[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 122 (Wednesday, September 19, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Pages S9469-S9470]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   COLORADO FEDERAL JUDICIAL NOMINEES

  Mr. ALLARD. Madam President, I come to the floor today to speak about 
an issue of great importance to the State of Colorado. This is the 
nomination and confirmation of Federal judges.
  I am pleased to announce that recently the President nominated two 
outstanding individuals to fill vacancies on the Colorado Federal 
District Court.
  The first is U.S. Chief Bankruptcy Judge Marcia Krieger of Denver, 
the other is Colorado District Court Judge Robert Blackburn of Las 
Animas. Both are extremely well qualified. Both are sitting judges with 
extensive experience managing a case load. Both have had distinguished 
legal careers and are widely respected in our State. Both will make 
Colorado and the Nation proud as Federal judges.
  Judge Krieger has been a Federal bankruptcy judge for the District of 
Colorado since 1994, and she was appointed Chief Judge for the 
Bankruptcy Court for Colorado last year.

[[Page S9470]]

  Judge Krieger is a graduate of the University of Colorado School of 
Law and she currently serves as an adjunct law professor at her alma 
mater.
  Judge Krieger has extensive private practice and litigation 
experience.
  Judge Blackburn has been a Colorado State District Court Judge since 
1988. He is a judge in the 16th Judicial District, in the southeast 
part of Colorado, a largely rural and agricultural area of the State.
  He is graduate of the University of Colorado School of Law, and he 
has extensive experience in private practice and as a deputy district 
attorney. He has also been a cattle rancher in our State.
  Earlier this year the President also nominated Mr. Tim Tymokovich of 
Broomfield to the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals. This appointment is 
important not only to Colorado, but also to the other five States in 
the 10th Circuit--Wyoming, Utah, Kansas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico.
  Mr. Tymkovich is the former solicitor general for the State of 
Colorado, he has extensive litigation experience in both Federal and 
State court, and he is currently a distinguished attorney in private 
practice in our State.
  Mr. Tymkovich is a graduate of the University of Colorado School of 
law, he was a law clerk for the Chief Justice of the Colorado Supreme 
Court, and he recently served as cochair of the Colorado Governor's 
Task Force on Civil Justice Reform.
  Today I rise to speak not only of the tremendous qualifications of 
these three individuals, but to also urge that the Senate move 
expeditiously to confirm them as Federal judges.
  The 10th circuit seat became vacant in October of 1999--nearly 2 
years ago. One of the district court seats became vacant in April of 
1998--over 3 years ago. The other seat became vacant in May of this 
year.
  Recently, I researched some of the history of appointments to the 
10th circuit and one of the things that really jumps out is how quickly 
Federal judicial vacancies were filled in the past in Colorado.
  It was unusual for a seat to remain vacant for a long period of time. 
I hope we can get back to this tradition.
  The Senate should carefully review all nominees, I have taken this 
responsibility very seriously as a Senator. But when we get qualified 
candidates that are not controversial, we should confirm them in a 
timely manner.
  That is why I am today asking that the Judiciary Committee begin the 
process of reviewing these three individuals. I look forward to 
hearings and confirmation this fall.
  Colorado needs to have a full compliment of Federal judges. We are a 
fast growing State. We have a heavy case load in our Federal courts, 
and these vacancies need to be filled.
  I have worked hard to support the selection of Federal judges of the 
highest qualification.
  That is why Senator Campbell and I have formed a Judicial Vacancy 
Advisory Committee to screen candidates for district court vacancies in 
Colorado. this is a non-partisan process.
  This past spring, once we learned the process that would be followed 
by the President in selecting Federal judges, we appointed a six-member 
advisory committee. This committee was made up of distinguished lawyers 
in our State. They reviewed dozens of candidates for the two district 
court vacancies in Colorado. They narrowed the list down to nine 
qualified individuals. I personally interviewed all nine, and I was 
very confident that all nine would make fine Federal judges.
  Senator Campbell and I then forwarded these nine names to the 
President and his legal counsel. The President announced his selection 
of Judges Krieger and Blackburn from this list. I am proud of these 
choices, and I am proud of the prior choice of Mr. Tymkovich for the 
10th circuit.
  I intend to work very hard to see that they are confirmed by the 
Senate in a timely manner.
  In fact, I encourage the leadership in the Senate to move forward 
with a number of other nominations that relate to law enforcement--for 
example, U.S. marshals and the U.S. attorneys.
  I hope that in a very expeditious and rapid manner we get these 
positions throughout the country filled and confirmed, particularly in 
light of the events of the last week and a half.
  Madam President, I conclude by saying I think it is important that we 
move forward with all law enforcement nominations as quickly as 
possible and that we move forward with our judicial nominations as 
quickly as possible.
  I yield the floor.

                          ____________________