[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 100 (Wednesday, July 9, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S9085-S9086]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   NOMINATIONS OF MARY ELLEN COSTER WILLIAMS, OF MARYLAND, SUSAN G. 
BRADEN, OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, AND CHARLES F. LETTOW, OF VIRGINIA

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the Senate will 
proceed to the consideration of the following nominations, en bloc, 
which the clerk will report.
  The assistant legislative clerk read the nominations of Mary Ellen 
Coster Williams, of Maryland, to be a Judge of the United States Court 
of Federal Claims; Susan G. Braden, of the District of Columbia, to be 
a Judge of the United States Court of Federal Claims; and Charles F. 
Lettow, of Virginia, to be a Judge of the United States Court of 
Federal Claims.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Texas.
  Mrs. HUTCHISON. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent to speak for 
up to 2 minutes on the nomination of Susan Braden before the vote.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

[[Page S9086]]

  Mrs. HUTCHISON. Madam President, I rise to speak in support of the 
nomination and confirmation of someone for whom I have a great deal of 
respect, Susan Braden, to be a Judge for the U.S. Court of Federal 
Claims. I cannot think of a better person for this court. She is 
currently counsel at Baker & McKenzie. She earned her bachelor degree 
in 1970 and her law degree in 1973 from Case Western Reserve 
University. She has worked as a trial attorney in the Department of 
Justice. She has served as a senior attorney at the Federal Trade 
Commission. For the past 18 years, she has had a distinguished career 
in the private sector, specializing in Federal litigation, antitrust, 
international trade practices, and intellectual property.
  Her work on international trade gave her the opportunity to accompany 
a delegation led by Justices O'Connor, Kennedy, Ginsburg, and Breyer on 
an official visit to several European courts in 1998.
  She is very qualified, and I wish to say on a personal note that she 
and her husband, Tom Sussman, have been friends of mine for a long 
time. I went to law school with Tom Sussman. I have a great deal of 
respect for both Tom and Susan, and I urge my colleagues to support 
this qualified nominee. She will be a wonderful public servant.
  Madam President, I urge approval of the three nominees.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Alabama.
  Mr. SESSIONS. Madam President, I wish to add my comments to the 
confirmation of Susan Braden. I happen to know her. She represented a 
business in the steel industry in Alabama that was in trouble. We tried 
to save it for the State. She worked so hard with the union members and 
with the company. I came to be extraordinarily impressed with her 
dedication, her legal skill, her love of law, and her integrity. I 
think she will do an excellent job in this important position.
  I wanted to add my comments that we need more people like Susan 
Braden in the courts of America. I think she will do a super job. I am 
very proud of her on this special day.
  I yield the floor.
  Mr. HATCH. Madam President, I rise today in support of the 
confirmation of Susan Braden, who has been nominated to serve as a 
judge on the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. Ms. Braden has the breadth 
of experience and accomplishment we look for in a Federal judge, and I 
commend President Bush for nominating her.
  After graduating from law school, Ms. Braden served for 7 years as a 
trial attorney, and then as a senior trial attorney, for the Department 
of Justice Antitrust Division. She then worked at the Federal Trade 
Commission for 5 years as a senior attorney advisor and senior counsel 
to Chairman David Clanton and Chairman James Miller III. In this 
capacity, she assumed responsibility for special policy and legislative 
projects, such as drafting a potential set of guidelines concerning 
interlocking directorates and issues concerning enforcement of the 
antitrust laws to professionals.
  Ms. Braden has worked in the private sector for the past 18 years, 
where she has focused on antitrust law, complex civil litigation, 
international trade matters for industrial clients, and computer 
software litigation. Her experience will serve her well on the bench. I 
am confident that she will execute her duties on the bench with 
integrity, intelligence, and fairness. I ask my colleagues to join me 
in my unqualified support for her nomination.


                nomination of mary ellen coster williams

  Mr. HATCH. Madam President, I am pleased today to speak in support of 
Mary Ellen Coster Williams, who has been nominated to the U.S. Court of 
Federal Claims.
  Judge Williams has served with distinction on both sides of the 
bench. Upon her graduation from Duke University Law School in 1977, she 
worked in private practice with Fulbright & Jaworski and with Schnader, 
Harrison, Segal & Lewis.
  Judge Williams then left private practice in 1983 to work in the 
Civil Division of the United States Attorney's Office in Washington, 
DC. She returned to private practice in 1987 as a partner with Janis, 
Schuelke & Wechsler.
  During her 8 years in private practice and 3\1/2\ years as an 
Assistant United States Attorney, Judge Williams gained valuable 
experience handling matters involving Government contracts, employment 
law, torts, and commercial litigation. Since 1989, she has served as an 
administrative judge on the General Services Administration Board of 
Contract Appeals.
  Judge Williams was named a Life Fellow by the American Bar 
Association and is currently the vice chair of the ABA Section on 
Public Contract Law. She also has been active in the District of 
Columbia Bar Association. Since 1997, she has served on the U.S. Court 
of Federal Claims Advisory Council, so she has much more than simply a 
passing familiarity with the court to which she has been nominated.
  With her wealth of experience and dedication, Judge Williams is well 
equipped to serve on the Court of Federal Claims. I urge my colleagues 
to join me in supporting her nomination.


                    Nomination of Charles F. Lettow

  Mr. HATCH. Madam President, I rise today to express my full support 
for the confirmation of Charles F. Lettow, who has been nominated to 
the U.S. Court of Federal Claims.
  Mr. Lettow is an excellent selection to join the Court of Federal 
Claims. He has a strong academic background and more than 30 years of 
litigation experience in constitutional and administrative law matters. 
A graduate of Stanford Law School, Mr. Lettow clerked for both the 
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court before taking 
a position in 1970 as Counsel to the Council on Environmental Quality, 
which was established by Congress a year earlier. His responsibilities 
included drafting legislation and Executive orders and working to 
negotiate bilateral agreements.
  In 1973 Mr. Lettow joined the firm of Cleary Gottlieb as a litigation 
associate, became a partner three years alter, and has remained with 
the firm since that time, focusing on Federal litigation and 
environmental cases. Cases he has handled over his career have 
presented often difficult questions of constitutional and 
administrative law, and he has handled them with expertise.
  Mr. Lettow has argued before the U.S. Supreme Court three times and 
in the U.S. Courts of Appeals in more than 40 cases, as well as 
litigated in numerous Federal district courts and the U.S. Court of 
Federal Claims. I cannot imagine someone who is better prepared to sit 
on the Court of Federal Claims. I urge my colleagues to vote for his 
confirmation.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the nominations are 
confirmed, en bloc, the motions to reconsider are laid upon the table, 
the President will be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

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