position as a magistrate judge, Judge Gallagher convenes settlement conferences, resolves discovery disputes, and prepares reports and recommendations on dispositive motions. With the consent of the parties, Judge Gallagher can take jurisdiction over civil cases. In consent cases, she becomes the presiding judge, making all rulings in the case and overseeing the trial. In this capacity, she has presided over civil bench and jury trials. She has served as the criminal duty judge on a rotating basis with her colleagues, where she presides over preliminary proceedings in felony cases and handles misdemeanor cases, including those occurring at Federal military installations in Maryland. Previously, Judge Gallagher was a partner and cofounder at Levin & Gallagher LLC, now Levin & Curlett, for 3 years, served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Baltimore for 6 years, and was a litigation associate at Akin Gump in Washington, DC, for 2 years. She practiced in a wide variety of legal issues, including complex civil litigation, employment disputes, constitutional issues, criminal defense, and criminal prosecution. Judge Gallagher began her legal career as a law clerk for then-Chief Judge J. Frederick Motz of the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland from 1997 to 1999. She received her J.D. in 1997 from Harvard Law School, graduating cum laude, and received her B.S. in government from Georgetown University in 1994, graduating magna cum laude. The Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts has declared this Maryland seat as a judicial emergency, based on the length of the vacancy and the caseload of the court. Judge Gallagher was given the rating of unanimously well qualified by the American Bar Association's Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary, which is their highest possible rating. Judge Gallagher brings tremendous experience and credentials to the courtroom as a sitting U.S. Magistrate Judge in Baltimore, as well as being a former prosecutor, private law firm attorney, and judicial law clerk. Her strong roots in the Maryland legal community and fantastic understanding and respect for the rule of law make her an exceptional nominee. I was pleased to recommend Judge Gallagher's nomination to both President Obama and President Trump. I am confident that she will serve the people of Maryland extremely well once she is finally confirmed for this lifetime appointment as a U.S. District Judge for the District of Maryland. I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this nomination and confirm Judge Gallagher. Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. President, I rise today in strong support of the confirmation of Judge Stephanie Gallagher to serve as a Federal judge for the U.S. District Court of Maryland. Judge Gallagher has an impressive legal background and has provided years of service to the State of Maryland. She is currently a U.S. magistrate in Maryland having served in this capacity since 2011. Moreover, she has occupied the position of Assistant U.S. Attorney office for the State of Maryland. Finally, she clerked for the Honorable J. Frederick Motz, a Judge in Maryland's Federal district court. Judge Gallagher has been lauded repeatedly as a rising star, as one of Maryland's Super Lawyers, and has received a number of awards and commendations from a number of Federal agencies. Moreover, she has strong academic credentials having graduated from Harvard Law School, J.D. cum laude. I cannot think of anyone more qualified to occupy this critical position at this important time and am grateful for her nomination and the Senate's overwhelming support for her confirmation to serve as a Judge in Maryland's Federal District Court. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is, Will the Senate advise and consent to the Gallagher nomination? The nomination was confirmed. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Wyoming.