Congressman Cohen Asks Experts about the Benefit of Diversity on the Federal Bench

WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), a senior member of the House Judiciary Committee and its Subcommittee on the Courts, today participated in a hearing on "The Need for Lower Court Judgeships – 30 Years in the Making." Congressman Cohen focused his questions to the panel of expert witnesses on the need for more federal appellate court judgeships and importance of a diverse federal judiciary that fully reflects the American people.

During his questioning, Congressman Cohen said:

"The last president appointed over 60 appellate court judges and only one of them was an African American. The country and African Americans can't wait until the next presidency when they have been done such a disservice by the previous president who could only find one African American worthy of serving out of 60 or 65 appointments. If there is a need for more judges, there is a need for more judges now. Justice delayed is justice denied and not having diversity – which has increased so much under the last president – is justice denied for our country not being a rainbow reflecting all of us in the country."

See the Congressman entire exchange with the witnesses here.

Witnesses at today's hearing were:

• The Honorable Kimberly J. Mueller, Chief Judge, United States District Court Eastern District of California;
• The Honorable Larry A. Burns, Senior District Judge, United States District Court Southern District of California;
• The Honorable Diane J. Humetewa, District Judge, United States District Court District of Arizona;
• Brian T. Fitzpatrick, Professor of Law, Vanderbilt Law School; and
• Marin K. Levy, Professor of Law, Duke University School of Law.