Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell issued the following statement on Wednesday after a clear bipartisan majority of the U.S. Senate voted to confirm Judge Leslie Southwick to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals:

“Judge Southwick asked to be judged fairly--to be judged on the facts, to be judged on his record. It is the same standard he has applied to others as a judge, a military officer, and a teacher. It is a standard for which he is well known and admired. Today the U.S. Senate held him to that same standard and a clear bipartisan majority agreed that he is exceedingly qualified to continue serving his country, this time on the Fifth Circuit.”

The RNLA congratulations Judge Southwick and commends Senator McConnell for his hard work in guiding the Senate to confirm this important addition to the federal bench.