“President Biden’s nominations of Magistrate Judge Zahid Quraishi and Julien Neals to the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey are not just welcome but historic. Over the last several years, the alarming number of vacancies on our district court has resulted in excessive caseloads and delays in administering justice. While vacancies will remain, knowing that two highly qualified nominees are on the way is both a welcome relief and a signal that President Biden and his team recognize that our bench must be filled. 

“Moreover, with these nominations, President Biden is proving his commitment to ensuring that our bench is more diverse and reflective of our people. This work is shown, especially, with the elevation of Magistrate Judge Quraishi, who would be not just the first Asian-American to sit on the bench for the District of New Jersey, but also the first Muslim-American federal judge in our nation’s history. 

“I congratulate both Magistrate Judge Quraishi and Mr. Neals on their nominations, and I congratulate President Biden on these historic choices.”