[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 163 (Wednesday, November 17, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S14747-S14748]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
EXECUTIVE SESSION
Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. President, on behalf of the majority leader, I ask
unanimous consent that the Senate immediately proceed to executive
session to consider the following nominations on the Executive
Calendar: No. 271 and No. 274. Further, I ask unanimous consent that
the nominations be confirmed, the motions to reconsider be laid upon
the table, that any statements relating to the nominations 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 nominations were considered and confirmed as follows:
the judiciary
Ronald M. Gould, of Washington, to be United States Circuit
Judge for the Ninth Circuit.
the judiciary
Barbara M. Lynn, of Texas, to be United States District
Judge for the Northern District of Texas.
Mr. GORTON. Mr. President, I am pleased to support the confirmation
of Ronald Gould to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Since 1975, Ron has practiced law at the Seattle law firm of Perkins
Coie, specializing in commercial litigation, and the numerous letters
of support and recommendation that I have received throughout this long
process attest to the high regard in which he is held by the legal
community in Washington state.
Ron's admirable professional and academic record, however, while
alone enough to qualify him for the federal bench, is only a small part
of what will make him an asset to the Ninth Circuit. While
distinguishing himself professionally, Ron has actively participated in
volunteer legal, civic, and community organizations and projects too
numerous to recite in full.
In addition to being a former President of the Washington State Bar
Association, Ron Gould has served on the historical societies for the
Supreme Court and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, has co-chaired,
with Washington state Attorney General Christine Gregoire, a project to
develop mediation in high schools, and has been a member of Washington
Women Lawyers, and the Washington Association of Lawyers with
Disabilities.
Among the many non-legal, civic organizations in which Ron has been
involved is the Boyscouts of America, for which Ron has served on the
Executive Board of the Chief Seattle Council since 1984.
Ron's legal and life experience has been extraordinary. So
extraordinary that I am pleased to vote to confirm him to one of the
positions of highest honor and responsibility in this country.
Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I rise this evening in very strong
support of my friend Ronald Gould's confirmation to the U.S. Court of
Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. This has been a long hard-fought battle
and I commend him for his patience, perseverance, and persistence. We
made it, Ron. Congratulations!
Let me share with my colleagues some of the special things about
Ronald Gould that make him a person I was proud to recommend to the
President for a seat on the Federal bench. He has personally supported
me in my political career and helped others to believe in me. Ron is an
excellent lawyer, a strong advocate for the legal profession, a
community booster, a dedicated family man, a Distinguished Eagle Scout,
and a man who has overcome much in his personal life to continue to be
all of these things. I am honored to have been a part of his journey to
the Federal bench.
I would like to highlight some of Mr. Gould's personal history. He
married his wife Suzanne more than 30 years ago, and they have two
children. their 23-year-old son Daniel, who is also an Eagle Scout, is
a jazz saxophone performer and technology student who recently
graduated from Stanford University and founded his own Internet
[[Page S14748]]
startup business. Their 20-year-old daughter Rebecca is a sophomore at
Hampshire College in Amherst, MA. Rebecca was selected for the Seattle
``High School Hall of Fame'' for her courage in conquering challenges
following an auto accident in which she was seriously injured.
Mr. Gould also has been supported in this and all other endeavors of
his life by his mother, Sylvia Gould. She is an active 81-year old
walker and swimmer who justifiably takes some credit for her son's
accomplishments since she encouraged him to do well in school and
succeed as a Boy Scout.
Mr. Gould graduated the Wharton School of Business and Commerce at
the University of Pennsylvania with a B.S. in economics. He received
his J.D. degree in May 1973, graduating magna cum laude from the
University of Michigan Law School where he won academic awards and
served as editor-in-chief of the Michigan Law Review. During law school
he received the Abram Sempliner Memorial Award for legal excellence,
the Henry Bates Memorial Scholarship, and the Order of the Coif.
After law school, Mr. Gould served as a law clerk for Judge Wade
McCree on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. He next
served as a law clerk for Justice Potter Stewart at the U.S. Supreme
Court during the 1974 term.
Since December 1975, Mr. Gould has practiced law as an associate and
then as a partner with Seattle's largest firm, Perkins Coie. He has had
a varied civil litigation practice, including litigation in antitrust,
banking, director and officer liability, and trade secrets. Mr. Gould
is highly respected in his field and has worked for many of our
region's most influential companies and constituencies.
Mr. Gould's fellow lawyers in the King County Bar Association honored
him with the 1987 Award for Distinguished Service to the Legal
Profession and Public. He was elected to the Board of Governors of the
Washington State Bar Association for 1988-91 and served as President of
the Washington State Bar Association for its 1994-95 term. Also, as
President-Elect and as President of the Washington State Bar
Association, Ron co-founded with Washington State Attorney General
Christine Gregoire a project to implement mediation in Washington State
high schools to prevent youth violence. This program teaches young
people how to avoid the kind of tragedies our nation has seen too much
of in recent years.
Mr. Gould shares my commitment to public education. He has served
Bellevue Community College as a trustee from 1993 to the present and
was elected chair of the Board of Trustees in 1996.
In addition, Mr. Gould has served as a member of several legal
delegations under the People to People Citizen Ambassador Program,
founded by President Eisenhower and supported by Presidents since as a
means of enhancing international personal diplomacy and goodwill. He
has participated in legal delegations to eastern Asia, Tokyo, and
Eastern Europe.
Mr. Gould's long and consistent leadership service to the Boy Scouts
has been well-recognized. He became an Eagle Scout in 1962. He serves
on the executive board of the Chief Seattle Council of Boy Scouts of
America, which serves over 40,000 youth and participating adult
leaders. Mr. Gould has served as vice president for Programs, vice
president for Exploring, vice president for Special Events and chair of
the Jamboree Committee. In 1995, he received the Silver Beaver Award
for Chief Seattle Council, the highest award given to volunteer
leaders. In 1998, he received from Boy Scouts of America the
Distinguished Eagle Scout Award, reflecting decades of service to
scouting and his profession.
Mr. President, I commend my colleagues for their decision to support
Mr. Gould's confirmation unanimously. Again, I am proud of Ron and look
forward to seeing him serve justice as a circuit court judge. I have no
doubt he will carry his commitment to the profession and to the larger
community to the federal bench and be one of our outstanding Ninth
Circuit judges.
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