[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 8 (Tuesday, February 1, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Pages S687-S688]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     NOMINATION OF ALBERTO GONZALES

  Mr. THOMAS. Mr. President, I rise in support of the nomination of 
Alberto Gonzales to be our next Attorney General. Certainly his life 
story embodies the American dream: Son of immigrant farmers, the first 
in his family to go to college, attended Rice University, Harvard Law 
School, now nominee to be our Nation's first Hispanic top law 
enforcement officer.
  I am troubled by some remarks unfairly distorting his honorable 
record. I am concerned, as well, that the Senate is losing some of its 
civility, which is what makes our Chamber unique.
  I cannot think of anyone who would do a better job than this man as 
U.S. Attorney General. I support him.
  I yield to my friend from Montana.
  Mr. BURNS. I thank my friend from Wyoming.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Montana is recognized.
  Mr. BURNS. Could the Senator arrange some more snow to Montana?
  Mr. THOMAS. We are not ready yet.
  Mr. BURNS. Mr. President, I am in support of the nomination of Judge 
Alberto Gonzales for Attorney General of the United States. We have all 
heard his life story. I can relate to that somewhat because he grew up 
in Texas. I grew up in Missouri, starting out on 160 acres consisting 
of two rocks and dirt. He comes to this job with a different 
perspective.
  When we look down the line of the nominees the President has sent to 
the Senate for confirmation, we can see there are a lot of calluses, a 
lot of dirt under their fingernails. That is what he brings to this 
job.
  We congratulate the former Attorney General. John Ashcroft has done a 
wonderful job on the heels of September 11. As the primary law 
enforcement officer, he was not only in charge of law enforcement on 
the domestic side but had a lot to do around the world with the 
collection of intelligence, coordinating, protecting.
  We are in a time where we do not get smacked and then just simply 
pick up the pieces and continue. We are in the business of preempting 
activities. When these nominees come with a different perspective, a 
ground-level perspective, everything they do touches American lives.
  I commend Judge Gonzales for accepting the President's call to 
service. It is a thankless job if you look at the dollars. Yet it 
carries with it great responsibilities.
  We are quickly learning how to adapt to the threat of terrorism. In 
an attempt to make all Americans safe, we have changed policy and 
government structure dramatically. In a free society, a mobile society 
this makes our job even more difficult.
  The groundwork we have laid and will continue to build upon is what 
makes us a great nation. The United States is a world model for picking 
up the pieces, adapting to new challenges.

[[Page S688]]

I am hopeful and confident Judge Gonzales will continue that legacy in 
his new position. He is a man of great integrity. I encourage all my 
colleagues to entrust him with the honor and responsibility of being 
our next Attorney General.
  I also take a few moments to formally thank Attorney General John 
Ashcroft for his tremendous service the past 4 years. I have a personal 
relationship with the Ashcroft family and understand what he went 
through in the last 4 years. He has done his job with great dedication 
and integrity. He is a man who put the right people in the right places 
at the right time.
  He has served us well. He reorganized the Department of Justice with 
new directives, new directors. I thank him. His friendship, his service 
to the country, should not go unnoticed and unappreciated. He has done 
a tremendous job in very stressful times. I venture to say for an 
Attorney General, no time has been more stressful than the time John 
Ashcroft has hung his hat as Attorney General downtown.
  We welcome the nominee. We have the highest hopes for him. We wish 
him not only good luck but good hunting. We also thank the outgoing 
Attorney General.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. SPECTER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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