ms. xinis began work with her current 11-attorney law firm in baltimore, where she focuses her practice emphasis on lawsuits against the police. according to her firm's web site, she and two of her colleagues recently settled a $5 million police brutality lawsuit. notably, her firm also represented the family of freddie gray jr., the 25-year-old man who was arrested on april 12, 2015, for possessing an illegal switchblade and who subsequently died, trag lick eye, in -- fragically, in police -- tragically, in police custody, causing rye rots in baltimore, if you recall. the suit against the city and the police department in which her firm represented the plaintiff settled for $6.4 million. well, this may have been a totally justified settlement. i certainly believe that any death in custody of a police officer by any accused is entitled to and requires a thorough investigation, but in a big city like baltimore, when there is civil and unrest and huge public atten, cities -- attention, cities are

s standing committee and the federal judiciary unanimously rated ms. xinis well qualified to serve on the district court. they gave paula xinis its highest rating. after we vote on paula xinis' nomination today there are still 19 executive nominations pending on the calendar waiting for confirmation vote. every single one of these nominees was voted out of the judiciary committee unanimously. instead of allowing a vote on these nominees on a regular basis, the republican leader objects to the senate being able to do our job. after today's vote next in line for consideration is a district court nominee from new jersey and then a district court nominee from nebraska. i know the senators from new jersey are pushing for a vote on the nominee to serve from their state and i know the senators from nebraska are urging the leadership to schedule a nomination on robert rossiter. that vacancy has been pending for over a year and a half. there is no good reason for votes on these nominees to be further delayed. i was heartened to hear the majority leader last week make