ATLANTA – U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, released the following statement after President Donald Trump announced his intent to nominate Grant Jaquith and Scott Laurer to serve as judges on the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims:

“I am pleased President Trump has announced his intent to nominate Grant Jaquith and Scott Laurer to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. Each of these nominees offer unique experience for this role, and I look forward to hearing from them at their nomination hearings to be held in the coming months.”

Jaquith is the U.S. attorney for the Northern District of New York. Prior to becoming U.S. attorney in 2017, Jaquith served as an assistant U.S. attorney for the Northern District of New York. From 1982 to 2011, Jaquith also served in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps of the U.S. Army in several roles, including as staff judge advocate, circuit judge, and chief of military law, rising to the rank of colonel.

Laurer currently serves as the deputy legal advisor for the National Security Council in Washington, D.C. Laurer has more than 30 years of legal experience with the U.S. Navy and the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Laurer is also a veteran of the U.S. Navy. Before joining the National Security Council, Laurer served in the U.S. Navy as special counsel to the chief of naval operations and as a commanding officer in the U.S. Region Legal Service Office for Europe, Africa, and Southwest Asia.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims is responsible for reviewing decisions of the Board of Veterans’ Appeals, ensuring justice for veterans and their families seeking benefits. If confirmed, Jaquith and Laurer will both serve 15-year appointments on the court.

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The Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs is chaired by U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., in the 116th Congress. Isakson is a veteran himself – having served in the Georgia Air National Guard from 1966-1972 – and has been a member of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs since he joined the Senate in 2005. Isakson’s home state of Georgia is home to more than a dozen military installations representing each branch of the armed services as well as nearly 700,000 veterans.