[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 29 (Thursday, February 15, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Page S1998]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                 THE CONFIRMATION OF JUDGE RANDY SMITH

  Mr. CRAPO. Madam President, I rise today to speak about a tremendous 
event that happened in the Senate, and that is that the Senate today 
confirmed my good friend, Randy Smith, to be a judge on the Ninth 
Circuit.
  Madam President, today really is the conclusion of a sometimes 
unnecessarily long and difficult process for the confirmation of Judge 
Smith. Judge Smith was originally nominated by the President back on 
December 16, 2005, for a seat on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals 
that was vacated when Idaho Judge Stephen Trott took senior status.
  Earlier this year, through negotiations with the White House, Judge 
Smith was renominated to a different Idaho seat on the Ninth Circuit 
that had been vacated when Judge Thomas Nelson took senior status.
  Since 1996, Judge Smith has served as district judge for the Sixth 
Judicial District of Idaho. Judge Smith earned his undergraduate and 
law degrees from Brigham Young University. Throughout his career, both 
in private practice and as a judge, Judge Smith has continued to be a 
student and teacher of the law. He taught courses in business law and 
tax law at Brigham Young and later at Boise State University. Since 
1993 he has served on the faculty at Idaho State University teaching 
legal environment and business law.
  Prior to becoming a judge, Randy Smith spent more than 15 years in 
private practice, gaining significant experience before both State and 
Federal courts. He is a member of the bar of the U.S. Supreme Court, 
the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, U.S. District Court for the State 
of Idaho, U.S. Tax Court, the Idaho Supreme Court, and all of the other 
courts of the State of Idaho.
  In addition to his current position as district judge in Idaho, Judge 
Smith also serves from time to time as pro tem justice on the Idaho 
Supreme Court, as a judge on the Idaho Court of Appeals, also, and as a 
temporary judge in district courts throughout the State of Idaho. He 
literally handles approximately 100 Federal and State civil cases each 
year.
  In 2004, Judge Smith received the George C. Granata, Jr., Award 
presented by the Idaho State judiciary in recognition of demonstrated 
professionalism as an Idaho trial judge, and for motivating and 
inspiring his colleagues on the bench by his character and actions. In 
2002, he received the Outstanding Service Award from the Idaho State 
Board of Commissioners. Judge Smith is also a member of the board of 
directors and is a past president of the Idaho State Civic Symphony.
  The American Bar Association has given him its unanimous ``well 
qualified'' rating for his nomination to the Ninth Circuit.
  It is my honor today to personally congratulate Judge Smith. As I 
said, he is a personal friend. I have known him for years and have 
watched him give service to the people of the State of Idaho of the 
highest caliber. He has shown himself to have the principles and values 
to be the kind of judge that America needs. He understands that we need 
a conservative understanding and interpretation of the U.S. 
Constitution, and that the role of a judge is interpretation of the 
law, not creation of the law. He understands the value that comes from 
having solid adherence to the principles of our Constitution as issues 
are adjudicated. He will be a tremendous new asset and addition to the 
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
  As I said at the outset, this has been a long, sometimes very 
unnecessarily burdensome and difficult process to get his nomination to 
the floor. I am sure that the strength he will bring to the Ninth 
Circuit was shown by the vote of confidence given to him today, a 
unanimous vote by the Senators present, 94 to 0, confirming him to be 
the next judge on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
  This is a tremendous day for Randy Smith, but it is also a tremendous 
day for the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, the people who live in that 
circuit, and, frankly, for the people of America.
  Madam President, I yield the floor, and I suggest the absence of a 
quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. BAUCUS. Madam 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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