Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker released the following statement on President Obama’s nomination of Chief Judge Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court of the United States.

“Today, the President made an outstanding choice in nominating Chief Judge Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court. I have known Merrick for a long time, and he is a person of unquestionable talent, integrity, and judgment. Merrick and I served on the Board of Overseers at Harvard University and he officiated my ceremonial swearing in as Secretary of Commerce.

“He is a great legal scholar and has more federal judicial experience than any other Supreme Court nominee in history. Merrick has dedicated his life to public service and has received bipartisan praise throughout his career. He is the right man for the time.”