[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 54 (Thursday, April 28, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4445-S4446]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 COMMENDING ANNICE M. WAGNER, CHIEF JUDGE OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 
                            COURT OF APPEALS

  Mr. FRIST. I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Homeland 
Security and Governmental Affairs be discharged from further 
consideration of S. Res. 107 and the Senate now proceed to its 
immediate consideration.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so 
ordered. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 107) commending Annice M. Wagner, 
     Chief Judge of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals, for 
     her public service.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. FRIST. I ask unanimous consent the resolution be agreed to, the 
preamble be agreed to, and the motion to reconsider be laid on the 
table.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so 
ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 107) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 107

       Whereas Annice M. Wagner, Chief Judge of the District of 
     Columbia Court of Appeals, entered Federal Government service 
     in 1973 as the first woman to be appointed General Counsel of 
     the National Capital Housing Authority, then a Federal 
     agency;
       Whereas, from 1975 to 1977, the Honorable Annice M. Wagner 
     served as People's Counsel for the District of Columbia, an 
     office created by Congress to represent the interests

[[Page S4446]]

     of utility consumers before the District of Columbia Public 
     Service Commission and the District of Columbia Court of 
     Appeals;
       Whereas, in 1977, the Honorable Annice M. Wagner was 
     appointed by President Carter and confirmed by the Senate to 
     serve as an Associate Judge of the Superior Court for the 
     District of Columbia;
       Whereas, while serving as an Associate Judge of the 
     Superior Court, the Honorable Annice M. Wagner served in the 
     civil, criminal, family, probate, and tax divisions and 
     served for 2 years as presiding judge of the probate and tax 
     divisions;
       Whereas, while serving as an Associate Judge of the 
     Superior Court, Annice M. Wagner served on various 
     commissions and committees to improve the District of 
     Columbia judicial system, including serving as chairperson of 
     the Committee on Selection and Tenure of Hearing 
     Commissioners, and as a member of the Superior Court Rules 
     Committee and the Sentencing Guidelines Commission;
       Whereas, as an Associate Judge of the Superior Court, 
     Annice M. Wagner served as chairperson of the Court's 
     Advisory Committee on Probate and Fiduciary Rules and was 
     largely responsible for the implementation of new rules 
     intended to streamline and clarify procedures regarding 
     missing, protected, and incapacitated individuals;
       Whereas, as an Associate Judge of the Superior Court, the 
     Honorable Annice M. Wagner served as chairperson of the Task 
     Force on Gender Bias in the Courts, which conducted a 
     comprehensive study of bias in the courts;
       Whereas, under Annice M. Wagner's leadership, the District 
     of Columbia courts established the Standing Committee on 
     Fairness and Access to the Courts to ensure racial, gender, 
     and ethnic fairness;
       Whereas Annice M. Wagner was appointed by President George 
     H.W. Bush and confirmed by the Senate in 1990 to be an 
     Associate Judge of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals;
       Whereas Annice M. Wagner was appointed in 1994 to serve as 
     Chief Judge of the District Court of Appeals;
       Whereas, while Chief Judge of the District of Columbia 
     Court of Appeals, Annice M. Wagner served as Chair of the 
     Joint Committee on Judicial Administration in the District of 
     Columbia;
       Whereas, under Annice M. Wagner's leadership, the District 
     of Columbia courts initiated the renovation of the Old 
     District of Columbia Courthouse (Old City Hall) in Judiciary 
     Square, a National Historic Landmark, for future use by the 
     District of Columbia Court of Appeals;
       Whereas, under Annice M. Wagner's leadership, the District 
     of Columbia courts initiated the master planning process for 
     the renovation and use of unused or underutilized court 
     properties, which will lead to the revitalization of the 
     Judiciary Square area in the Nation's Capital;
       Whereas, under Annice M. Wagner's leadership, the Court of 
     Appeals, along with the District of Columbia Bar, the 
     District of Columbia Bar Foundation, and the District of 
     Columbia Consortium of Legal Service Providers, established 
     the District of Columbia Access to Justice Commission, a 
     commission that will propose ways to make lawyers and the 
     legal system more available for poor individuals in the 
     District of Columbia;
       Whereas Annice M. Wagner served as President of the 
     Conference of Chief Justices, an organization of Chief 
     Justices and Chief Judges of the highest court of each of the 
     50 States, the District of Columbia, and the territories;
       Whereas Annice M. Wagner served as Chairperson of the Board 
     of Directors of the National Center for State Courts;
       Whereas the Honorable Annice M. Wagner commands wide 
     respect within the legal profession nationally, having been 
     selected to serve as one of 11 members of the American Bar 
     Association's Section on Dispute Resolution's Drafting 
     Committee on the Uniform Mediation Act, which collaborated 
     with the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform 
     State Laws in promulgating the Uniform Mediation Act, which, 
     in 2001, was approved and recommended for enactment in all of 
     the States, to foster prompt, economical, and amicable 
     resolution of disputes through mediation processes which 
     promote public confidence and uniformity across state lines;
       Whereas, since 1979, Annice M. Wagner has been involved 
     with the United Planning Organization, which was established 
     in 1962 to conduct initiatives designed to provide human 
     services in the District of Columbia and she has served as 
     Interim President of the Organization's Board of Trustees;
       Whereas, since 1986, Annice M. Wagner has participated as a 
     member of a teaching team for the Trial Advocacy Workshop at 
     Harvard Law School;
       Whereas Annice M. Wagner, Chief Judge of the District of 
     Columbia Court of Appeals, was born in the District of 
     Columbia and attended District of Columbia Public Schools and 
     received her Bachelor's and law degrees from Wayne State 
     University in Detroit, Michigan; and
       Whereas Annice M. Wagner's dedication to public service and 
     the citizens of the District of Columbia has contributed to 
     the improvement of the judicial system, increased equal 
     access to justice, and advanced public confidence in the 
     court system: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate commends the Honorable Annice M. 
     Wagner for her commitment and dedication to public service, 
     the judicial system, equal access to justice, and the 
     community.

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