[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 2]
[Senate]
[Pages 2914-2916]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                           EXECUTIVE SESSION

                                 ______
                                 

  NOMINATION OF KEVIN W. TECHAU TO BE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY FOR THE 
                       NORTHERN DISTRICT OF IOWA

                                 ______
                                 

 NOMINATION OF ANDREW MARK LUGER TO BE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY FOR THE 
                         DISTRICT OF MINNESOTA

                                 ______
                                 

   NOMINATION OF ROBERT L. HOBBS TO BE UNITED STATES MARSHAL FOR THE 
                       EASTERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS

                                 ______
                                 

  NOMINATION OF GARY BLANKINSHIP TO BE UNITED STATES MARSHAL FOR THE 
                       SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS

                                 ______
                                 

  NOMINATION OF AMOS ROJAS, JR., TO BE UNITED STATES MARSHAL FOR THE 
                      SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF FLORIDA

                                 ______
                                 

   NOMINATION OF PETER C. TOBIN TO BE UNITED STATES MARSHAL FOR THE 
                       SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF OHIO

                                 ______
                                 

  NOMINATION OF ANTHONY LUZZATTO GARDNER TO BE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE 
             UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO THE EUROPEAN UNION

                                 ______
                                 

  NOMINATION OF ROBERT A. SHERMAN TO BE AMBASSADOR EXTRAORDINARY AND 
   PLENIPOTENTIARY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO THE PORTUGUESE 
                                REPUBLIC

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the Senate will 
proceed to executive session to consider the following nominations, 
which the clerk will report.
  The legislative clerk reported the nominations of Kevin W. Techau, of 
Iowa, to be United States Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa; 
Andrew

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Mark Luger, of Minnesota, to be United States Attorney for the District 
of Minnesota; Robert L. Hobbs, of Texas, to be United States Marshal 
for the Eastern District of Texas; Gary Blankinship, of Texas, to be 
United States Marshal for the Southern District of Texas; Amos Rojas, 
Jr., of Florida, to be United States Marshal for the Southern District 
of Florida; Peter C. Tobin, of Ohio, to be United States Marshal for 
the Southern District of Ohio; Anthony Luzzatto Gardner, of New York, 
to be Representative of the United States of America to the European 
Union; and Robert A. Sherman, of Massachusetts, to be Ambassador 
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to 
the Portuguese Republic.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Rhode Island.
  Mr. WHITEHOUSE. Mr. President, at the conclusion of the vote, I ask 
unanimous consent that the Senator from Minnesota be recognized for up 
to 1 minute, the Senator from Georgia up to 7 minutes, the senior 
Senator from Rhode Island for up to 2 minutes, and that I be recognized 
thereafter, subject to the majority leader.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, I wish to congratulate Kevin Techau on his 
nomination as the U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Iowa.
  U.S. attorneys hold a very important position in our system of 
justice. They are charged with upholding the law and, consequently, 
must possess impeccable legal skills and superior knowledge. 
Additionally, it is just as important that U.S. attorneys be committed 
to justice, fairness, due process and equal protection. I am confident 
that Mr. Techau understands the importance of the job he is about to 
undertake and has the skills, perseverance, and sense of justice 
necessary to make the most of his new position.
  There is no question that Mr. Techau is highly qualified to be a U.S. 
attorney. He gained extensive law enforcement and managerial experience 
as head of Iowa's Department of Public Safety and Department of 
Inspections and Appeals under then Governor Tom Vilsack. He also has 
broad criminal justice and trial experience, including as an assistant 
Federal public defender in Iowa, as a staff judge advocate in the U.S. 
Air Force and Iowa National Guard, and in private practice. That 
experience will serve him well in his new position.
  Mr. Techau has also demonstrated over the course of his career his 
commitment to public service, strong leadership, excellent judgment, 
and integrity. He will vigorously and fairly enforce the law, and I am 
certain that Mr. Techau will continue his dedication to justice.
  Mr. Techau is a person of truly outstanding intellect and character, 
and I wholeheartedly congratulate him--as well as his wife, Stephanie, 
and two children--on his nomination as the U.S. attorney for the 
Northern District of Iowa.
  Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, I would like to share a few words of 
support of Kevin Techau to be U.S. attorney for the Northern District 
of Iowa. Mr. Techau received his undergraduate degree from the 
University of Iowa in 1981, and his J.D. from the University of Iowa in 
1984. Mr. Techau also has a distinguished military career. He served in 
the U.S. Air Force as a judge advocate from 1985 until 1992. While 
serving in the base legal office he provided legal counsel on a broad 
array of issues, including Federal laws, employment law, medical 
malpractice claims and criminal prosecution.
  As a circuit defense counsel, he served as lead attorney in major 
felony cases in European and eastern United States circuits 
representing U.S. Air Force airmen in court-martial cases involving 
charges brought under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Mr. Techau 
joined the Iowa National Guard in 1993 and served until 2011.
  In 1992, Mr. Techau joined the firm of Grefe & Sidney in Des Moines, 
IA. As an associate attorney, the primary focus of his practice was in 
civil litigation. From 1996 until 1999, Mr. Techau served as a Federal 
public defender for Iowa. His practice as a public defender was both at 
the trial and appellate level, and he has tried cases in the U.S. 
Federal Courts for the Northern and Southern Districts of Iowa and the 
Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals. Mr. Techau was appointed to the 
position of director of inspections and appeals for Iowa in 1999, and 
in 2002 was appointed as commissioner of public safety for Iowa.
  Since 2007, he has been associate general counsel at American Equity 
Investment Life Insurance Company. There he handles litigation 
management for the company. Throughout his career, Mr. Techau has 
demonstrated his commitment to serving the people of Iowa and the 
United States.
  Finally, let me just add that I have known the Techau family for 
decades and I know Mr. Techau personally. He has even been a running 
partner of mine from time to time. He is a man of fine character and 
commitment. I believe he will serve as U.S. attorney with distinction 
and honor. I urge my colleagues to vote yes on this nomination.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The majority leader.
  Mr. REID. I yield back all time.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is, Will the Senate advise and 
consent to the nomination of Kevin W. Techau, of Iowa, to be United 
States Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa?
  The nomination was confirmed.


                        Vote on Luger Nomination

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Minnesota is now recognized 
for 1 minute.
  Ms. KLOBUCHAR. Mr. President, I rise in support of Andrew Luger. I 
thank my colleagues for the work they have done to make sure Minnesota 
has a U.S. attorney in place. I want to particularly thank Leader Reid 
and Senator McConnell, the two leaders, for their work, as well as 
Senator Franken. The two of us put together a nonpartisan 
recommendation coming from the committee, and we are very glad the 
President took that recommendation and recommended Andrew Luger, with 
his vast criminal prosecution experience as well as his civil 
experience.
  I also thank Senator Grassley for his work as well as Senator Corker. 
Minnesota has gone 2\1/2\ years without a full-time U.S. attorney, as 
our U.S. attorney was doing the job as ATF Director at the same time, 
and the over 100 people who work at the U.S. attorney's office in 
Minnesota truly deserve a leader.
  I thank my colleagues for their support.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is, Will the Senate advise and 
consent to the nomination of Andrew Mark Luger, of Minnesota, to be 
United States Attorney for the District of Minnesota?
  The nomination was confirmed.


                        Vote on Hobbs Nomination

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is, Will the Senate advise and 
consent to the nomination of Robert L. Hobbs, of Texas, to be United 
States Marshal for the Eastern District of Texas?
  The nomination was confirmed.


                     Vote on Blankinship Nomination

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is, Will the Senate advise and 
consent to the nomination of Gary Blankinship, of Texas, to be United 
States Marshal for the Southern District of Texas?
  The nomination was confirmed.


                        Vote on Rojas Nomination

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is, Will the Senate advise and 
consent to the nomination of Amos Rojas, Jr., of Florida, to be United 
States Marshal for the Southern District of Florida?
  The nomination was confirmed.


                        Vote on Tobin Nomination

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is, Will the Senate advise and 
consent to the nomination of Peter C. Tobin, of Ohio, to be United 
States Marshal for the Southern District of Ohio?
  The nomination was confirmed.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the President will 
now be notified of the Senate's action.
  The motions to reconsider are considered made and laid upon the 
table.

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