[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 80 (Friday, June 7, 2013)]
[Senate]
[Page S4017]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 CONFIRMATION OF WILLIAM H. PRYOR, JR.

  Mr. SESSIONS. Madam President, I would like to take a brief moment to 
commend the Senate on the confirmation of Judge William H. Pryor, Jr., 
to the United States Sentencing Commission. Judge Pryor is superbly 
qualified and has the requisite background and experience to serve and 
contribute greatly to the U.S. Sentencing Commission. I am grateful to 
the President for acknowledging Judge Pryor's qualifications and 
nominating him to this important position.
  Judge Pryor succeeded me as Attorney General of Alabama. I was proud 
of him then and I was also proud when he was confirmed to serve on the 
Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals. Judge Pryor is a man of character 
and his actions both on and off the bench reflect that. He is committed 
to equal justice, without prejudice. As Bill Baxley, a mutual friend, a 
Democrat, and another former attorney general of Alabama said, ``In 
every difficult decision he has made, Judge Pryor's actions were 
supported by his interpretation of the law, without race, gender, age, 
political power, wealth, community standing, or any other competing 
interest affecting his judgment.''
  That was certainly the case when he carried the banner for sentencing 
reform in Alabama. Judge Pryor insisted that the legislature address 
critical problems in Alabama's system of sentencing. He has always been 
in favor of ``truth in sentencing.'' Advocates of sentencing reform 
have applauded Judge Pryor's efforts in Alabama, as before we had a 
sentencing commission and sentencing guidelines, criminal defendants 
often received different sentences for the same crime based on their 
race, their sex, or where they lived. Judge Pryor was instrumental in 
changing that.
  Advocates of stricter law enforcement also supported Judge Pryor in 
his efforts to effect reform in Alabama, because ``truth in 
sentencing'' also meant that a convicted criminal would be more likely 
to serve the sentence imposed by the judge rather than just a fraction 
of the sentence based on the discretion of a parole officer. He has 
stated that when a court enters a sentence of imprisonment, there 
should be a reliable expectation that the offender will serve a 
substantial majority of that term of imprisonment. Judge Pryor is 
reasonable and rational, acknowledging the Nation's overburdened and 
overcrowded correctional facilities and the need for more community-
based programs for first-time or non-violent offenders.
  Although the Federal guidelines themselves have been completed for 
many years now, the members of the commission are tasked with ensuring 
that the guidelines do not result in the same disparity or injustice 
that they were designed to prevent. The guidelines perform an 
invaluable function, one which I think Judge Pryor's background and 
experience have made him uniquely well-suited to oversee.
  Judge Pryor is a life-long public servant who will certainly be an 
asset to the U.S. Sentencing Commission as he represents the highest 
quality of leadership. I appreciate the support of my colleagues in 
Judge Pryor's confirmation.

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