[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 115 (Wednesday, September 8, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Page S10636]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           EXECUTIVE SESSION

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 NOMINATION OF CARLOS MURGUIA, OF KANSAS, TO BE UNITED STATES DISTRICT 
                    JUDGE FOR THE DISTRICT OF KANSAS

  Mr. BROWNBACK. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
Senate immediately proceed to executive session to consider the 
following nomination on the executive calendar: No. 176, the nomination 
of Judge Carlos Murguia to be U.S. district judge for the district of 
Kansas.
  I take this opportunity to inform my fellow Members a little bit 
about Judge Murguia. I went to school with Judge Murguia. I am 
delighted to see him join the bench in Kansas. I want to speak today 
for a few minutes and tell my colleagues about Judge Murguia, whose 
nomination to the Federal Judiciary I understand will be agreed to 
before the close of business today.
  The Federal Judiciary is a truly high honor and responsibility. Those 
nominated to serve must be men and women of the highest professional 
and personal qualifications. I am privileged and pleased today to 
commend to the Senate Judge Carlos Murguia of Kansas City, KS. A native 
of Kansas City, Carlos Murguia is part of a remarkable family. Every 
one of his four siblings have earned a law degree from the University 
of Kansas. One sister works as deputy director of legislative affairs 
at the White House. Another sister is an assistant U.S. attorney in 
Arizona.
  Judge Murguia has served as a Wyandotte County District judge since 
September of 1990. He is a graduate of the University of Kansas School 
of Journalism and a graduate of my alma mater, the University of Kansas 
School of Law.
  Judge Murguia took an unusual career path upon graduating from that 
institution of legal scholarship that has turned out so many 
outstanding attorneys. He chose to use his newly minted legal skills to 
help others in a generally lower-income area of Kansas city. He chose 
to help others in this area who ordinarily would not have access to 
legal representation in situations others often take for granted.

  Judge Murguia took his first step into the Judiciary while still in 
private practice, serving first as a part-time small claims judge for 
the Wyandotte County district court. Later in 1990, Kansas Republican 
Governor Mike Hayden appointed Mr. Murguia Wyandotte County District 
Judge, filling the reminder of a term of a judge who died in office. He 
was elected to his own 4-year terms in both 1992 and 1996. Judge 
Murguia served Wyandotte County with distinction in this office for 10 
years.
  Madam President, I am confident that Judge Murguia will bring to the 
Federal bench the skills and knowledge of an outstanding jurist of 
personal integrity and with the dedication of a man who took his law 
degree to help his fellow citizens.
  On a personal note, when you see the demeanor of Judge Murguia and 
you are around his presence, you recognize and see the beauty of this 
person, the beauty of his soul, the beauty of the smile that goes on 
his face when he sees justice being done for others. And that smile 
mourns when he sees anyone treated unjustly. He lives in his heart for 
justice. I think he is probably one of the best embodiments of that 
frequently cited passage in Micah that reads, ``what does the Lord 
require of you but to do justice and to love mercy and to walk humbly 
with thy God''.
  Judge Murguia fulfills that passage in Micah. For all these reasons, 
I am especially pleased to wholeheartedly commend to the Senate Judge 
Carlos Murguia nomination to the Federal district court.
  Madam President, in that vein, I further ask unanimous consent that 
this nomination of Judge Murguia be confirmed, the motion to consider 
be laid upon the table, any statements relating to the nomination be 
printed in the Record, the President be immediately notified of the 
Senate's action, and the Senate then return to legislative session.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The nomination considered and confirmed is as follows:


                             the judiciary

       Carlos Murguia, of Kansas, to be United States District 
     Judge for the District of Kansas.

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