[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 195 (Wednesday, December 19, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S16062-S16068]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                         Nominations Discharged

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Foreign 
Relations Committee be discharged of the following nominations: foreign 
service nominations listed as follows: PN 877, PN 955, PN 1006, PN 
1007, PN 1015, PN 1034; that the nominations be confirmed, the motions 
to reconsider be laid upon the table, the President be immediately 
notified of the Senate's action.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so 
ordered.
  The nominations considered and confirmed are as follows:


                          Department of State

     Cedra Danielle Eaton, of Maryland

       For appointment as Foreign Service Officer of Class Four, 
     Consular Officer and Secretary in the Diplomatic Service of 
     the United States of America:


                          Department of State

     S. Nausher M. Ali, of California
     Christopher Charles Ashe, of Pennsylvania
     Kimberly K. Atkinson, of South Dakota
     Deidra Di Anne Avendasora, of Minnesota
     Tiffany M. Bartish, of Illinois
     Christopher Graydon Beard, of Florida
     Jennifer L. Becker, of Kansas
     Nancy R. Biasi, of Oregon
     Sheryl J. Bistransky, of Virginia
     Michael A. Bradecamp, of Virginia
     Cheryl R. Bruner, of South Dakota
     Mark Colbourne Carlson, of Washington
     Landry Joseph Carr, of Louisiana
     Michael Albert Chung, of Washington
     Sara M. Cobb, of Florida
     Kathleen Marie Corey, of Washington
     John C. Corrao, of Indiana
     Sonata N. Coulter, of Washington
     Joanne Held Cummings, of Texas
     Paul Michael Cunningham, of Connecticut
     Christopher M. Deutsch, of Virginia
     Janet E. Deutsch, of Illinois
     Beverli J. DeWalt, of Washington
     Sarah A. Duffy, of Illinois
     David Clifford Edginton, of Iowa
     Ellen Beth Eiseman, of New York
     Jill Foster, of California
     Eric Geelan, of New York

[[Page S16063]]

     Kathleen D. Gibilisco, of California
     John H. Gimbel IV, of Nevada
     Carla A. Gonneville, of California
     Christopher R. Green, of Texas
     John R. Groch, of Texas
     H. Rebecca Grutz, of Texas
     Traver Gudie, of Florida
     Richard F. Hanrahan, Jr., of Illinois
     Cash A. Herbolich, of Arizona
     Anny Chi-Jin Ho, of Virginia
     Robert F. Hommowun, of California
     Amy J. Hood, of Virginia
     Jessica Marie Franz Huaracayo, of California
     Dorian Hurtado, of Florida
     Mollie Jax Jackson, of Oregon
     Theodore Evan Jasik, of New York
     Alma Musanovic Johnson, of New Hampshire
     Tiffney J. Johnson, of Texas
     Wendy Annette Kahler, of Virginia
     Deborah J. Kanarek, of California
     Mary Virginia Kane, of Maryland
     Wendy A. Kennedy, of Washington
     Jason B. Khile, of Illinois
     Julie Kim-Johnson, of Washington
     Emily L. King, of Virginia
     Brian P. Klein, of Pennsylvania
     Richard W. La Roche, Jr., of California
     Guy M. Lawson, of Texas
     Paula I. L'Ecuyer, of Virginia
     Paul A. Loh, of New York
     Leon C. Lowder III, of New York
     Laura deNelle Lucas, of Idaho
     Mary Elizabeth Madden, of Oregon
     Guy Margalith, of New York
     Berenice Mariscal, of Texas
     Robert M. Marks, of Florida
     Hagen Davis Maroney, of New York
     Melissa E. Martinez, of New Mexico
     Partha Mazumdar, of Pennsylvania
     Lissa Mei-lin McAtee, of Washington
     P. Christopher McCabe, of Colorado
     Nancy Hillery McCarthy, of Texas
     Catherine E. McGeary, of Florida
     Aud-Frances McKernan, of California
     Cristina Marie Marko Meaney, of Arizona
     Ann Meceda, of California
     Sara M. Mercado, of California
     Kristian G. Moore, of Colorado
     John K. Moyer, of Pennsylvania
     Eshel William Murad, of Virginia
     Kevin T. Murakami, of Virginia
     Megan Thana Myers, of Minnesota
     Jeremy Nathan, of Illinois
     Jenifer Lynn Neidhart de Ortiz, of Florida
     Thu M. Nguyen, of Virginia
     Briana L. Olsen, of Washington
     Douglas S. O'Neill, of Florida
     Swati Mansukh Patel, of Alabama
     Coney Patterson, of Florida
     Timothy Eugene Peltier, of Virginia
     Steven Perry, of Virginia
     Brian R Peterson, of Washington
     Christopher R. Reynolds, of New Jersey
     Christine Riehl, of Maryland
     Michael R. Roberts, of New Jersey
     Richard W. Roesing III, of Pennsylvania
     Meredith Leigh Rubin, of Virginia
     Joseph H. Runyon, of Florida
     Trina D. Saha, of California
     Anne Lee Seshadri, of New Hampshire
     Charles H. Sewall, of Florida
     Preeti Vikas Shah, of Michigan
     Kim Shaw, of California
     Patrick Isamu Smeller, of Maryland
     Jeffrey Brian Smith, of Texas
     Steven T. Smith, of New Hampshire
     John Thomas Speaks III, of Texas
     Debra A. Steigerwalt, of Virginia
     Scott Adam Sternberg, of Florida
     Stephen Bruce Stewart, of California
     Erinn C. Stott, of Texas
     Andrea V. Strano, of New York
     Paul M. Stronski, of New York
     Joseph A. Strzalka, of Michigan
     Rachel Sunden, of Texas
     Kathleen S. Szpila, of Massachusetts
     Debra Taylor, of Washington
     Victoria Jean Taylor, of Missouri
     Chad Alan Thornberry, of California
     Jennifer L. Vieira, of Texas
     Thomas Joseph Wallis, of Virginia
     Drake A. Weisert, of Texas
     Adam P. West, of Illinois
     Joel Robert Wiegert, of Nebraska
     Patrick R. Wingate, of Texas
     Ellen Wong, of Missouri
     Danielle K. Wood, of Oregon
     Jean Thomas Woynicki, of Pennsylvania
     Daniela Zadrozny, of Texas


                          Department of State

     Wendy P. Lyle, of Virginia

       Secretary in the Diplomatic Service of the United States of 
     America:


                         Department of Treasury

     Christopher Adams, of California

       Consular Officers and Secretaries in the Diplomatic Service 
     of the United States of America:


                         Department of Commerce

     Peter D. Liston, of Florida


                          Department of State

     Mary E. Alexander, of Texas
     Logan Alschbach, of Virginia
     Robert T. Alter, of the District of Columbia
     Sandra E. Ambrose-Shem, of Virginia
     Robert Anderson, of Oregon
     Asha B. Andrews, of California
     David Avery, of New Mexico
     D. Heath Bailey, of Nevada
     Debra A. Barbessi, of Virginia
     Alexandra Lara Baumgartner, of West Virginia
     Shari Alyson Berke, of the District of Columbia
     Rachel E. Birthisel, of Virginia
     Brandon L. Borkowicz, of Illinois
     Donald A. Brown, of Louisiana
     Leslie E. Brown, of the District of Columbia
     Lindsay H. Bush, of Virginia
     Daniel J. Byrne, of Virginia
     Eric Camus, of Oregon
     Steven W. Carroll, of California
     Charles Coxwell Carson, of Virginia
     Christopher Ronald Carver, of Oregon
     Michael D. Christie, of Virginia
     Daniel Y. Chu, of California
     Daniel R. Cisek, of Illinois
     Alfonso Cortes, of New York
     John Edward Crippen, of Arkansas
     Ramona S. Crippen, of Arkansas
     Thomas P. Dalton, of Texas
     Susan V. Dankovich, of Pennsylvania
     Nathalie Jordan Davis, of Maryland
     Wayne Charles Davis, of Virginia
     Nathaniel P. Delemarre, of Virginia
     Lawanda B. Dixon, of Maryland
     Michael Stephen Doumitt, of Virginia
     Monique A. Downs, of Maryland
     Scott Driskel, of Virginia
     Janet Marie Elbert, of Virginia
     David Aaron Epstein, of New York
     Nancy Ann Eyde, of Michigan
     Kellee A. Farmer, of Kansas
     David Kip Francis, of Georgia
     Kevin W Friloux, of Texas
     Edward A. Gallagher, of Virginia
     Nicole E. Gallagher, of Maryland
     Juan Jaime Gamboa, of Texas
     James C. Gessler, of Virginia
     Kristin Michele Gilmore, of California
     Stephen Glaser, of California
     Barry S. Greenberg, of Maryland
     Lawrence James Grossback, of Virginia
     Rebecca Haas, of Pennsylvania
     Greg A. Hall, of Maryland
     Mercedes Ruth Hammer, of Virginia
     Sarah J. Hansen, of Virginia
     Robert W. Hareland, of Nevada
     Anthony P. Harman, of Maryland
     S. Evan Harper, of the District of Columbia
     Megan Alice Harris, of Virginia
     Justin Matthew Hekel, of New York
     Paul E. Hickernell, of Virginia
     Rebecca Katherine Hunter, of Florida
     Kareem N. Jamjoom, of Mssouri
     James J. Jay, Jr, of Illinois
     Michael H. Johnson, Jr., of Virginia
     Nicole G Johnson, of Wisconsin
     Eric A. Jordan, of Kansas
     Przemyslaw Robert Kaczorowski, of Maryland
     George R. Kanekkeberg, of Virginia
     Megan M. Katin, of Virginia
     Elizabeth C. Kaufman, of Virginia
     James Brennan Kelly, of the District of Columbia
     Keely Zwart Kilburg, of Texas
     Eric Michael Kline, of Virginia
     Scott O. Koenig, of California
     Timothy R. Kraemer, of Virginia
     Jeanne Brennan Land, of Virginia
     Susan P. Larson, of Virginia
     Elizabeth K. Lee, of California
     Leslie A. Linnemeier, of Virginia
     Mary LoFrisco-McClure, of Maryland
     Billy Malone, of Virginia
     Bruce G. Mangum, of Maryland
     David Matthew Mark, of Virginia
     Charles Martin, of Kentucky
     Paul J. Martinek, of Massachusetts
     Marjorie A. Mathelus, of Virginia
     George D. Mathews, of Virginia
     Catherine Jean McFarland, of Florida
     Grant L. McMurran, of Virginia
     Richard Bruce Mddlebrooks, of Virginia
     Benjamin Edward Miller, of California
     Thomas Miniaci, of Virginia
     Blake W. Mobley, of the District of Columbia
     Kimberlee Moore, of Virginia
     Matthew Abraham Myers, Sr., of Florida
     William R. Nelson, of Wisconsin
     Nicole A. Nucelli, of Virginia
     Aaron P. Ong, of Virginia
     Robert C. Palmer, of California
     Brandy L. Pankau, of West Virginia
     Megan M. Phaneuf, of the District of Columbia
     Justin A. Ponchak, of Virginia
     Michael Hugh Quinn, of Alaska
     Jamie William Ravetz, of Pennsylvania
     Robin Reichenbach, of Virginia
     Christopher Rhoton, of Virginia
     Meredith Robertson, of Virginia
     Carolyn Rodal, of Virginia
     Timothy R. Roman, of Maryland
     Aaron John Rupert, of Ohio
     Manju K. Sadarangani, of New York
     Marco G. Sailors, of Pennsylvania
     Susan M. Sakraida, of Pennsylvania
     Marcelyn E. Sanchez, of California
     Cheryl Anderson Saus, of Virginia
     Kevi E. Sechrest, of Virginia
     David P. Segalini, of Virginia
     Anjalina Sen, of New York
     D. Alexandra Shuey, of the District of Columbia
     Richard R. Silver, of California
     Theodora S. Smith, of Maryland
     Timothy J. Smith, of Maryland
     Andrew D. Snodgrass, of Virginia
     Jimmi Nicole Sommer, of Idaho
     Jorge Patrick Sowers, of Virginia
     Paul Glen Stahle, of Maryland
     Wade B. Stanton, of Virginia
     Sharla Stephenson, of Virginia
     Sarah C. Stewart, of Arizona
     Erin C. Stuart, of Virginia
     Mary E. Stuessy, of Ohio
     Huguette Thornton, of Florida
     Peter J. Thrapp, of Illinois
     Benjamin Tietz, of Virginia
     Joseph Anthony Tordella, of Florida
     Rubani I. Trimiew, of New Jersey
     Nguyen C. Trinh, of Maryland
     Kristine M. Tuori, of Maryland
     Cynthia Jean Turner, of Florida
     Ariel Rebecca Vaagen, of Texas
     Michelle R. Vassar, of Virginia
     Jessica R. Vielhuber, of Virginia
     Heidi B. Vierow, of Virginia

[[Page S16064]]

     Timothy S. Wade, of the District of Columbia
     Kerry Merkl Wald, of Connecticut
     Michele Wells, of California
     Richard Whitten, of Florida
     Whitney Scott Wiedeman, of Texas
     Stewart A.S. Wight, of Virginia
     Todd Andrew Wilder, of Washington
     Michelle Marie Wildman, of Indiana
     Suzanne M. Yountchi, of California

       The following-named Career Members of the Senior Foreign 
     Service of the Department of Agriculture/APHIS for promotion 
     within and into the Senior Foreign Service to the classes 
     indicated: Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class 
     of Career Minister:

     Danny J. Sheesley, of Colorado


                          Department of State

     Julia A. Stewart, of Virginia

       The following-named Members of the Foreign Service to be 
     Consular Officers and/or Secretaries in the Diplomatic 
     Service of the United States of America, as indicated:

       Consular Officers and Secretaries in the Diplomatic Service 
     of the United States of America:


                         Department of Commerce

     Paul S. Cushman, of Florida


                          Department of State

     Jessica Lynn Adams, of Ohio
     Gregory David Aurit, of Nevada
     Mark J. Bosse, of California
     Roberta R. Burns, of New York
     Lydia Beth Butts, of Texas
     Lisa Arunee Buzenas, of the District of Columbia
     Daniel C. Callahan, of Virginia
     Thomas L. Card, of Virginia
     Michael Carney, of Georgia
     Mary Karol Cline, of the District of Columbia
     Marc S. Cook, of the District of Columbia
     Michael Albert Daschbach, of Arizona
     Thomas R. De Bor, of Pennsylvania
     Kristen Fresonke, of New York
     Lawrence H. Gemmell, of Maine
     Lewis Gitter, of Pennsylvania
     Kristofor E. Graf, of Texas
     Sean S. Greenley, of South Carolina
     Michael William Hale, of Virginia
     Paul Allen Hinshaw, of Mississippi
     A. Diane Holcombe, of Maryland
     Richard B. Johns, of Virginia
     Steve M. Kenoyer, of California
     Richard Morris, of Colorado
     Andrea Jane Parsons, of the District of Columbia
     Miranda A. Rinaldi, of the District of Columbia
     Amy E. Roth, of Louisiana
     Erik Martinas Ryan, of Arkansas
     Denise Shen, of Virginia
     Joan Renee Sinclair, of California
     Diana Maria Sitt, of California
     Elizabeth A. Sunday, of Pennsylvania
     Mary C. Thompson, of Texas
     Laura A. Till, of Colorado
     Miriam Elise Tokumasu, of Washington
     Nyree Tripptree, of Georgia
     Christopher Van Bebber, of California
     Angela Raye Ventling, of New York
     Vaida Vidugiris, of New York
     Zebulun Q Weeks, of Nevada
     Diane Whitten, of Nebraska
     Brandon L Wilson, of Virginia
     Deborah Winters, of the District of Columbia

       Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of 
     Career Minister:

     Anne H. Aarnes, of Vermont
     Hilda Marie Arellano, of Texas
     Karen Dene-Turner, of the District of Columbia

       Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of 
     Minister-Counselor:

     Deborah K. Kennedy-Iraheta, of Virginia
     Erma Willis Kerst, of the District of Columbia
     Howard Jeffrey Sumka, of Maryland
     Leon S. Waskin, Jr., of Florida
     Paul E. Weisenfeld, of the District of Columbia
     Susumu Ken Yamashita, of Florida

       Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of 
     Counselor;

     Jennifer Adams, of New York
     John A. Beed, of Maryland
     Beth Ellen Cypser-Kim, of New York
     Thomas R. Delaney, of Pennsylvania
     Dona M. Dinkler, of Virginia
     Gary Flynn Fuller, of Califomia
     Lawence Hardy II, of Washington
     Michael T. Harvey, of Texas
     James M Harmon, of Maryland
     Edith Fayssoux-Jones Humphreys, of Florida
     Brooke Andrea Isham, of Washington
     David Leong, of Virginia
     Bobbie E. Myers, of Florida
     Charles Eric North, of Virginia
     Martha Erin Solo, of Virginia
     Dennis J. Weller, of Illinois
     Melissa Ann Williams, of Virginia

       Career Members of the Senior Foreign Service of the United 
     States of America, Class of Career Minister:

     Pamela E. Bridgewater, of Maryland
     Steven A. Browning, of Texas
     Jeremy F. Curtin, of Maryland
     Daniel Fried, of California
     Francis Joseph Ricciardone, Jr., of New Hampshire

       Career Members of the Senior Foreign Service of the United 
     States of America, Class of Minister-Counselor:

     Bernadette Mary Allen, of Maryland
     Betsy Lynn Anderson, of Virginia
     Claudia E. Anyaso, of the District of Columbia
     Edmund Earl Atkins, of California
     Joyce A. Barr, of Washington
     Kevin Michael Barry, of Virginia
     Leslie Ann Bassett, of California
     Donna M. Blair, of Louisiana
     Anne Taylor Callaghan, of Virginia
     Arnold A. Chac, of New York
     Michael Hugh Corbin, of California
     Gene Allan Cretz, of New York
     Michael Joseph Darmiento, of Virginia
     Jonathan D. Farrar, of California
     Philip S. Goldberg, of New York
     Gary A. Grappo, of Florida
     Charles H. Grover, of New Hampshire
     David M. Hale, of New Jersey
     Robert Porter Jackson, of Virginia
     Tracey Ann Jacobson, of the District of Columbia
     Stuart E. Jones, of Pennsylvania
     Peter Graham Kaestner, of Florida
     Susan E. Keogh, of California
     Nabeel A. Khoury, of New York
     Lisa Jean Kubiske, of Virginia
     Joseph Estey MacManus, of New York
     Haynes Richardson Mahoney III, of Massachusetts
     M. Lee McClenny, of Washington
     Nancy E. McEldowney, of Florida
     Christopher J. McMullen, of the District of Columbia
     James Desmond Melville, Jr., of New Jersey
     William H. Moser, of Florida
     Sandra M. Muench, of Florida
     Anthony Muse, of Tennessee
     Geraldine H. O'Brien, of Massachusetts
     James A. Paige, of Ohio
     Isiah L. Parnell, of Florida
     Michael Bernard Regan, of New Jersey
     Paul Edward Rowe, of Virginia
     Larry Schwartz, of Washington
     Justine M. Sincavage, of Pennsylvania
     Jay Thomas Smith, of Indiana
     Barbara J. Stephenson, of Florida
     Agu Suvari, of Rhode Island
     Teddy B. Taylor, of Maryland
     Donald Gene Teitelbaum, of Virginia
     Margaret A. Uyehara, of Virginia
     James B. Warlick, Jr., of California
     Kevin Michael Whitaker, of Virginia
     Mary Jo Wills, of Virginia
     Marie L. Yovanovitch, of Connecticut

       Career Members of the Senior Foreign Service of the United 
     States of America, Class of Counselor:

     Gregory Adams, of Arizona
     Susan Elaine Alexander, of Washington
     Richard Hanson Appleton, of California
     Michael Lee Bajek, of Texas
     Robert David Banks, of Virginia
     John R. Bass II, of New York
     Robert Stephen Beecroft, of California
     Robert I. Blau, of Virginia
     Thurmond H. Borden, of Texas
     Philip Jackson Breeden, Jr., of California
     Matthew J. Bryza, of California
     Piper Anne-Wind Campbell, of New York
     Thomas H. Casey, Jr., of New Jersey
     Karen Lise Christensen, of Virginia
     Robert John Clarke, of Florida
     John Alan Connerley, of California
     Thomas Frederick Daughton, of New York
     Robert Richard Downes, of Texas
     Susan Marsh Elliott, of Virginia
     Laura Patricia Faux-Gable, of Virginia
     Julie A. Furuta-Toy, of California
     Gonzalo Rolando Gallegos, of Texas
     Peggy Ann Gennatiempo, of Washington
     Thomas Henry Goldberger, of New Jersey
     Robert Daniel Griffiths, of Nevada
     Eva Jane Groening, of New Jersey
     Ted William Halstead, of Virginia
     D. Brent Hardt, of Florida
     Clifford Awtrey Hart, Jr., of Virginia
     Francisca Thomas Helmer, of California
     Simon Henshaw, of Massachusetts
     Leslie C. High, of Pennsylvania
     Anthony Alonzo Hutchinson, of Washington
     Dorothy Senger Imwold, of Florida
     Tina S. Kaidanow, of New York
     Ann N. Kambara, of California
     David Joel Katz, of Washington
     Neil R. Klopfenstein, of Iowa
     Christopher A. Lambert, of Virginia
     John Charles Law, of Virginia
     Frank Joseph Ledahawsky, of New Jersey
     Lewis Alan Lukens, of Vermont
     Carol Lynn MacCurdy, of Virginia
     Kevin K. Maher, of Virginia
     John A. Matel, of Washington
     Robin Hill Matthewman, of Washington
     Matthew John Matthews, of Virginia
     Louis Mazel, of New Hampshire
     Michael William McClellan, of Kentucky
     Kenneth H. Merten, of Virginia
     Lawrence Mire, of California
     Michael Chase Mullins, of New Hampshire
     Richard Walter Nelson, of California
     Virginia E. Palmer, of Virginia
     Robert Patterson, of Pennsylvania
     Claire A. Pierangelo, of California
     H. Dean Pittman, of Mississippi
     Robert Glenn Rapson, of New Hampshire
     Philip Thomas Reeker, of New York
     Gary D. Robbins, of Washington
     Todd David Robinson, of New Jersey
     Matthew M. Rooney, of Texas
     Dorothea-Maria Rosen, of California
     Andrew T. Simkin, of Washington
     Pamela Leora Spratlen, of California
     William Ralph Stewart, of Texas
     Stephanie Sanders Sullivan, of Maryland
     Susan M. Sutton, of Virginia
     Alaina Teplitz, of the District of Columbia
     Heather Ann Townsend, of the District of Columbia
     Jeffrey Stewart Alexander Tunis, of Florida
     Thomas E. Williams, Jr., of Virginia
     Bisa Williams-Manigault, of Texas
     Mary Hillers Witt, of Pennsylvania
     Robert A. Wood, of New York


[[Page S16065]]


       Career Members of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of 
     Counselor, and Consular Officers and Secretaries in the 
     Diplomatic Service of the United States of America:

     Cheryl L. Alston, of Texas
     Robert Douglas Barton, of Texas
     Kevin W. Bauer, of Virginia
     Stephen P. Brunette, of Virginia
     Scott P. Bultrowicz, of Ohio
     Kenneth B. Dekleva, of Texas
     Loren F. File, Jr., of Virginia
     Gregory V. Gavagan, of Florida
     Joseph G. Hays III, of Virginia
     John F. Hernly, of Maryland
     Kibby Felecia Jorgensen, of Florida
     George G. Lambert, of Indiana
     Phillip S. Louh, of New Jersey
     James P. McDermott, of Maryland
     Bill A. Miller, of Georgia
     Richard A. Nicholas, of Colorado
     Robert A. Riley, of Florida
     Michael H. Ross, of Virginia
     Eric N. Rumpf, of Washington
     Donald A. Schenck, of Virginia
     John W. Schilling, of Virginia
     Conrad V. Schmitt, of Texas
     James E. Vanderpool, of California
     Frontis B. Wiggins, of Virginia


                  Agency for International Development

     Jeffery A. Lifur, of Nevada

       For appointment as Foreign Service Officer of Class Three, 
     Consular Officer and Secretary in the Diplomatic Service of 
     the United States of America:


                  Agency for International Development

     Sabinus Fyne Anaele, of Texas
     Yohannes A. Araya, of Virginia
     Jeff Richard Bryan, of Florida
     Samuel Carter, Jr., of Virginia
     Thaddeus S. Corley, of Nevada
     Linda S. Crawford, of Florida
     Matthew R. Drake, of California
     Steven DeVane Edminster, of Maryland
     Steven M. Fondriest, of the District of Columbia
     Wayne A. Frank, of Hawaii
     Jeffery T. Goebel, of the District of Columbia
     David Gosney, of California
     Stephen F. Herbaly, of Montana
     Nicholas B. Higgins, of the District of Columbia
     Michelle A. Jennings, of California
     Melissa A. Jones, of California
     Terence Ernest Jones, of Florida
     Jessica J. Jordan, of Florida
     Erin Austin Krasik, of Ohio
     Akua N. Kwateng-Addo, of Maryland
     Lisa Magno, of Virginia
     Michael Richard McCord, of Maryland
     Erin Nicholson Pacific, of the District of Columbia
     Sheila R. Roquitte, of Washington
     Daniel Sanchez-Bustamante, of Maryland
     Nancy M. Shalala, of New Jersey
     Jeffry B. Sharp, of Illinois
     Jason Kennedy Singer, of the District of Columbia
     Kathyrine R. Soliven, of Maryland
     Michael B. Stewart, of South Dakota
     Aye Aye Thwin, of Virginia
     Sara R. Walter, of Kansas
     James Matthew Pye Weatherill, of New Jersey

       The following-named Members of the Foreign Service to be 
     Consular Officers and Secretaries in the Diplomatic Service 
     of the United States of America:


                         Department of Commerce

     Thomas P. Cassidy III, of Texas
     Tanya Cole, of California
     Nasir Khan, of Virginia
     Ashley Miller, of Maryland


                          Department of State

     Brian D. Adkins, of Ohio
     Nushin Sadik Alloo, of California
     Laura E. Anderson, of South Carolina
     Kathleen N. Astorita, of Virginia
     Alfredo Ayuso, of Virginia
     Adam Christopher Bacon, of Virginia
     Alexander M. Bailey, of Virginia
     Jennifer M. Bailey, of Virginia
     Steven C. Barlow, of Virginia
     Joseph George Bergen, of South Carolina
     James T. Berry, of Virginia
     Sarah E Bobbin, of Virginia
     Darren Paul Bologna, of Virginia
     Brian Andrew Bresnan, of Virginia
     Kendrick Bennett Brown, of Virginia
     Marcy S. Brown, of New York
     Matthew Crane Buffington, of Utah
     Meagan Call, of New Mexico
     Anne M. Camus, of Virginia
     Lindsay K. Campbell, of Maryland
     Dean D. Caras, of the District of Columbia
     James Michael Cichon, of Virginia
     William Percy Cobb, Jr., of the District of Columbia
     Henry Clay Constantine IV, of Virginia
     Christopher L. Cook, of Texas
     L.A. Cordero, of California
     Andrea D. Corey, of Colorado
     Brian F. Corteville, of Michigan
     Jeffrey A. Courtemanche, of Virginia
     Angela Vernet Dalrymple, of New York
     Ralph Dixon III, of Virginia
     Meera Doraiswamy, of Virginia
     Damon DuBord, of the District of Columbia
     Khashayar Ghashghai, of Texas
     Fonta J. Gilliam, of North Carolina
     Sandrine Susan Goffard, of Florida
     Andrea Lauren Gottlich, of Kansas
     Teresa L. Grantham, of Arizona
     Andrea G. Hall, of Virginia
     Thomas Neal Halphen, of Louisiana
     Harry J. Handlin, of Maryland
     Kathryn Hartmere, of Maryland
     Brendan Kyle Hatcher, of Tennessee
     Heidi S. Hattenbach, of Colorado
     Cristin Heinbeck, of Michigan
     Prashant Hemady, of Pennsylvania
     Jacquelyn E. Henderson, of Indiana
     Annalis Hermann, of Virginia
     Norma C. Hernandez, of California
     Roy Arturo Hines, of California
     Winifred Loop Hofstetter, of Colorado
     Mark W. Hopkins, of Virginia
     Charles Phillip Hornbostel, of Virginia
     Matthew Lane Horner, of Oregon
     Eric S. Huguley, of Maryland
     Francine I. Kalnoske, of Maryland
     Zoraida Tarifa Kelley, of Virginia
     James Sean Kennedy, of California
     Colleen M. Kenning, of the District of Columbia
     Anna M. Klimaszewska, of Virginia
     Rachel R Kutzley, of Ohio
     Tye M. Lageman, of Virginia
     James G. Lankford, of Texas
     Eric James Legallais, of Virginia
     Maria del Carmen Liautaud, of Virginia
     Brian Jay Luster, of Virginia
     Margaret Grace MacLeod, of New York
     Denise M. Malone, of Florida
     Jeff D. Malsam, of Virginia
     Amanda Joy Mansour, of the District of Columbia
     Sara Elizabeth Martz, of Virginia
     Pamela S. Miller, of Virginia
     James Alexander Moore, of Virginia
     Matthew A. Morrow, of Ohio
     Victor G. Myers, of Maryland
     Victoria A. Nestor, of Pennsylvania
     Tyler Ross Nicholes, of Virginia
     Siobhan Colby Oat-Judge, of Connecticut
     Craig P. Osth, of Virginia
     Steven Lynn Ovard, of Utah
     Matthew R. Petersen, of Virginia
     Garry Pierrot, of Florida
     Sharon L. Pollard, of Virginia
     Kathryn E. Porter, of Alabama
     Brandon Possin, of Wisconsin
     Rachel E. Quiroga, of Virginia
     Amy J. Reardon, of Washington
     Richard N. Reilly, of Florida
     Charles A. Reynolds, of Georgia
     David Reynolds, of Rhode Island
     Kristin Marie Roberts, of Virginia
     Michael Rosenthal, of the District of Columbia
     Lindsey L. Rothenberg, of the District of Columbia
     Samuel Flom Rothenberg, of the District of Columbia
     Sarah A. Sadow, of Virginia
     Alexander Rafael Schaper, of Virginia
     Jacob Taylor Schultz, of Florida
     Frank Erick Sellin, of Virginia
     Ami U. Shah, of New Jersey
     Philip Lee Shaw, of Virginia
     David C. Shiao, of Virginia
     Beth Nichole Skubis, of Virginia
     Rhonda Lynn Slusher, of Kansas
     Lachrisha D. Smith, of Maryland
     John Steven Soltys, of Virginia
     Jonathan W. Spitzer, of Virginia
     Kimberly M Strollo, of Florida
     Nikhil P. Sudame, of Connecticut
     Erin P. Sweeney, of New Jersey
     Michael J. Sweet, of Virginia
     Justen Allen Thomas, of Wisconsin
     Scott VanBeuge, of Washington
     Nancy Taylor VanHorn, of Texas
     Marlan C. Walker, of Utah
     Dineen B. Willats, of Virginia
     Timothy Lee Witkiewicz, of Virginia
     Daniel Wallace Wright, of Virginia
     Kevin S. Yates, of North Carolina
     Zainab Zaid, of Maryland
     Marwa Zeini, of Florida


                          Department of State

     S. Najlaa Abdus-Samad, of New York
     J. Andrew Abell, of the District of Columbia
     Anthony W. Alexander, of California
     Christopher Campbell Allison, of Missouri
     Erfana Andrabi, of Washington
     Faris Y. Asad, of Ohio
     Forest Grady Atkinson, of California
     Benjamin Seth Bailey, of Washington
     Anne Elizabeth Baker, of Washington
     Chelsea M.H. Bakken, of Washington
     Daniela A. Ballard, of California
     Ann Barrow, of Florida
     Alistair Charles Baskey, of Texas
     Todd Michael Bate-Poxon, of Florida
     Matthew Kenneth Beh, of New York
     Mariju Libo-on Bofill, of West Virginia
     Scott Charles Bolz, of Washington
     Pauline Nicole Borderies, of California
     Jennifer F. Bosworth, of the District of Columbia
     Tobias Alyn Bradford, of Texas
     Staci A. Brothers-Jackson, of Georgia
     Christopher Charles Brown, of Wisconsin
     D.A. Brown, of Florida
     Justin Patrick Brown, of California
     Thomas E. Brown, Jr., of Maryland
     Timothy Patrick Buckley, of New York
     Dayle Rebecca Carden, of Texas
     Lyra Sharon Carr, of Nevada
     Cassandra Carraway, of California
     Michael J. Carver, of Texas
     Eric Catalfamo, of Florida
     Ethan Daniel Chorin, of California
     Lewis A. Clark, of Texas
     Christopher T. Cortese, of Florida
     Kim D'Auria-Vazira, of California
     Timmy T. Davis, of California
     Frank DeParis, of Virginia
     Shelly J. Dittmar, of New York
     Katya Dmitrieva, of New York
     Andrea Susana M. Donnally, of Florida
     Jed Taro Dornburg, of the District of Columbia
     Daniel S. Duane, of New York
     Julie A. Eadeh, of Michigan
     Michael G. Edwards, of Washington
     Kiera Lacey Emmons, of California
     Richard J. Faillace, of New Jersey

[[Page S16066]]

     Joseph T. Farrelly, of the District of Columbia
     Yuriy R. Fedkiw, of Ohio
     Julia C. Fendrick, of Maryland
     Timothy J. Fingarson, of Maryland
     Andrea Finnegan, of New York
     Rees M. Fischer, of Florida
     Michael Kevin Fitzpatrick, of Maryland
     Christopher T. Friefeld, of Virginia
     Thomas Barry Fullerton, Jr., of Tennessee
     Enrique Rodrigo Gallego, of Illinois
     Angela Louise Gemza, of Minnesota
     Anita Ghildyal, of Missouri
     Matthew Bryant Golden, of California
     Candace A. Graves, of North Carolina
     John H. Gregg, of Alabama
     Jason Kamata Hackworth, of Washington
     Daniel E. Hall, of Arizona
     Scott William Hansen, of Virginia
     Alexander K. Hardin, of Ohio
     Danielle Alisa Harms, of Pennsylvania
     Scott Edward Hartmann, of the District of Columbia
     Lesley M. Hayden, of Minnesota
     Rich Heaton, of California
     Maria Herbst Richart, of Alaska
     Priscilla A. Hernandez, of Texas
     Kary I. Hintz-Tate, of Virginia
     Courtney Houk, of Florida
     Jerry S. Ismail, of Virginia
     Joseph Samuel Jacanin, of Indiana
     Richard C. Jao, of New York
     Judith M. Johnson, of Texas
     Todd M. Katschke, of Illinois
     Pamela R. Kazi, of Minnesota
     Mary Elizabeth Knapp-Rasay, of Florida
     Elizabeth J. Konick, of New York
     Bryan K. Koontz, Jr., of Virginia
     Stephen Gyula Kovacsics, of Florida
     Eric J. Kramp, of Florida
     Marybeth Krumm, of California
     Jamie Tyler La More, of Arizona
     Marsha Ann Lance, of Florida
     John C. Letvin, of Florida
     Adham Zibas Loutfi, of California
     Christian J Lynch, of New York
     Thomas H. Lyons, of Tennessee
     Michael H. Margolies, of Louisiana
     Ann L. Mason, of Michigan
     Jennifer J. McAlpine, of Minnesota
     Evan McCarthy, of Rhode Island
     Robert A. McCutcheon, of Maryland
     Shannon Tovan McDaniel, of Missouri
     Jason McInerney, of California
     John T. McNamara, of New York
     Bernadette M. Meehan, of New York
     Richard Conrad Michaels, of Arizona
     Matthew J. Miller, of Wyoming
     Anthony Miranda, of Washington
     Rebecca Shira Morgan, of Illinois
     Eric G. Morin, of Florida
     James M. Morris, of Massachusetts
     Joshua C. Morris, of Washington
     Oliver John Moss III, of Florida
     Junaid Mazhar Munir, of Michigan
     Fahez Ahmad Nadi, of New York
     Ari Nathan, of California
     James Patrick Neel, of Nevada
     Peter Neisuler, of Massachusetts
     Phillip B. Nervig, of New York
     David C. Ng, of Arizona
     Sadia Niazi, of Virginia
     Sean Patrick O'Hara, of Virginia
     Trevor R. Olson, of Idaho
     Adam Daniel Packer, of Indiana
     Christine D. Parker, of Illinois
     Walter Parrs Ill, of New York
     Dexter C. Payne, of Virginia
     Jonathan R. Peccia, of Illinois
     Robert Patrick Peck, of Florida
     Elizabeth Lynne Perry, of Massachusetts
     Timothy C. Phillips, of California
     Michael Edward Pignatello, of the District of Columbia
     Cynthia L. Plath, of California
     Mary Elizabeth Rose Polley, of Virginia
     Jennifer Kathleen Purl, of California
     Sara M. Revell, of Texas
     Jason Bradley Rieff, of the District of Columbia
     Bernadette Eileen Roberts, of Michigan
     Benedict Robinette, of Virginia
     Scott Ashton Robinson, of California
     Jacquelyn Burke Rosholt, of Minnesota
     Adam Douglas Ross, of Connecticut
     Jeff Rotering, of North Dakota
     Ruth Ellen Rudzinski, of Colorado
     Emmett J. Ryan, Jr., of Montana
     Kirk Harris Samson, of Wisconsin
     Janet Nicole Sanders, of Arkansas
     Gabrielle Hayes Sarrano, of Virginia
     Briana L.M. Saunders, of Minnesota
     Karen P. Schinnerer, of Michigan
     J. Michelle Schohn, of North Carolina
     Dawn M. Schrepel, of Texas
     Vanessa A. Schulz, of the District of Columbia
     Shelly A. Seaver, of Florida
     June A. Shin, of California
     John H. Silson, of Ohio
     Daniel E. Slaven, of Texas
     Patrick T. Lowinski, of Texas
     Beth Moser Smith, of Virginia
     Brian Kenneth Stimmler, of Florida
     Christy Melicia Watkins Stoner, of Virginia
     Amy L. Storrow, of Texas
     Bryan Richard Switzer, of California
     Matthew Alan Taylor, of Florida
     Paul S. Thomas, of Colorado
     Anthony Dean Tranchina, of New York
     Shawn Harris Tribe, of California
     Karen K. Tsai, of New York
     Frank F. Tu, of California
     Michael Turner, of California
     Susan Lea Unruh, of Texas
     Adam Richard Vogelzang, of Michigan
     Jason Vorderstrasse, of California
     Jocelyn Ann Vossler, of California
     Sharon Ann Weber-Rivera, of New York
     Helaena Wossum White, of Tennessee
     Scott Lee Whitmore, of New Hampshire
     John David Wilcock, of Virginia
     Emily L. Williams, of Minnesota
     Patrick C. Williams III, of West Virginia
     Rachel Elizabeth Wolfe, of Virginia
     Carson H. Wu, of Virginia
     Michael H. Young, of California
     Stacie Zerdecki, of Texas
     Melanie Anne Zimmerman, of Maryland
     Jim Zix, of Oregon

       The following-named Members of the Foreign Service to be 
     Consular Officers and Secretaries in the Diplomatic Service 
     of the United States of America:


                         Department of Commerce

     Lawrence G. Johnson, of California
     Tracy T. Perrelli, of the District of Columbia
     Lisa Rigoli, of Virginia

       The following-named Career Members of the Foreign Service 
     of the Department of State for promotion into the Senior 
     Foreign Service, and for appointment as Consular Officers and 
     Secretaries in the Diplomatic Service, as indicated:

       Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service of the United 
     States of America, Class of Counselor:

     Kurt Walter Tong, of Virginia

       Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of 
     Counselor, and Consular Officer and Secretary in the 
     Diplomatic Service of the United States of America:

     Lonnie J. Price, of Virginia
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Foreign 
Relations Committee be discharged of the following nominations: Mary 
Ann Glendon to be Ambassador to the Holy See, PN 1028; Charles Larson 
to be Ambassador to Latvia, PN 1087; that the nominations be confirmed, 
the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table, the President be 
immediately notified of the Senate's action.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so 
ordered.
  The nominations considered and confirmed are as follows:


                          Department of state

       Mary Ann Glendon, of Massachusetts, to be Ambassador 
     Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of 
     America to the Holy See.
       Charles W. Larson, Jr., of Iowa, to be Ambassador 
     Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of 
     America to the Republic of Latvia.

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Homeland 
Security Committee be discharged from the following nominations: Steven 
Murdock to be Director of the census, PN 660; Jeffrey Runge to be 
Assistant Secretary for the Health Affairs and Chief Medical Officer, 
PN 826; that the nominations be confirmed, the motions to reconsider be 
laid upon the table, the President be immediately notified of the 
Senate's action.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so 
ordered.
  The nominations considered and confirmed are as follows:


                         Department of Commerce

       Steven H. Murdock, of Texas, to be Director of the Census.


                    Department of Homeland Security

       Jeffrey William Runge, of North Carolina, to be Assistant 
     Secretary for Health Affairs and Chief Medical Officer, 
     Department of Homeland Security.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Judiciary 
Committee and the Banking Committee be discharged of the following 
nominations:
  Scott Burns, to be Deputy Director of National Drug Control Policy, 
PN692; Cynthia Dyer, to be Director of the Violence Against Women 
Office, PN827; Nathan Hochman, to be Assistant Attorney General, 
PN1052; Joseph Russoniello, to be U.S. attorney, PN1070; Alan 
Mendelowitz, to be Director of Federal Housing Finance Board, PN989; 
Christopher Padilla, to be Under Secretary of Commerce for 
International Trade, PN861; that the nominations be confirmed, the 
motions to reconsider be laid on the table, the President be 
immediately notified of the Senate's action, and the Senate then return 
to legislative session.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so 
ordered.
  The nominations, considered and confirmed, are as follows:


                         DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

       Christopher A. Padilla, of the district of Columbia, to be 
     Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade.


                         DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

       Cynthia Dyer, of Texas, to be Director of the Violence 
     Against Women Office, Department of Justice.
       Nathan J. Hochman, of California, to be an Assistant 
     Attorney General.
       Joseph P. Russoniello, of California, to be United States 
     Attorney for the Northern District of California.

[[Page S16067]]

                   EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT

       Scott M. Burns, of Utah, to be Deputy Director of National 
     Drug Control Policy.


                     FEDERAL HOUSING FINANCE BOARD

       Allan I. Mendelowitz, of Connecticut, to be a Director of 
     the Federal Housing Finance Board.

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the HELP 
Committee be discharged of the following nominations:
  Tracy Justesen, to be Assistant Secretary for Special Education, 
PN1051; Carol D'Amico, PN244; and Eric Hanusek, PN243, to be members of 
the board of directors of the National Board for Education Sciences; 
that the nominations be confirmed, the motions to reconsider be laid on 
the table; the President be immediately notified of the Senate's 
action, and the Senate return to legislation session.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so 
ordered.
  The nominations, considered and confirmed, are as follows:


                        department of education

       Tracy Ralph Justesen, of Utah, to be Assistant Secretary 
     for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, Department 
     of Education.


                 national board for education sciences

       Eric Alan Hanushek, of California, to be a Member of the 
     Board of Directors of the National Board for Education 
     Sciences.
       Carol D'Amico, of Indiana, to be a Member of the Board of 
     Directors of the National Board for Education Sciences.

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the HELP 
Committee be discharged of the following nominations:
  Howard Radzely, to be Deputy Secretary of Labor, PN562; Stuart 
Ishimaru, to be a member of the Equal Employment Opportunity 
Commission, PN845; Gregory Jacob, to be Solicitor for the Department of 
Labor Statistics, PN944; Keith Hall, to be Commissioner of Labor 
Statistics, PN944; Douglas Webster, to be Chief Financial Officer at 
the Department of Labor, PN964; that the nominations be confirmed, the 
motions to reconsider be laid on the table; the President be 
immediately notified of the Senate's action; and the Senate then return 
to legislative session.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so 
ordered.
  The nominations, considered and confirmed, are as follows:


                          Department of Labor

       Howard Radzely, of Maryland, to be Deputy Secretary of 
     Labor.
       Gregory F. Jacob, of New Jersey, to be Solicitor for the 
     Department of Labor.
       Keith Hall, of Virginia, to be Commissioner of Labor 
     Statistics, Department of Labor.
       Douglas W. Webster, of Virginia, to be Chief Financial 
     Officer, Department of Labor.


                Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

        Stuart Ishimaru, of the District of Columbia, to be a 
     Member of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.


                              nominations

  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, as the first session of the 110th Congress 
concludes, we should note that the Senate has worked hard on executive 
nominations. In addition to confirming 40 lifetime appointments to the 
Federal bench, we confirmed 21 of this President's nominations for 
high-ranking executive branch positions, including the confirmations of 
nine U.S. attorneys, four U.S. marshals, and eight other important 
positions. We achieved these numbers in a year when our investigation 
into the mass firing of U.S. attorneys, which triggered a host of 
resignations by senior White House and Justice Department officials, 
led the Judiciary Committee to devote significant time to rebuilding 
the integrity and independence of the Justice Department.
  We held hearings on nine executive nominations, including 2-day 
hearing on the nomination of Michael B. Mukasey to be Attorney General 
of the United States and another hearing on the nomination of Judge 
Mark Filip to be Deputy Attorney General of the United States, the top 
two positions at the Justice Department. We also held hearings on the 
nominations of Michael J. Sullivan to be Director of the Bureau of 
Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; Ronald Jay Tenpas to be 
Assistant Attorney General, Environment and Natural Resources Division, 
Department of Justice; Ondray T. Harris to be Director, Community 
Relations Service, Department of Justice; David W. Hagy, to be Director 
of the National Institute of Justice, Department of Justice; Scott M. 
Burns, to be Deputy Director of National Drug Control Policy, Executive 
Office of the President; Cynthia Dyer, to be Director of the Violence 
Against Women Office, Department of Justice; and Nathan J. Hochman, to 
be an Assistant Attorney General, Tax Division, Department of Justice.
  We favorably reported 20 executive nominations, and the full Senate 
has proceeded to confirm 21 executive nominations, including 4 
additional nominations discharged from the Judiciary Committee and 
confirmed today, those of Joseph P. Russoniello to be U.S. attorney for 
the Northern District of California, Cynthia Dyer to be Director of the 
Violence Against Women Office, Julie L. Myers to be Assistant Secretary 
of Homeland Security, and Nathan J. Hochman, to be Assistant Attorney 
General of the Tax Division at the Justice Department.
  I understand that Republican holds have prevented the confirmation of 
Michael J. Sullivan to be Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, 
Firearms, and Explosives.
  I thank the members of the Judiciary Committee for their hard work 
all year in considering these important nominations. I especially thank 
those Senators who have given generously of their time to chair 
confirmation hearings throughout the year.
  These nominations come at a critical time for the Nation. Over the 
course of this year, during which the Judiciary Committee investigated 
the firing of U.S. attorneys, we faced the most serious threat to the 
effectiveness and professionalism of the Justice Department since 
Watergate and the Saturday Night Massacre. Under this President, the 
Justice Department suffered a severe crisis of leadership that allowed 
our justice system to be corrupted by political int1uence. The crisis 
of leadership that led to numerous resignations and has taken a heavy 
toll on the tradition of independence that has long guided the 
Department and protected it from political influence. This crisis has 
also taken a heavy toll on morale at the Department and in confidence 
among the American people.

  Our work to restore the Justice Department also including reporting 
nine U.S. attorney nominations: James Russell Dedrick to be U.S. 
attorney for the Eastern District of Tennessee, Thomas P. O'Brien to be 
U.S. attorney for the Central District of California, Edward Meacham 
Yarbrough to be U.S. attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee, 
Rosa Emilia Rodriguez-Velez to be U.S. attorney for the District of 
Puerto Rico, Joe W. Stecher to be U.S. attorney for the District of 
Nebraska, John Wood to be U.S. attorney for the Western District of 
Missouri, Diane J. Humetewa to be U.S. attorney for the District of 
Arizona, Gregory A. Brower to be U.S. attorney for the District of 
Nevada, and Edmund A. Booth, Jr. to be U.S. attorney for the Southern 
District of Georgia. Some replace outstanding U.S. attorneys who were 
fired almost a year ago as part of the ill-advised, partisan plan to 
fire well-performing U.S. attorneys.
  We also reported the nominations of four U.S. marshals: Michael David 
Credo for the Eastern District of Louisiana, Esteban Soto III for the 
District of Puerto Rico, John Roberts Hackman for the Eastern District 
of Virginia, and Robert Gideon Howard, Jr., for the Eastern District of 
Arkansas.
  We also reported the nominations of Julie L. Myers to be Assistant 
Secretary of Homeland Security, Dabney Langhorne Friedrich to be a 
member of the U.S. Sentencing Commission, and Beryl A. Howell to be a 
member of the U.S. Sentencing Commission.
  Just this week, with only a few legislative days left to us before 
the Christmas holidays and the end of this session, our committee held 
two hearings for executive nominations.
  Our track record shows that the Judiciary Committee has been working 
hard to make progress. Of course, when the White House fails to timely 
send us nominations to fill vacancies, it makes it that much harder.
  The White House has made an abysmal effort to send nominees to the 
Senate to replace the fired U.S. attorneys and to fill vacancies in 
those districts and many others. There are now 19 districts with acting 
or interim U.S. attorneys instead of Senate-confirmed

[[Page S16068]]

U.S. attorneys. That is nearly a quarter of all districts. Yet the 
White House has nominated only 3 people for these 19 spots. Of course, 
some of these could have been filled a year ago had the White House 
worked with the Senate.
  I have urged the President to fill the remaining executive vacancies 
with nominees who will restore the independence of Federal law 
enforcement. Last month, the White House announced with great fanfare 
its intent to make nominations for key positions at the Department of 
Justice. It was only weeks later that several of these nominations were 
sent to the Senate. The delays in sending U.S. attorney nominees and 
others to the Senate follow the many months of delay where the White 
House failed to send nominees to fill vacancies that have been open 
since the summer, or before.

  In the course of the committee's investigation into the unprecedented 
mass firing of U.S. attorneys by the President who appointed them, we 
uncovered an effort by officials at the White House and the Justice 
Department to exploit an obscure provision enacted during the PATRIOT 
Act reauthorization to do an end-run around the Senate's constitutional 
to confirm U.S. attorneys. The result was the firing of well-performing 
U.S. attorneys for not bending to the political will of political 
operatives at the White House.
  I have repeatedly emphasized that when it comes to the Justice 
Department and to the U.S. attorneys in our home States, Senators have 
a say and a stake in ensuring fairness and independence in order to 
insulate Federal law enforcement function from untoward political 
influence. That is why the law and the practice has always been that 
these appointments require Senate confirmation. The advice and consent 
check on the appointment power for U.S attorneys is a critical function 
of the Senate.
  I had hoped when the Senate voted overwhelmingly to close the 
loophole created by the PATRIOT Act when we passed S.214, the 
Preserving United States Attorneys Independence Act of 2007, by a vote 
of 97 to 0, it would send a clear message to the administration to make 
nominations that could receive Senate support and begin to restore an 
important check on the partisan influence in law enforcement. Yet, even 
as we closed one loophole, the administration has been exploiting 
others to continue to avoid coming to the Senate. Under the guidance of 
an erroneous opinion of the Justice Department's Office of Legal 
Counsel, the administration has been, employing the Vacancies Act 
authority to use acting U.S. attorneys and the power to appoint interim 
U.S. attorneys sequentially. They have used this misguided approach to 
put somebody in place for 330 days without the advice and consent of 
the Senate. This approach runs afoul of congressional intent and the 
law.
  By not providing us with the nominations to the highest ranking 
vacancies within the Justice Department and not providing the basic 
background materials needed to review such nominations before the 
Thanksgiving recess, the administration has once again foreclosed the 
opportunity to have these nominees considered by the Senate and in 
place this year. Those nominations will now necessarily carryover into 
the next session. That is unfortunate and was unnecessary.
  We will continue to make progress when we can, and I will urge the 
White House to work with the Senate to fill these vacancies.