[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 9]
[Senate]
[Page 12446]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 NOMINATION OF THOMAS D. ANDERSON TO BE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY FOR THE 
             DISTRICT OF VERMONT FOR THE TERM OF FOUR YEARS

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the last nomination.
  The legislative clerk read the nomination of Thomas D. Anderson, of 
Vermont, to be United States Attorney for the District of Vermont for 
the term of four years.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Vermont.
  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I have spoken earlier about Mr. Anderson. 
For those of us who have been prosecutors in Vermont or care about the 
prosecutor's office, I think President Bush has made a fine choice 
here. And, of course, I strongly support Mr. Anderson for the reasons I 
stated earlier.
  I think everybody here and in the Department of Justice will breathe 
a sigh of relief. We have had wonderful acting U.S. attorneys for some 
time since former U.S. attorney Peter Hall went to the Second Circuit. 
But this will be a very good move to have him as U.S. attorney.
  I compliment Tom and his family and, of course, the President.
  I yield the floor.
  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, today we confirm Thomas D. Anderson as U.S. 
attorney for the District of Vermont. I am pleased that we acted 
promptly in the Judiciary Committee to report Tom's nomination to the 
floor and that the Senate is acting promptly to confirm him. As an 
assistant U.S. attorney in Burlington for 14 of the last 19 years, the 
managing partner of a respected Burlington law firm, and as deputy 
state's attorney in Newport, Tom's varied experience and long ties to 
Vermont have prepared him well to be Vermont's top Federal law 
enforcement official.
  We have a strong tradition of good law enforcement in Vermont. Our 
most recent U.S. attorneys are part of that tradition. Charlie Tetzlaff 
served an extended term and has gone on to distinguish himself as the 
Executive Director of the U.S. Sentencing Commission. Peter Hall served 
ably and now fills the Vermont seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for 
the Second Circuit.
  Tom is the kind of well-qualified consensus nominee who can be easily 
confirmed by the Senate. In fact, I joined with Republican Gov. Jim 
Douglas in recommending Tom to President Bush. As a former prosecutor, 
I have been particular impressed with his work since returning to the 
U.S. Attorney's Office in 2001 as head of the narcotics unit and as the 
lead attorney of the Department of Justice's Organized Crime Drug 
Enforcement Task Force. He has worked closely with both Federal and 
State drug investigators to identify and target the highest level drug 
traffickers in Vermont and to coordinate major drug investigations 
covering many districts. I believe his work on drug crime is especially 
important preparation as we continue to target those crimes, which are 
one of Vermont's most difficult law enforcement challenges.
  In addition to his work combating drug crimes, Tom has gained a wide 
variety of experience in private practice and as a prosecutor. He spent 
3 years at the U.S. Attorney's Office in the civil division, 
prosecuting civil enforcement actions in Federal court brought under 
the False Claims Act and other statutes. In 1994, he was assigned as a 
special assistant attorney general for the State of Vermont to 
prosecute police officers charged with obstruction of justice. While a 
partner at Sheehey Furlong Rendall & Behm, Tom's firm represented the 
State of Vermont in its litigation against the tobacco industry. And of 
course I must discuss one of Tom's finest accomplishments, his 1979 
graduation from St. Michael's College in Colchester, VT, my alma mater.
  Tom has a keen legal and will bring a great deal of experience and 
enthusiasm to this important law enforcement post. Congratulations to 
Tom, his wife Wendy, and his entire family on his confirmation today.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is, Will the Senate advise and 
consent to the nomination of Thomas D. Anderson, of Vermont, to be 
United States Attorney for the District of Vermont for the term of four 
years?
  The nomination was confirmed.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the President will 
be immediately notified of the Senate's actions.

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