[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 64 (Thursday, May 1, 2014)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2575-S2576]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       TRIBUTE TO DARYL CHAPPELLE

  Mr. MORAN. Mr. President, before I give my intended remarks, I want 
to add my voice to others who have paid tribute to Daryl Chappelle, who 
retires today after 42 years of working in the Senate. I have only been 
here for 3 years, but I can tell you, in the time that I have been 
here, I look forward to running into Daryl as I make my trips back and 
forth between the Russell Senate Office Building and the Senate floor. 
There are certain people in life who just brighten your day. Every 
occasion when I have encountered Daryl during the workday, it has just 
been that experience.

[[Page S2576]]

  I pay tribute to an individual about whom I don't know a lot 
personally or of his background or his family. It is a sad thing about 
the nature of today's busy world in which we don't know people--as I 
certainly do at home and in hometowns across our country--but I will 
tell you that the opportunity to be with and experience the 
conversation and joy that Daryl adds to this place has been a real 
treat and a wonderful experience for me.
  I wish him and his family best wishes in his retirement and thank him 
for his service to the Senate and to the people of our country.


                       Nomination of Nancy Moritz

  I rise to tell my colleagues about a nomination we are considering, 
and I speak in support of Justice Nancy Moritz.
  She is currently a supreme court justice on the Kansas Supreme Court, 
and she is before us today as a nominee to sit on the U.S. Court of 
Appeals for the Tenth Circuit.
  I appreciate working with my colleague Senator Roberts and those in 
the White House as we came together to try to find an acceptable and 
honorable nominee, and I believe we did. I extend my appreciation to 
Justice Moritz for having agreed to answer the call to serve her 
country in a new capacity as a member of the Tenth Circuit Court of 
Appeals.
  She comes today before the Senate and again on Monday as someone who 
is highly qualified, greatly prepared, and who has the necessary 
background. Certainly the educational requirements are there, but the 
experience that she has encountered in her distinguished legal career, 
both public and private, really adds a dimension to this person and 
something that I would look for in a member of the tenth circuit.
  For the past 4 years she has been a justice on the Kansas Supreme 
Court. Prior to that she spent 15 years as an attorney in the U.S. 
attorney's office in our State in both Kansas City and Topeka. Prior to 
that she had 6 years of experience in private practice as well.
  Justice Moritz was raised in a small neighboring town of mine. Her 
hometown is Tipton. It is in many ways a typical small Kansas town. I 
know folks in Tipton would tell me how exceptional they are--and I have 
seen many instances of how true that is--but I know the people of 
Tipton. I have witnessed their character, their integrity, their work 
ethic, their kindness, their care and genuine concern for others. That 
sense of community you attain when you grow up in a town of just a few 
hundred people is something I think has great benefit in becoming who 
we are.
  I, in some ways, admire the justice for that background and know what 
that kind of experience means in molding her character as well as her 
work ethic and how she conducts herself.
  She also served for a period of time as a law clerk to Judge Ed 
Larson. Ed Larson was a law partner of mine, and he remains a good 
friend. I called to visit with him about the nomination of Justice 
Moritz, and I trust his judgment. He not only was a law partner in 
practice with me--or really I was in practice with him--but he then 
went to the court of appeals and then was elevated to the Kansas 
Supreme Court.
  Of all the people I have met in life, and certainly many of the 
attorneys I have met in life and the judges, if you were looking for 
someone whose opinion and judgment you would trust, Judge Ed Larson is 
certainly that person. He has made clear to me that Justice Moritz was 
one of the very best law clerks he ever had, and he believes her to be 
highly qualified. With his recommendation, my judgment about Justice 
Moritz was even more increased and enhanced.
  Again, I am convinced that her background, growing up the way she 
did, her experience with Judge Larson and his stamp of approval upon 
her character and abilities, suggests we have a great person to join 
the tenth circuit.
  I encourage my colleagues to review her qualifications, and I would 
hope and assume they would reach the same conclusion that I have, that 
the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals will be well served with this Kansan 
on it. I look forward to supporting her confirmation, and I ask my 
colleagues to do the same.
  I yield the floor.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from Maryland.

                          ____________________