[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 145 (Friday, October 7, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: October 7, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
   REGARDING JUDGE WILLIAM W. WILKINS, JR.'S TERM AS CHAIRMAN OF THE 
                  UNITED STATES SENTENCING COMMISSION

  Mr. HOLLINGS. Mr. President, I am pleased to join with Senator 
Thurmond and others in paying tribute to Judge William W. Wilkins, Jr., 
of Greenville, SC, who at the end of this Congress will complete an 
extended term as the first Chairman of the U.S. Sentencing Commission.
  It has been my pleasure to know and work with Judge Wilkins for many 
years, including the period since October 1985 when he began his reign 
as Chairman of the U.S. Sentencing Commission.
  Mr. President, when we passed the Sentencing Reform Act of 1984, we 
gave the Sentencing Commission an almost impossible task--to literally 
create itself from whole cloth. The Commission had to recruit and 
organize a staff, procure facilities and equipment, and in the short 
timeframe of 18 months, produce a comprehensive set of sentencing 
guidelines covering more than 2,000 Federal crimes.
  Under Judge Wilkins able leadership, the Commission met its deadline 
and withstood congressional review that the guidelines were faithful to 
the statutory design and workable in the real world of the Federal 
courtroom. The guidelines took effect on November 1, 1987.
  That, however, was just the beginning of the battle to accomplish the 
goal of a more uniform and certain sentencing system for our Federal 
courts. Members of the Federal judiciary, accustomed as they were to 
unrestrained sentencing discretion, had to be trained in the use of 
these new mandatory rules. And, perhaps the more formidable task was to 
convince often skeptical judges that the guidelines would work and 
actually improve the quality of justice in our Federal courts. In this 
endeavor, Mr. President, Judge Wilkins has clearly been the leading 
spokesman, ambassador, and trainer--working tirelessly to educate, 
persuade, and sell the sentencing guidelines. Today, the Federal 
judiciary still may not be enamored with the guidelines, but most will 
acknowledge that the guidelines are working well and have substantially 
reduced sentencing disparity.
  As chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee with 
responsibility for the Sentencing Commission's budget, I have followed 
closely and strongly supported the Commission's work under Judge 
Wilkins' direction. The committee has always known that a budget 
request submitted by Chairman Wilkins was a frugal, responsible one. 
Judge Wilkins told us candidly what he thought was needed and then 
stretched the limited funds we were able to provide to accomplish the 
work of the Commission.
  Judge Wilkins' laudable job as Chairman of the Sentencing Commission 
has necessitated a fulltime effort over the past 9 years. Yet, it was 
hardly his only responsibility. Throughout this same period, he has 
also been a fulltime jurist, sitting as a member of the Fourth Circuit 
Court of Appeals. At the same time, he has actively participated in the 
South Carolina National Guard, and even done some parttime teaching.
  Mr. President, our Nation owes a great debt of gratitude to Judge 
William W. Wilkins, Jr., for the contributions he has made over the 
past 9 years in guiding the Sentencing Commission through its 
difficult, formative years. I congratulate Judge Wilkins on a job well 
done and look forward to continuing to work with him in other 
capacities in the days ahead.

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