[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 147 (Tuesday, October 4, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1756-E1757]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           CELEBRATING THE SERVICE OF JUDGE OLIVER W. WANGER

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. JIM COSTA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, October 4, 2011

  Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the 
outstanding service and dedication of the Honorable Oliver W. Wanger on 
the occasion of his retirement from the United States District Court 
for the Eastern District of California. For the past 20 years, Judge 
Wanger has served the people of California admirably--maintaining a 
commitment to justice, fairness, and the law. Moreover, he has been 
fair-minded and knowledgeable when hearing cases related to the San 
Joaquin Valley's water and environmental issues.
  Judge Wanger received his Bachelor's Degree from the University of 
Southern California

[[Page E1757]]

in 1963 and his law degree from the University of California, 
Berkeley's Boalt Hall School of Law in 1966. Upon graduation, he served 
our great nation in the United States Marine Corps from 1960 to 1967. 
Judge Wanger established his roots in Fresno, California in 1967, where 
he served as deputy district attorney until 1969. For the next two 
decades, Judge Wanger worked as a first-rate attorney and always 
maintained a keen passion for justice.
  He exhibited foresight and leadership when he joined Mr. John Loomis 
and Mr. Dan Eymann in founding San Joaquin College of Law (SJCL) in 
1969. SJCL is a community treasure--it has given capable individuals in 
the Valley access to a quality legal education. He served as an adjunct 
professor at SJCL from 1970 until 1991 and as Dean from 1980 until 
1983. His tenacity and enthusiasm have made him a mentor and leader in 
the Fresno legal community. For years, he has been admired for his 
steadfast adherence to the rule of law and indisputable commitment to 
our community.
  Judge Wanger has not only been recognized as a scholar of the law, 
but he has also been revered as a man of principle and integrity. In 
1991, President George H.W. Bush nominated him to the United States 
District Court for the Eastern District of California. He was 
unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate. The Eastern District 
of California extends from the Oregon border to the Tehachapi 
Mountains. Many of the cases Judge Wanger has presided over have 
involved the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and his most notable rulings 
have been deeply relevant to the San Joaquin Valley's water and 
environmental issues.
  Judge Wanger and his wife Lorrie Anthony-Wanger have five sons and 
seven grandchildren. Following his retirement, Judge Wanger will return 
to private practice as partner in the new firm of Wanger, Jones & 
Helsley PC.
  It is a great honor to commend my friend, Oliver W. Wanger, for his 
years of service to the people of California. We have been lucky to 
have a hard-working legal scholar serve our great state for the past 
two decades.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating the 
service and career of the Honorable Oliver W. Wanger. His passion for 
the justice and fervent adherence to the law has not only made him a 
fair and effective judge, but also a vibrant asset for our community.

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