Dear Chairman Durbin and Ranking Member Grassley:
The AFL-CIO urges swift confirmation of Myrna Perez to be a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. Ms. Perez has stellar professional credentials, extensive litigation experience, and a demonstrated commitment to public service that makes her eminently qualified for this important judicial vacancy. Throughout her professional life, she has demonstrated a strong commitment to equal justice under the law.
Ms. Perez currently serves as director of the Voting Rights and Election Program of the Brennan Center at the New York University School of Law. There she has been responsible for the nationwide litigation of complex cases in both state and federal courts. Ms. Perez came to the Brennan Center after focusing on fair housing, fair lending, disability, and employment discrimination while in private practice. Her legal career began with judicial clerkships for the Honorable Judge Anita B. Brody, United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, then for the Honorable Judge Julio M. Fuentes for United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.
Ms. Perez will bring decades of experience to the Second Circuit. In addition to her work as a litigator, she has taught at both Columbia University Law School and New York University School of Law. With her stellar academic record, she could have chosen a lucrative career in the private sector. Instead, she has been devoted to protecting democratic rights and fair procedures for all. As the first in her immediate family to attend college and the daughter of Mexican immigrants, Ms. Perez will add a diverse experiential background to the Court. If confirmed, she will become the only Latina judge on the Second Circuit.
In addition to her impressive academic and professional credentials, Ms. Perez has an extensive record of public service. We urge her expeditious confirmation to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.
Sincerely,
William Samuel
Director, Government Affairs