[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 17]
[Senate]
[Pages 22821-22822]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          TRIBUTE TO ED HADEN

  Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize a member of my 
judiciary staff, my chief counsel on Judiciary, Ed Haden. Ed will be 
leaving the Senate at the end of this session, returning to private 
practice at the outstanding Alabama law firm of Balch & Bingham in 
Birmingham, AL, where he will work in that firm's appellate litigation 
department. I will say this: My loss and the Senate's loss will be a 
great gain to Balch & Bingham.
  Before joining the Senate, Ed had a distinguished legal career, 
having served as a staff attorney on the Alabama Supreme Court and as a 
law clerk for the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. He came to the 
Judiciary Committee in 1999, first serving as counsel to Senator Orrin 
Hatch on the nominations and constitutional law unit. In 2000, he 
became my chief counsel for the Subcommittee on Youth Violence and is 
currently chief counsel for the Subcommittee on Administrative 
Oversight and the Courts.
  Ed's work ethic is beyond reproach. From the moment he joined my 
staff, his legal analysis has been unmatched and his commitment to the 
rule of law unwavering. His attention to detail and his ability to be 
thorough but brief at the same time has helped me enormously. I know I 
can trust his judgment, and I thank him for dutifully managing our 
staff and our issues since the day he arrived on our team.
  During his tenure on the committee, Ed has proven what I knew when I 
hired him, that he would always carry himself in a professional manner, 
and even though he might not agree with those on the other side of the 
aisle, he could work with them and gain their respect.
  Ed is truly a man of utmost character. Senator Schumer, chairman of 
the Administrative Oversight and the Courts Subcommittee, commented at 
a recent executive committee meeting that:

       [Ed] . . . represents the best of what we are about. He is 
     bright and diligent and honorable. His word is his bond. . . 
     . [Ed] has done a great job, with great distinction. He is 
     really an admirable lesson of what public service is all 
     about.

  This is one time I could not agree with Senator Schumer more. Ed is a 
man of honor and integrity. His intellect is unmatched. Most 
importantly, his commitment to fairness and getting the job done 
distinguishes him. He has certainly provided extraordinary assistance 
to me, but I believe he has enriched the entire debate on the Senate 
Judiciary Committee. He is indeed an extraordinary worker with a 
prodigious capacity to produce high-quality work, almost unbelievably 
so. He works long hours and is committed to producing the absolutely 
most accurate answer for any question we are debating.
  Ed has not only been a great manager of the complex issues that have 
passed through our committee, he also has been a good manager of the 
people I hired to work on the committee. His ability to lead is without 
question, and the respect he has garnered during his service has been 
expressed by those who worked closely with him.
  Makan Delrahim, chief counsel to Senator Hatch, comments:

       Ed is a close friend and an indispensable colleague. I 
     worked with Ed when he first came to Washington and began his 
     career as Nominations Counsel on Sen. Hatch's Judiciary 
     staff. Our friendship has continued as he moved to serve 
     Senator Sessions. Ed's intellect and integrity are second to 
     none. The committee will miss him.

  Rita Lari Jochum, chief counsel to Senator Grassley, comments:

       Ed Haden is an excellent lawyer and a great American. He 
     will be sorely missed by the Judiciary Committee.

  Stephen Higgins, chief counsel to Senator Kyl, comments:

       Ed Haden was an invaluable asset to the Judiciary 
     Committee. He is a superb lawyer and has both a tremendous 
     respect for the Constitution and a great love for this 
     Republic. We will all miss him.

  Scott Frick, chief counsel to Senator Thurmond, comments:

       Ed Haden possesses a unique combination of intelligence, 
     work ethic, and the ability to communicate his ideas clearly. 
     These qualities have served Senator Sessions and the State of 
     Alabama well. And in addition, he is a truly nice guy. When I 
     first joined the Judiciary Committee staff, Ed selflessly 
     offered his time and advice, and I remain appreciative of his 
     willingness to lend a hand.

  John Abegg, Judiciary counsel to Senator McConnell, comments:

       Ed Haden has been an invaluable asset to the United States 
     Senate and to its Judiciary Committee. His intellect, 
     resourcefulness, and work ethic are recognized and respected 
     by both sides of the aisle, as is his always courteous and 
     modest demeanor. Ed is the embodiment of the principle that 
     one can disagree with others, even passionately so, about the 
     most important of matters without being personally 
     disagreeable. He is a credit to the country, his state, and 
     his family.

  Sean Woo, counsel to Senator Brownback, comments:

       In many ways and especially in matters dealing with 
     judicial nominations, Ed Haden was the conscience of the 
     Republican judiciary staff. His commitment, enthusiasm and 
     intellect--applied with the Southern charm of an Alabamian--
     will be sorely missed.

  Mr. President, Ed has given me and his country an extraordinary 
effort, and I am grateful for that, as well as his loyalty and 
dedication, always having my best interest in mind and not his own, 
never seeking credit for his great work, doing what was best for this 
country and Alabama. Ed is an exceedingly hard worker, a man of 
integrity and ability, who has dedicated himself to reaching a just 
result on every issue assigned to him, ranging from bankruptcy, where 
he was extraordinarily engaged in a most complex bit of legislation, to 
judicial nominations. I could not have been successful without his 
leadership and assistance.
  Ed's greatest strength, I believe, is that he has a remarkably 
developed and rich set of core principles that guide him in his daily 
work. He does not go in for flash or show, but for substance. He, to a 
remarkable degree, understands the glory and uniqueness of the American 
Government. He loves America. He works constantly to enrich her and 
strengthen her--especially the rule of law, which has been the 
foundation of this country's strength.
  Ed Haden is more than just an outstanding chief counsel, he is a 
great friend and a great American. I thank him for his service to me, 
to the people of Alabama, and to the people of the United States. He 
typifies what we so often see and too little hear about in this body--
the great work of our staffs. They give us loyalty into the night, 
preparing work for us so we can shine the next day before the TV 
cameras. I think Ed is the epitome of excellence in staff, the kind of 
person I have valued greatly and will miss greatly.
  I thank the Chair and yield the floor.
  Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, I rise to join in Senator Sessions' 
comments earlier today regarding the departure of Ed Haden, a staffer 
who has given a great deal to the Judiciary Committee during the past 
three years. Ed has made his influence felt, and he will be missed.
  Ed came to the Judiciary Committee in 1999 to work as my counsel in 
the Nominations and Constitutional Law unit. He served me admirably in 
that position. The next year, Ed became chief counsel to Senator 
Sessions' subcommittee, and he continued to contribute substantively to 
many issues handled by the full committee. Ed's reputation as a smart, 
creative, and effective lawyer is well-earned.
  As Senator Sessions said, the Senate's loss is someone else's gain. 
Ed will be joining the Birmingham, AL, law firm of Balch & Bingham, 
which will no doubt benefit greatly from the association.
  I want my colleagues to know that, as Senator Schumer said in a 
recent Judiciary meeting, I have found Ed Haden to represent the best 
of what we are about. He is honorable and hard-working and someone who 
can be taken at his word. I thank Ed for his great service to me and 
the Judiciary Committee, and I wish him all the best in his future 
endeavors.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Vermont is recognized.
  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, what is the parliamentary situation?
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senate is in morning business until 2 p.m.
  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I will be speaking on a number of things at 
appropriate times this afternoon. I ask

[[Page 22822]]

the distinguished Presiding Officer, at what time do we turn to the 
Shedd nomination?
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. At 2 o'clock.
  Mr. LEAHY. I thank the Chair. I commend the Chair for his interest in 
the proceedings here--something he always demonstrates when he is 
there. He has had the ability to serve in both bodies and we have what 
might be a little bit more of a leisurely technique over here. The 
Senator from Vermont is delighted to have the Senator from Florida as a 
Member of this body.

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