[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 176 (Tuesday, December 9, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S16153-S16154]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      NOMINATION OF JAMES B. COMEY

  Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, I am pleased that the Senate today 
confirmed James B. Comey as the Deputy Attorney General. James Comey 
brings a wealth of experience and perspective as a line prosecutor, as 
a manager in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of 
Virginia, and most recently as the U.S. attorney for the Southern 
District of New York. His record demonstrates that he is a leader, one 
who can inspire others to accomplish great things, and one who can 
oversee and manage an organization such as the Justice Department.
  With the recent departure of Larry Thompson, who was a fine Deputy 
Attorney General, I am sure everyone shares my view that Mr. Comey has 
very big shoes to fill. However, I am confident that he is the right 
person for the job. His impressive background and past government 
service make me confident that he will be a great asset to the 
Department of Justice, the Judiciary Committee, and the American 
people.
  The importance of the Deputy Attorney General within the Justice 
Department cannot be overstated. Over the years, the Deputy Attorney 
General's Office has played a greater role in overseeing the 
Department's operations, implementing new policy initiatives, and 
ensuring the effective enforcement of our criminal and civil laws.
  A review of Mr. Comey's record establishes one simple fact--he is 
well qualified to serve as the Deputy Attorney General. Since January 
2002, Mr. Comey has served as the U.S. attorney in the Southern 
District of New York, an office that many consider to be the premier 
U.S. Attorney's Office in the country. In the Southern District of New 
York, Mr. Comey has earned the respect of judges, defense counsel, and 
prosecutors for his professionalism, fairness and judgment. While 
serving as the U.S. attorney, Mr. Comey was responsible for leading his 
office in some of the more significant terrorism and white collar 
prosecutions.
  Prior to assuming the position as the U.S. attorney, Mr. Comey served 
from 1996 to 2001, as managing assistant U.S. attorney, in charge of 
the Richmond Division of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern 
District of Virginia. From 1993 to 1996, Mr. Comey was an associate and 
later a partner at the law firm of McGuire Woods in Richmond, VA. Early 
in his career, from 1987 to 1993, Mr. Comey served as an assistant U.S. 
attorney in the Southern District of New York.
  As a Federal prosecutor, Mr. Comey investigated and prosecuted a wide 
variety of cases, including firearms, narcotics, major frauds, violent 
crime, public corruption, terrorism, and organized crime. In the 
Eastern District of Virginia, he handled the Khobar Towers terrorist 
bombing case, arising out of the June 1996 attack of a U.S. military 
facility in Saudi Arabia in which 19 airmen were killed.
  Mr. Comey was educated at William & Mary, B.S. with honors 1982, 
chemistry and religion majors, and the University of Chicago Law 
School, J.D. 1985. After law school, he clerked for then-U.S. District 
Judge John Walker in Manhattan.
  Let me take one moment to highlight perhaps Mr. Comey's most 
important accomplishment. While serving his country in a variety of 
prosecutorial positions, he has demonstrated that he is a dedicated 
family man. He and his lovely wife, Patrice, are raising five wonderful 
children, ranging in age from 15 to as young as 3 years old.
  Mr. Comey is a dedicated public servant, and a talented and well-
respected prosecutor. He is uniquely qualified to lead as the Deputy 
Attorney General of the Justice Department.
  Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I am very pleased that we have been able 
to

[[Page S16154]]

make what I consider real progress on the Executive Calendar. There is 
still work to be done, but I think this represents a very important 
compromise in the effort to try to find the bipartisan balance in these 
nominations that is key to success, regardless of the session or 
regardless of the Congress itself.
  There are still many Democrats whose nominations are languishing 
either in the White House or in committee. It is troubling that we have 
had the difficulty, in many cases, that has precluded greater progress 
on those and other nominations over the course of the last several 
months. I hope, as we begin the second session of the Congress, we can 
expedite many of these nominees. I certainly will redouble our efforts 
to work with the White House and to accommodate whatever concerns they 
may have with regard to some nominations, and certainly with regard to 
their own list of nominees who ought to be considered in an expeditious 
way. So we will continue to work.
  I hope the White House in particular recognizes the importance of 
reciprocity and the fact that the nominations must be a two-way street. 
Democratic and Republican nominations deserve expeditious 
consideration, and it would be a real opportunity to set that tone and 
to send that message as we consider the Executive Calendar again early 
next year.
  I yield the floor.
  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I wish to comment very briefly on the 
nominations. We have made real progress as we were able to clear the 
degree of nominations that we did. There are several district judges I 
would like to have cleared, but the understanding is that when we come 
back we will be able to address those very early on. That is the 
understanding we reached this afternoon. These judges are very 
important for us to address. We will be addressing those as soon as we 
come back.

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