[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 67 (Thursday, May 6, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E787]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 CONGRATULATING THE HONORABLE THOMAS I. VANASKIE ON HIS APPOINTMENT TO 
        THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE THIRD CIRCUIT

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. PAUL E. KANJORSKI

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 6, 2010

  Mr. KANJORSKI. Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask you and my esteemed 
colleagues in the House of Representatives to pay tribute to Judge 
Thomas I. Vanaskie on his appointment to the United States Court of 
Appeals for the Third Circuit.
  Judge Vanaskie was born in Shamokin, Pennsylvania, in 1953.
  He graduated Magna Cum Laude from Lycoming College in 1975 where he 
was a first-team Academic All-American football player. In his senior 
year, Judge Vanaskie was named outstanding male student-athlete.
  Judge Vanaskie attended the Dickinson School of Law where he was a 
member of the Dickinson Law Review Editorial Staff and was named to the 
Woolsack Society for outstanding academic achievement. He graduated Cum 
Laude in 1978.
  After law school, Judge Vanaskie clerked for Chief Judge William J. 
Nealon of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of 
Pennsylvania from 1978 to 1980.
  From 1980 to 1994, Judge Vanaskie worked in private legal practice in 
Scranton, Pennsylvania. He worked in the law firm of Dilworth, Paxson, 
Kalish & Kauffman until 1992 before leaving to become a principal 
member of the law firm Elliott, Vanaskie & Riley.
  On November 17, 1993 President Clinton nominated Judge Vanaskie to a 
seat on the United States District Court for the Middle District of 
Pennsylvania. His nomination was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on 
February 10, 1994.
  Judge Vanaskie was sworn in on March 1, 1994 and served on the U.S. 
Middle District Court for fifteen years, including as Chief Judge from 
1999-2006.
  In 2001, Judge Vanaskie began serving on the Information Technology 
Committee of the Judicial Conference of the United States. In 2005, he 
was appointed by the late Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist as Chair 
of the Judicial Conference Information Technology Committee and served 
in that position until 2008.
  Throughout his career, Judge Vanaskie has continued to give back to 
his community. He is the former Chair of the Scranton Preparatory 
School Board of Trustees and a Member of the Scranton Community Medical 
Center Board of Directors.
  On August 7, 2009 President Obama nominated Judge Vanaskie to the 
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. He was confirmed by the 
U.S. Senate on April 21, 2010 by a vote of 77-20.
  Judge Vanaskie was officially sworn-in by Chief Judge Anthony Scirica 
of the Third Circuit Court of Appeals on April 28, 2010.
  He is only the second judge in the 107-year history of the U.S. 
District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania to sit on the 
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.
  Judge Vanaskie resides in Clarks Green, Pennsylvania, with his wife, 
the former Dorothy G. Williams. They are the parents of three children, 
Diane, Laura and Tom.
  Madam Speaker, please join me in congratulating Judge Vanaskie on 
this auspicious occasion. His exemplary service throughout his 
distinguished judicial career demonstrates he is most deserving of this 
achievement.

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