[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 155 (Tuesday, December 16, 2014)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6906-S6908]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 NOMINATION OF STEPHEN R. BOUGH TO BE UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE FOR 
                    THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF MISSOURI

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the nomination.
  The assistant legislative clerk read the nomination of Stephen R. 
Bough, of Missouri, to be United States District Judge for the Western 
District of Missouri.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The majority leader.


                           Order of Procedure

  Mr. REID. With this nomination, this will be the last vote of this 
Congress.
  I ask unanimous consent that the remaining cloture motions with 
respect to judicial nominations be withdrawn and the Senate proceed to 
vote on the nominations in the order upon which cloture was filed and 
all time on the Bough nomination be yielded back.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  All time is yielded back.
  The question is, Will the Senate advise and consent to the nomination 
of Stephen R. Bough, of Missouri, to be United States District Judge 
for the Western District of Missouri.
  Mrs. McCASKILL. Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second?
  There is a sufficient second.
  The clerk will call the roll
  The assistant legislative clerk called the roll.
  Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from California (Mrs. Boxer), 
the Senator from Vermont (Mr. Leahy), and the Senator from Vermont (Mr. 
Sanders) are necessarily absent.
  Mr. CORNYN. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the 
Senator from Tennessee (Mr. Alexander), the Senator from Missouri (Mr. 
Blunt), the Senator from Georgia (Mr. Chambliss), the Senator from 
Mississippi (Mr. Cochran), the Senator from Utah (Mr. Hatch), the 
Senator from Nebraska (Mr. Johanns), the Senator from Illinois (Mr. 
Kirk), and the Senator from Alabama (Mr. Sessions).
  Further, if present and voting, the Senator from Tennessee (Mr. 
Alexander) would have voted ``no''.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Are there any other Senators in the Chamber 
desiring to vote?
  The result was announced--yeas 51, nays 38, as follows:

                      [Rollcall Vote No. 366 Ex.]

                                YEAS--51

     Baldwin
     Begich
     Bennet
     Blumenthal
     Booker
     Brown
     Cantwell
     Cardin
     Carper
     Casey
     Coons
     Donnelly
     Durbin
     Feinstein
     Franken
     Gillibrand
     Hagan
     Harkin
     Heinrich
     Hirono
     Johnson (SD)
     Kaine
     King
     Klobuchar
     Landrieu
     Levin
     Manchin
     Markey
     McCaskill
     Menendez
     Merkley
     Mikulski
     Murphy
     Murray
     Nelson
     Pryor
     Reed
     Reid
     Rockefeller
     Schatz
     Schumer
     Shaheen
     Stabenow
     Tester
     Udall (CO)
     Udall (NM)
     Walsh
     Warner
     Warren
     Whitehouse
     Wyden

                                NAYS--38

     Ayotte
     Barrasso
     Boozman
     Burr
     Coats
     Coburn
     Collins
     Corker
     Cornyn
     Crapo
     Cruz
     Enzi
     Fischer
     Flake
     Graham
     Grassley
     Heitkamp
     Heller
     Hoeven
     Inhofe
     Isakson
     Johnson (WI)
     Lee
     McCain
     McConnell
     Moran
     Murkowski
     Paul
     Portman
     Risch
     Roberts
     Rubio
     Scott
     Shelby
     Thune
     Toomey
     Vitter
     Wicker

                             NOT VOTING--11

     Alexander
     Blunt
     Boxer
     Chambliss
     Cochran
     Hatch
     Johanns
     Kirk
     Leahy
     Sanders
     Sessions
  The nomination was confirmed.
                                 ______
                                 

NOMINATION OF JORGE LUIS ALONSO TO BE UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE FOR 
                   THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS

                                 ______
                                 
    

   NOMINATION OF HAYWOOD STIRLING GILLIAM, JR., TO BE UNITED STATES 
         DISTRICT JUDGE FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

                                 ______
                                 

NOMINATION OF AMIT PRIYAVADAN MEHTA TO BE UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE 
                      FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

                                 ______
                                 

NOMINATION OF ALLISON DALE BURROUGHS TO BE UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE 
                   FOR THE DISTRICT OF MASSACHUSETTS

                                 ______
                                 
    

NOMINATION OF JOHN ROBERT BLAKEY TO BE UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE FOR 
                   THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS

                                 ______
                                 

NOMINATION OF AMOS L. MAZZANT, III, TO BE UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE 
                   FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS

                                 ______
                                 
    

NOMINATION OF ROBERT LEE PITMAN TO BE UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE FOR 
                     THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS

                                 ______
                                 

NOMINATION OF ROBERT WILLIAM SCHROEDER III TO BE UNITED STATES DISTRICT 
                JUDGE FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS

                                 ______
                                 
    

[[Page S6907]]

NOMINATION OF JOAN MARIE AZRACK TO BE UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE FOR 
                    THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK

                                 ______
                                 

 NOMINATION OF ELIZABETH K. DILLON TO BE UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE 
                  FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF VIRGINIA

                                 ______
                                 

NOMINATION OF LORETTA COPELAND BIGGS TO BE UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE 
               FOR THE MIDDLE DISTRICT OF NORTH CAROLINA.

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the Senate will 
proceed to the following nominations, which the clerk will report.
  The bill clerk read the nominations of Jorge Luis Alonso, of 
Illinois, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District 
of Illinois; Haywood Stirling Gilliam, Jr., of California, to be United 
States District Judge for the Northern District of California; Amit 
Priyavadan Mehta, of the District of Columbia, to be United States 
District Judge for the District of Columbia; Allison Dale Burroughs, of 
Massachusetts, to be United States District Judge for the District of 
Massachusetts; John Robert Blakey, of Illinois, to be United States 
District Judge for the Northern District of Illinois; Amos L. Mazzant, 
III, of Texas, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern 
District of Texas; Robert Lee Pitman, of Texas, to be United States 
District Judge for the Western District of Texas; Robert William 
Schroeder III, of Texas, to be United States District Judge for the 
Eastern District of Texas; Joan Marie Azrack, of New York, to be United 
States District Judge for the Eastern District of New York; Elizabeth 
K. Dillon, of Virginia, to be United States District Judge for the 
Western District of Virginia; and Loretta Copeland Biggs, of North 
Carolina, to be United States District Judge for the Middle District of 
North Carolina.


                           ALONSO NOMINATION

  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I speak in support of Jorge Alonso, who 
has been nominated to serve as a Federal district court judge in the 
Northern District of Illinois. He will fill the vacancy that opened 
when Judge Ronald Guzman took senior status last month.
  Judge Alonso is an outstanding nominee for the Federal bench. He was 
reported out of the Judiciary Committee last month on a unanimous voice 
vote.
  I want to thank Chairman Leahy for his efforts to move Judge Alonso's 
nomination promptly through the Judiciary Committee, and I want to 
thank the majority leader, Senator Reid, for scheduling this vote on 
the floor.
  Since 2003, Jorge Alonso has served as an associate judge for the 
Cook County Judicial Circuit. He is currently in his third appointed 
term as a State trial court judge. Judge Alonso has presided over 
hundreds of cases that have gone to verdict or judgment, including at 
least 88 jury trials.
  He also presides over the Women's Justice Mental Health Call in Cook 
County. Judge Alonso helped to create this program, which provides 
intensive support and services to women in the justice system who have 
suffered from trauma and addiction.
  Prior to serving as a State court judge, Judge Alonso served for 12 
years as an assistant public defender in Cook County. As a public 
defender, he participated in approximately 30 jury trials and 150 bench 
trials.
  In addition to his substantial courtroom and judicial experience, 
Judge Alonso has an admirable record of service to the Chicago 
community. Among his activities, he serves on the boards of the Daniel 
Murphy Scholarship Fund, which provides scholarships and support to 
low-income Chicago students, and the Cristo Rey Jesuit High School in 
Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood.
  He also works as a judicial intervenor with the Lawyers' Assistance 
Program, which assists members of the bar who are struggling with 
mental health or addiction issues.
  Judge Alonso came highly recommended to me by a bipartisan judicial 
screening committee that I established in the Northern District. I was 
pleased to recommend Judge Alonso's name to the White House for this 
nomination.
  I also thank my colleague, Senator Kirk, for submitting his blue slip 
in support of the nomination.
  In short, Judge Alonso has the experience, the integrity and the 
judgment to be an excellent addition to the Federal bench in Chicago. I 
urge my colleagues to support this outstanding nominee.


                       Vote on Alonso Nomination

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the question is, 
Will the Senate advise and consent to the nomination of Jorge Luis 
Alonso, of Illinois, to be United States District Judge for the 
Northern District of Illinois?
  The nomination was confirmed.


                       Vote on Gilliam Nomination

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the question is, 
Will the Senate advise and consent to the nomination of Haywood 
Stirling Gilliam, Jr., of California, to be United States District 
Judge for the Northern District of California?
  The nomination was confirmed.


                        Vote on Mehta Nomination

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the question is, 
Will the Senate advise and consent to the nomination of Amit Priyavadan 
Mehta, of the District of Columbia, to be United States District Judge 
for the District of Columbia?
  The nomination was confirmed.


                      Vote on Burroughs Nomination

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the question is, 
Will the Senate advise and consent to the nomination of Allison Dale 
Burroughs, of Massachusetts, to be United States District Judge for the 
District of Massachusetts?
  The nomination was confirmed.


                           Blakey Nomination

  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I speak in support of the nomination of 
Jack Blakey to serve as a Federal district court judge in the Northern 
District of Illinois. Mr. Blakey has been nominated to fill the seat 
that was left vacant when Chief Judge James Holderman took senior 
status last December.
  In Illinois we have a bipartisan process for recommending Federal 
district court judges to the White House. Under this process, Mr. 
Blakey was recommended by my colleague, Senator Kirk, and I support his 
nomination.
  Mr. Blakey currently serves as the chief of the Special Prosecutions 
Bureau in the Cook County State's Attorney's Office. He has served in 
this position since 2009. During that time, he has also served as a 
special assistant U.S. attorney in the Northern District of Illinois. 
He helps supervise all joint State-Federal investigations and 
prosecutions in Cook County.
  Mr. Blakey previously served as an assistant U.S. attorney in Chicago 
from 2004 to 2009, as an AUSA in Miami from 2000 to 2004, and as an 
assistant State's attorney in Cook County from 1996 to 2000.
  Mr. Blakey has gained significant courtroom experience over the 
course of his career. He has tried over 90 cases to final verdict, 
including at least 27 jury trials.
  Mr. Blakey is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and Notre 
Dame Law School.
  Upon Mr. Blakey's confirmation, the Federal district courts in 
Illinois will be operating at full strength, with no vacancies in the 
State.
  I urge my colleagues to support this nomination.


                       Vote on Blakey Nomination

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the question is, 
Will the Senate advise and consent to the nomination of John Robert 
Blakey, of Illinois, to be United States District Judge for the 
Northern District of Illinois?
  The nomination was confirmed.


                       Vote on Mazzant Nomination

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the question is, 
Will the Senate advise and consent to the nomination of Amos L. 
Mazzant, III, of Texas, to be United States District Judge for the 
Eastern District of Texas?


 =========================== NOTE =========================== 

  
  On page S6907, December 16, 2014, in the third column, the 
following language appears: . . . advise and consent to the 
nomination of Amos L. Mazzant III, of Texas, to be United States 
District Judge . . . .
  
  The online Record has been corrected to read: . . . advise and 
consent to the nomination of Amos L. Mazzant, III, of Texas, to be 
United States District Judge . . . .


 ========================= END NOTE ========================= 

  The nomination was confirmed.


                       Vote on Pitman Nomination

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the question is, 
Will

[[Page S6908]]

the Senate advise and consent to the nomination of Robert Lee Pitman, 
of Texas, to be United States District Judge for the Western District 
of Texas?
  The nomination was confirmed.


                      Vote on Schroeder Nomination

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the question is, 
Will the Senate advise and consent to the nomination of Robert William 
Schroeder III, of Texas, to be United States District Judge for the 
Eastern District of Texas?
  The nomination was confirmed.


                       Vote on Azrack Nomination

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the question is, 
Will the Senate advise and consent to the nomination of Joan Marie 
Azrack, of New York, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern 
District of New York?
  The nomination was confirmed.


                       Vote on Dillon Nomination

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the question is, 
Will the Senate advise and consent to the nomination of Elizabeth K. 
Dillon, of Virginia, to be United States District Judge for the Western 
District of Virginia?
  The nomination was confirmed.


                        Vote on Biggs Nomination

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the question is, 
Will the Senate advise and consent to the nomination of Loretta 
Copeland Biggs, of North Carolina, to be United States District Judge 
for the Middle District of North Carolina?
  The nomination was confirmed.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The majority leader.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the motions to 
reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no 
intervening action or debate; that any statements related to the 
nominations be printed in the Record; and that the President be 
immediately notified of the Senate's action.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

                          ____________________