[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 17]
[Senate]
[Page 24053]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   NOMINATION OF JOHN A. HOUSTON, OF CALIFORNIA, TO BE UNITED STATES 
         DISTRICT JUDGE FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the clerk will 
report the next nomination.
  The legislative clerk read the nomination of John A. Houston, of 
California, to be United States District Judge for the Southern 
District of California.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, there are 2 minutes 
of debate equally divided prior to the vote on the nomination.
  Who yields time?
  Mr. STEVENS. I yield all time on our side.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is anyone seeking time?
  All time has expired.
  The question is, Will the Senate advise and consent to the nomination 
of John A. Houston, of California, to be United States District Judge 
for the Southern District of California?
  The nomination was confirmed.
  Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote, and I move 
to lay that motion on the table.
  The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.
  Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, I am pleased today to speak in support of 
John Houston, who has been confirmed to the United States District 
Court for the Southern District of California.
  Judge Houston, a graduate of the University of Miami School of Law, 
has used his outstanding legal skills in public service. He first 
served in the United States Army Judge Advocate General Corps and then 
in various positions at the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern 
District of California before his appointment in 1998 as a Federal 
magistrate judge, the position in which he currently serves.
  Judge Houston has won many accolades for his legal skills, including 
awards from the National Association of Black Customs Enforcement 
Officers and from the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force for 
Outstanding Contributions. He was also presented with the Director's 
Award for Superior Performance in Asset Forfeiture by then-Attorney 
General Janet Reno.
  In addition to his judicial responsibilities, Judge Houston finds 
time to participate in community programs that assist children in 
meeting educational and economic challenges. He has, for example, 
opened his courtroom to public school students to give them hands-on 
lessons in the judicial process. And he has served as a mentor to young 
African-American men who have excelled in high school to prepare them 
for college and beyond.
  I applaud President Bush for his nomination of Judge Houston and am 
confident that he will serve on the bench with compassion, integrity 
and fairness.

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