Prepared Statement by Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa
Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee
Hearing on Judicial Nominations
July 13, 2016

Good morning and welcome to today’s nominations hearing. Today we will hear from a Circuit court nominee, a District Court nominee and a nominee to be a Member of the US Sentencing Commission.  

•    Lucy Koh, Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit
•    Florence Pan, District of Columbia
•    Danny Reeves, Sentencing Commission

Welcome to all of you and your families and congratulations on your nominations. Including the two judicial nominees at today’s hearing, we’ve now held hearings for 49 judicial nominees this congress. To put that in perspective, at this point in 2007 and 2008, the Committee had held hearings for 47 judicial nominees. 

With that, I’ll introduce Judge Reeves, and then turn it over to Senator Feinstein, who I know wants to introduce Judge Koh, but then I believe must go to another hearing. 

Judge Reeves received his B.A. from Eastern Kentucky University in 1978 and his J.D. from Salmon P. Chase College of Law at Northern Kentucky University in 1981. After graduation, Judge Reeves served as a law clerk to the Honorable Eugene Siler on the United States District Court. 

Following his clerkship, Judge Reeves joined the law firm of Greenbaum Doll & McDonald as an Associate in 1983. In 1988, he became a partner in the firm. His practice involved general litigation and counseling. Specifically, he handled cases and legal matters in the areas of general commercial and environmental litigation, contract disputes, equine litigation, oil and gas litigation, and sports-related litigation. 

In 2001, President Bush nominated Judge Reeves to be a United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Kentucky. Judge Reeves was unanimously confirmed by the full Senate on December 6, 2001. 

Before I turn it over to Senator Feinstein, I would just note that Judge Reeves is paired with another nominee for the Sentencing Commission, Judge Breyer. I mention that because I know Senator Feinstein strongly supports Judge Breyer. The only reason he isn’t included in today’s hearing is because he is a renomination, and historically, we haven’t held hearings for renominations to the Sentencing Commission. But I wanted Senator Feinstein to know that Judge Reeves and Judge Breyer will move through committee together. 

Now I’ll turn to the Ranking Member for any opening remarks and then to introductions by home state Senators.

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