[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 4 (Friday, January 9, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E45-E46]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      CELEBRATING THE LIFE AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF KAREN WILKINSON

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JOHN CONYERS, JR.

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, January 9, 2015

  Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, today, as Ranking Member and former 
Chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary, I join with my colleague, 
Rep. Robert C. ``Bobby'' Scott, the former Chairman and Ranking Member 
of the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and 
Investigations, in celebrating the life and recognizing the 
accomplishments of Karen Wilkinson, who sadly passed away on January 5.
  Karen was a dedicated public servant, highly valued counsel to the 
Committee, and beloved colleague.
  We were fortunate to get to know Karen through her work for the 
Committee in 2008 and 2009. During that time, Karen, an Assistant 
Federal Public Defender, was a detailee from the Administrative Office 
of the United States Courts. Her detail was the first of a Federal 
Public Defender to Congress. After her work with the Committee, she 
returned to Phoenix, Arizona to continue representing indigent clients 
in federal criminal cases, which she had done for eight years before 
coming to the Committee. Prior to that, she clerked for the U.S. 
District Court for Arizona and then joined the law firm of Brown & 
Bain. Karen graduated magna cum laude from Arizona State University Law 
School, received a Masters in Business Administration from Nova 
University and her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of 
Michigan.
  Karen's accomplishments during her tenure with the Committee include 
a number of bills that dealt with issues that are very important to 
improving our country's criminal justice system. During the 111th 
Congress, she was responsible for guiding several legislative measures 
to approval on the floor of the House of Representatives, including: 
H.R. 448, the Elder Abuse Victims Act of 2009; H.R. 632, the National 
Silver Alert Act 2009; H.R. 748, CAMPUS Safety Act of 2009; H.R. 908, 
the Missing Alzheimer's Disease Patient Alert Program Reauthorization 
Act of 2009; H.R. 1333, amending chapter 40 of title 18 of the United 
States Code to exempt the transportation, shipment, receipt, or 
importation of explosive materials for delivery to a federally 
recognized Indian tribes; H.R. 1727, the Managing Arson Through 
Criminal History, MATCH, Act; H.R. 1933, a Child is Missing Alert and 
Recovery Center Act; S. 1289, the Foreign Evidence Request Efficiency 
Act of 2009, and H.R. 2661, the Court Security Enhancement Act of 2009.
  In addition, she served as lead counsel on several other very 
important bills under the jurisdiction of the Judiciary Committee in 
the 111th Congress, such as: H.R. 503, the Prevention of Equine Cruelty 
Act of 2009; H.R. 2289, the Juvenile Justice Accountability and 
Improvement Act of 2009; H.R. 2095, the Restitution for the Exonerated 
Act; H.R. 1149, the Child Protection Reauthorization Act of 2009 and 
H.R. 1422, the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Reauthorization 
Act of 2009. Karen also developed proposals subsequently introduced as 
the Literacy Education and Rehabilitation Act, a bill to require a 
criminal defense representative to be appointed to the

[[Page E46]]

United States Sentencing Commission, the Firearm Recidivist Sentencing 
Act, and legislation to correct the computation of good time credit in 
the federal prison system. Her work in developing H.R. 3327, the Ramos-
Compean Justice Act of 2009, has led to subsequent bipartisan, 
bicameral introduction of that bill, now known as the Justice Safety 
Valve Act. This bill has become one of the critical proposals under 
consideration as a growing consensus in the country is recognizing the 
need to reform our sentencing laws in order to achieve greater 
fairness, save unnecessary costs in the criminal justice system, and 
reduce recidivism. These bills to reform the criminal justice system, 
developed through her efforts, are a lasting legacy of her dedication 
to achieving fairness and justice for all.
  Karen's dedication to these issues during her time working for the 
Committee was representative of the professionalism and commitment she 
showed as an Assistant Federal Public Defender in representing her 
clients and vindicating their rights to equal and fair treatment under 
the law.
  Today, we remember and appreciate Karen Wilkinson's dedication to 
public service, her commitment to fairness, her wise counsel, and the 
friendships she developed with us and her Judiciary Committee 
colleagues. We will honor her by pledging to advance the causes that 
were her life's calling.

                          ____________________