“Madam Chair, it is a great privilege for me to be here to introduce Stephanie Rose to serve as a district court judge in Iowa’s Southern District, and I urge her unanimous approval. I was honored to recommend this outstanding attorney to the President, and I thank him for nominating her.
“Let me begin by thanking Senator Leahy for agreeing to such a prompt hearing. I also want to thank my senior colleague from Iowa, Senator Grassley, for his assistance in making this prompt hearing possible. For many years, Senator Grassley and I have cooperated in a collaborative spirit on judicial nominations in our state, and I am glad we are continuing Iowa’s fine tradition regarding judicial selection.
“Madam Chair, a U.S. Senator has few more important responsibilities than recommending to the President the person best qualified to serve in a lifetime position as a federal judge. I believe Stephanie Rose possesses all of the qualifications necessary to assume the very serious responsibilities carried out by a federal judge. In fact, the American Bar Association gave Ms. Rose a unanimous well qualified rating.
“In 2009, the Senate unanimously confirmed Ms. Rose to become U.S. Attorney in the Northern District of Iowa, having previously served 12 years as an assistant U.S. Attorney. She is a superb attorney, and among jurists, prosecutors and defense bar she has a reputation as someone who is unfailingly fair and ethical, and who possesses exceptional legal ability, intellect and judgment. It is no surprise she enjoys wide, bipartisan support from the Iowa legal community. In fact, Charles Larson, former United States Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa under President George W. Bush, recently wrote the Committee stating that Ms. Rose “has all the requisite abilities and traits to serve all litigants of the Southern District of Iowa in the manner expected of a federal judge. Miss Rose would be a distinguished member of the judiciary.”
“Finally, Ms. Rose reflects very proudly on all of us who have chosen to be public servants. She earned her bachelor’s degree, with honors, from the University of Iowa in just three years. She earned her J.D. from the University of Iowa College Of Law in just two years, graduating in the top five percent of her class. She could easily have commanded a big salary with a top law firm. Instead, she opted for public service and long hours as a federal prosecutor, working to uphold the rule of law, making our neighborhoods safer, and advancing the cause of justice. We are fortunate that she seeks to continue her public service to Iowa and our nation by serving as a federal judge.
“Madam Chair, it is often helpful to know some more personal background on a nominee. Ms. Rose was born in Topeka, Kansas, and moved to Mason City, Iowa, when she was four. Both of her parents were public school teachers. She and her husband Rob have two children: Kyle, age 13, and Missy, who is ten. Ms. Rose has two sisters, one of whom was adopted after coming to the family as a foster child, one of five foster children her parents welcomed into their home.
Before recommending Ms. Rose to the President, I reviewed an unusually strong field of candidates for this position. She stood out as a person of truly outstanding intellect and character. Stephanie Rose is exceptionally qualified to serve as United States District Judge for the Southern District of Iowa and I urge this Committee to act swiftly to approve her.”
