WASHINGTON – In a 92 to 0 vote, the U.S. Senate today confirmed Waverly D. Crenshaw, Jr., as a U.S. District Court Judge for the Middle District of Tennessee. U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) voted for Crenshaw and joined Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) to offer support for the nomination in remarks on the Senate floor prior to the vote. Video footage of Corker’s remarks is available here.

“When the White House began looking for someone to fill this position, I spoke with people… across Middle Tennessee to really find someone who not only was someone who would serve in this position well, but in his current role had been involved in the community and done many other things outside of law to benefit the community itself,” said Corker. “I'm confident that he will serve the people of Middle Tennessee in this new role in an honorable fashion.”

The full text of Corker’s floor remarks follows:

I'm glad to join the senior senator [from Tennessee] on the floor, as I have many times. I thank him for his comments about this distinguished person, who I hope is going to be confirmed this afternoon as a district court judge.

When the White House began looking for someone to fill this position, I spoke with people, as I'm sure [Senator Lamar Alexander] did, across Middle Tennessee to really find someone who not only was someone who would serve in this position well, but in his current role had been involved in the community and done many other things outside of law to benefit the community itself.

Certainly, this is someone who has done that.

It became very clear that he's distinguished himself not only as a talented attorney, but also as a well-respected leader in the Nashville community.

As Lamar has mentioned, he's a lifelong Middle Tennessee resident.

Mr. Crenshaw received his law degree from Vanderbilt University.

He was the first African-American attorney at the Waller Law Firm and has been a partner since 1994. He served as Tennessee's assistant attorney general from 1984 to 1987 and was a law clerk, as was mentioned, for the honorable John Nixon. As was mentioned, this is exactly the branch that he hopes to serve in.

I'm confident that he will serve the people of Middle Tennessee in this new role in an honorable fashion, and I'm proud to be here to support him with our senior senator and so many other people, by the way, in Middle Tennessee that want to see him confirmed in this position.

I hope that others will join us today in confirming him, and I look forward to him serving, by the way, in a place that is in dire need of having someone of his capacity. We have many cases that are backed up. This is one of those places where we not only need someone to fill the role but someone as distinguished as Mr. Crenshaw.

I thank you for the time, Mr. President. I look forward to his confirmation. I hope everyone will join in in that, and I yield the floor.

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