Floor Statements

Mr. President, I have the privilege and honor of rising today to recognize Miss Kacey Reynolds of Calvert City, KY. Kacey was selected as first place district winner of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States and the Ladies Auxiliary's Voice of Democracy National Essay Competition Program.

Kacey's essay submission detailing her commitment and responsibility to America caught the eye of the VFW and Ladies Auxiliary. Along with a college scholarship, the national scholarship recipients were rewarded with a trip to Washington, DC.

Currently participating in Paducah Christian Homeschool, Kacey was recognized earlier this year as a Focus on the Family 2003 Brio Girl of the Year finalist and is a member of the National Honor Society. Outside of academics, she is an active teen who enjoys acting, rappelling, scrapbooking, and horseback riding. She hopes to study music and business management when she attends college.

I am pleased that Kacey takes such pride in her community and Nation. She recognizes the sacrifices made by others in order to secure her freedom. Respect and appreciation, as shown by Kacey, can sometimes get pushed to the side during the daily routines of life. I am pleased this young lady has taken time to reflect on the meaning of freedom and the price of it. Please join me in congratulating Miss Kacey Reynolds and wishing her the best of luck.

Mr. President, I rise today in recognition of Mr. Mike Mangeot of Covington, KY. Mr. Mangeot is a recipient of the 2003 Covington Award presented by the Friends of Covington organization.

Each year the Friends of Covington take the opportunity to honor a business professional who places an equal amount of energy on community development as they place on professional success. Mr. Mangeot was selected for his strong dedication to community affairs and leadership in Covington.

This announcement adds to the long list of achievements that Mr. Mangeot has experienced through his career. Cofounder of the highly successful Century Construction, Mr. Mangeot focuses his attention on helping improve the Covington community through revitalization projects. Currently, Mr. Mangeot also assists several community civic groups, such as the Kiwanis, the Jaycees, and the Covington Business Council.

I am pleased that Mr. Mangeot's dedication to his hometown is being recognized by individuals who know him and his work best. I thank the Senate in allowing me to honor Mr. Mike Mangeot.

Mr. President, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to the Danville/Boyle County Chamber of Commerce for earning the 2003 Afterschool Community Champion Award presented by the Afterschool Alliance. The Danville/Boyle County Chamber of Commerce has distinguished itself by creating a high quality afterschool program that implements President Bush's No Child Left Behind Act and the 21st Century Community Learning Centers initiative.

The success of the Danville/Boyle County Chamber of Commerce Business Mentoring Program in building the character and competence of Kentucky's middle school students can be attributed to the five main promises it made to its participants. The program promises to provide ongoing relationships with caring adults with a healthy start for a student's future, offers safe facilities and marketable skills through effective education, and gives opportunities to reciprocate through community service. The chamber's plan coincides with the 21st Century program by instilling mentoring programs in middle schools that provide students with the necessary attention they need to achieve academic success.

I am proud of the Danville/Boyle County Chamber of Commerce. It is a source of great pride to call attention to their excellence. The chamber's contributions have made all the difference in the lives of its participants. The citizens of Danville/Boyle County are fortunate to be served by such fine individuals. Their example should be followed in communities across Kentucky.

I will be very brief. This amendment was discussed pretty thoroughly yesterday. This sets a date certain for a vote on the reduction of the tax on the Social Security seniors from 85 to 50 percent; that we report a bill out no later than July 1, 2003; and that the bill should be acted on no later than September 30, 2003, consistent with the preservation of the Medicare trust fund.

Under the provisions of section 904 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, I move to waive the point of order against the pending amendment and I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. President, I withdraw my motion to waive the point of order since none has been made against the amendment.

Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. President, I am pleased that the manager's of the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003, Chairman Grassley and ranking member Baucus, have agreed to included in their manager's amendment my provision, which is supported by many members in this body, that addresses the issue of the tax burden that is faced by wholesalers of domestic distilled spirits.

I want to take this opportunity to express my support for this legislation and also to share my broader concern about how the current Federal Excise Tax, FET, system places an undue burden on distillers that must, at a minimum, not be increased to fund this legislation or for any other reason.

I introduced this amendment because I believe that the existing FET system for domestically produced distilled spirits penalizes spirits wholesalers across the nation. These are mostly family businesses that create high wage jobs. Yet spirits wholesalers often find themselves in the position of, in essence, having to float Uncle Sam a loan when they purchase U.S. made spirits from their distillers.

Let me briefly explain how this situation comes about in the marketplace. Under Federal law, spirits produced in the United States may not leave the distillery premises until the FET is collected. Thus, the cost of the FET is factored into the price of the goods that is paid when the wholesaler accepts possession from the distiller. The wholesale, in turn, may wind up having to warehouse these products for a considerable time before they are sold to a

retailer. The fundamental issue here is the time value of the FET-- valuable working capital for these businesses--while the wholesale warehouses products without realizing any income from their sale.

This amendment would create a tax credit available to the wholesalers in order to offset these FET carrying costs. I believe this is fundamentally fair and will help protect and create good jobs in the wine and spirits wholesale tier across the nation.

However, in introducing this amendment and supporting its inclusion in the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003, I want to make one thing perfectly clear. In supporting this bill, I want the Administration, and officials at the Treasury Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms to understand that by doing so I reject the connection that some have tried to make between this issue and Section 5010 of the tax code, the wine and flavors tax credit. In past years, the suggestion has been made that any revenue loss to the U.S. Treasury caused by the provisions of my amendment be offset by repealing Section 5010. I reject that notion because there is no logical link between the two issues.

Section 5010 is a component-based tax provision allowing distillers to claim a credit for wines and other flavoring components that are added to their products. Thus, a distiller will pay the full spirits FET for that portion of a product that is derived from distilled spirits. However, many products sold as spirits contain wine and other non-spirits flavorings, which are subject to tax at lower rates. Under Section 5010, the distiller is entitled to a credit for the difference between the wine and the spirits tax for that portion of the product that is not derived from spirits.

Section 5010 is important. It has the added policy virtues of being on the side of common sense, economic competitiveness and fundamental fairness. All of this is why I have fought hard to protect 5010 from several serious threats over the years.

I am pleased that, with the inclusion of my amendment in this bill, the Senate has once again shown its support for solving this problem which penalizes spirits wholesalers of domestically produced distilled spirits. I am also pleased that the Senate has seen fit to address this important issue without harming Section 5010 or otherwise increasing the tax burden on distillers.

Mr. President, I rise today in the Senate to honor and pay tribute to Katie Grogan, a student at Notre Dame Academy in Park Hills, KY. Ms. Grogan was chosen as the Kentucky winner of the U.S. Institute of Peace's 16th Annual National Peace Essay Contest.

More than 1,250 students from American high schools throughout the United States and abroad submitted essays for this year's contest. Contestants were required to write an essay on the justification of war. Ms. Grogan has shown a commitment to excellence deserving of such a distinguished honor. Ms. Grogan's essay is a shining example of what you can achieve if you work hard and pursue your goals. Her example should be followed by students across Kentucky.

I am proud of this young woman's dedication toward peace and her goals for educational excellence. The citizens from Lakeside, KY, are fortunate to call Katie Grogan one of their own. I also congratulate her teachers, along with her peers, administrators, and family for their support and sacrifices they have made to help her meet this achievement and make her dreams a reality. I wish her the best of luck in the national competition.

Madam President, I will shortly offer an amendment to the pending bill. We need to have just a little time for consideration of this amendment. It is not complicated. It is very straightforward and to the point. We have a need to have our majority leader show up on the floor to make a statement before I offer the amendment. Therefore, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, I send an amendment to the desk.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that reading of the amendment be dispensed with.

Mr. President, I am offering an amendment as a sense of the Senate on the Social Security tax; that the 85-percent tax repeal be set at a certain time during the year 2003 and final consideration of the bill be no later than September 30, 2003. I want to bring the Senate up to date on this specific tax.

Prior to 1993, seniors were taxed on 50 percent of their Social Security benefits if their incomes were above a certain level. This money went back into the Social Security System. In 1993, Congress passed a provision requiring that 85 percent of a senior's Social Security benefits be taxed if certain income levels were met. This additional money went back into the Medicare system. This tax was unfair to seniors back in 1993, and it certainly is unfair today.

The amendment I am offering as a sense of the Senate allows the Finance Committee to pass legislation by July 31, 2003, which repeals this unfair tax to our seniors and requires the Senate to act on this legislation no later than September 30, 2003.

I am offering this amendment to counter an amendment that would destroy the very bill that is before us. An unwise amendment by the Senator from North Dakota would repeal this tax and thus reduce the amount of tax reduction for our country and for our citizens.

I want to try to put this in a little perspective for the American people, for my fellow Senators, and you, Mr. President.

In the overall aspects of the budget bill, the total amount as far as this bill is concerned is a reduction of $350 billion in tax reductions. Our economy is a $10 trillion-per-year economy. How minuscule is the tax reduction? If you look at the overall bill as a 10-year bill, and the overall economy as a 10-year economy, we are looking at about $120 trillion, and we are talking about $350 billion in that $120 trillion economy as a tax reduction.

If the amendment of the Senator from North Dakota is agreed to, we will have no tax reduction, not even a dividend tax reduction, as minuscule as it is, and not any of the advanced tax reductions we passed in the year 2001.

If we want to take action to create jobs, and if we want to do it as quickly as we can, my amendment allows us to vote on the reduction in the Social Security tax from 85 percent to 50 percent later on--after we get this job-creating incentive bill into conference, out of the Senate, and back to the floor of the Senate for a final vote.

I want you to know that seniors age 65 and older depend on taxable dividends. These are real Americans who need this money because they are on fixed incomes. They have to scramble and scrimp to have enough dollars to live on fixed incomes. This will allow just a portion of that dividend income to be tax free. Seventy-one percent of all taxable dividends go to Americans who are over age 55. With the rising cost of prescription drugs, seniors depend on this income from dividends. If we can make just a little bit of it tax free, that will be a big help for those senior citizens--15 percent of seniors' total income, but 50 percent of dividend income in this country comes to those senior citizens.

Under the President's package, 99.8 million seniors would have saved $936 a year. That was the President's proposal. We cut that more than in half.

I just think it is a wrongheaded way to approach the reduction of this ominous tax on senior citizens, particularly those who definitely have no other income except Social Security.

I hope the Senate will consider this as a sense of the Senate to make sure we get to this bill before the end of this legislative calendar.

I yield the floor.

Yes, sir.

Will the Senator yield?

As the Senator knows, I offered this very same amendment on the budget bill to repeal the Social Security tax from 85 percent to 50 percent, and the very same people who would support that today voted unanimously against it on the budget bill.

So the inconsistency that the Senator from North Dakota shows today is something I have a very big problem understanding. If you are for it today, and you want to take these away from seniors, and you also want to take tax away from seniors, you ought to have been consistent and voted to take it away during the budget resolution debate we had on the floor.

I know this Senator voted with me on the budget resolution when we tried to repeal it. And I hope we are able to get this amendment accepted.

Yes.

Mr. President, I rise to honor my friend Don Williams on his last day presiding as Executive Director of the Fort Knox CORE Committee meeting in Kentucky. Since the inception of the CORE Committee in 1992, Don spent 4 years as Chairman and the past 7 years as Executive Director of the committee up until his retirement at the end of this month. Fortunately, Don will continue to serve as a member of the CORE Committee and add his valuable insights and expertise on Army issues pertaining to Fort Knox.

Don has advocated on the behalf of Fort Knox on the local, State, and Federal levels for many years. After 28 years of service in Army infantry and armor units and high-level staff assignments, Colonel Williams retired from the Army in 1990 as Chief of Staff at Fort Knox. During his last role in active duty as Chief of Staff, Don became very active in the local communities surrounding Fort Knox. As a private citizen, Don has continued to promote the future vitality and importance of Fort Knox and the economic development of the base's surrounding communities.

Don has accomplished many great achievements over his life. He received his BA and later his MA in political science from the University of Massachusetts. He has taught at the U.S. Air Force Academy and he spent 5 years at the Pentagon on the Army staff and later as Secretary to the Joint Chiefs of Staff. After his retirement from the Army, Don served as senior vice president of Bank One, Central Kentucky; vice chairman of the Kentucky Commission on Military Affairs; and important roles with the Association of the United States Army and the Louisville Chamber of Commerce. Don has worn just about every important military/civilian relations hat in Kentucky and he has worn them all with the dedication and dignity of a solider and a gentleman.

I ask my colleagues to honor Colonel Williams' service to the U.S. Army, the Commonwealth of Kentucky and our great Nation. While Don may be relinquishing his duties as Executive Director of the CORE Committee, I look forward to continuing to work with him on important projects to both Fort Knox and its surrounding communities. Don is a great Kentuckian and a good friend. I thank the Senate for allowing me to laud his praises.

Mr. President, I rise to honor the workers of General Electric's Appliance Park in Louisville, KY, for 50 years of hard work and quality manufacturing of appliances for the world. From producing the first box car in 1953 to the wide array of products GE manufactures today, generations of Kentucky workers have contributed to the success of the economy at GE's Appliance Park.

The original idea of merging nine plants into one major facility to mass produce GE's consumer products was initially scrutinized and met with skepticism by nay sayers. Doubters didn't think and agree that consumers demanded across America and the world such a vast array and selection of quality products. However, the ingenuity and vision of GE's leadership, behind its strong and committed workforce, considered America's growing population, rise of per capita income and social changes that occurred during the 1950s as evidence that such mass production was needed and wanted by the consumer. History shows they were right, and today General Electric is able to please consumers through offering an array of high quality products at an affordable price.

I am proud to have most of the workers at General Electric's Appliance Park living in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. They possess those core American values which have helped to made GE and this country a great success. I give great pride in calling attention to their excellence and work ethic. I know all will agree that for generations these GE Appliance Park workers ``bring good things to life.''

Mr. President, I rise today to talk about the energy bill and need for a comprehensive energy policy.

Although we were unable to pass an energy bill in the 107th Congress, I am hopeful that in this Congress we will be able to get a good bill through the Senate, out of conference, and onto the President's desk.

We have had a department of energy for over 20 years. But we've never had a sound national energy policy.

Now is the time for Congress to get serious about addressing our energy supply and needs.

In order to make progress on the energy bill we need to figure out how to increase production while also doing more to encourage conservation.

In the past I think Congress has failed to make progress on energy policy because we have tried to make a choice between the two.

I hope most of us understand that a sensible energy policy must strike a balanced approach that includes a boost in domestic energy production as well as a promotion of conservation and smarter energy use.

The energy bill before us, under Chairman Domenici's leadership takes good steps towards striking this balance.

I look forward to the tax provisions coming from the finance committee that will further promote conservation and energy efficiency by encouraging the use of cleaner burning fuels.

As a member of both the energy committee and finance committee, I am pleased to have had the opportunity to help craft the bill before the Senate.

In the wake of September 11 and ongoing problems in the middle east, it is more and more obvious a sound energy policy is a crucial part of our national security.

We must have reliable sources of energy and we must cut our reliance on foreign oil.

Increasing our domestic production is critical in reducing our foreign dependence.

Right now we depend upon foreign nations--including the middle east-- for nearly 60 percent of our Nation's oil supply.

Americans have experienced some difficult times recently when oil and gas prices shot up. They are starting to edge back down now. But during the winter and early spring consumers saw prices go up and up.

We all saw the rise in gas prices this winter and the crimp it put on the economy.

We are struggling to get out of a recession now, and while passing an energy bill might not help us in the short term, it could make a difference the next time we hit an economic downturn or things flare up in the middle east.

The need to increase our own production of energy has never been more important than now.

While we appear to be moving away from combat in Iraq, there is still a lot of uncertainty in the middle east.

It is too important and there is too much instability in the world. We need to pass an energy policy now.

Mr. President, Congress has been playing political football with the issue for the past few years. I think it's time to end the game.

Our Nation and our National security continue to be at stake.

We must strengthen our energy independence to protect ourselves from any dangerous and unpredictable events in the middle east.

We don't want the United States beholden to other countries just to keep our engines running and lights turned on.

While I am disappointed that ANWR is not in the bill before us, the bill does provide a good starting point to help our Nation increase domestic production of energy and reduce our reliance on foreign sources.

It also provides important conservation provisions which will help protect the environment.

I am also glad that the Senate's energy bill contains the clean coal provisions I wrote to help increase domestic production while also improving environmental protection.

For my home State, this means more jobs and a cleaner place to live.

Clean coal technologies will result in a significant reduction of emissions and a sharp increase in efficiency of turning coal into electricity.

I'm proud to come from a coal state. For generations Kentuckians from Pike county in the east to Crittenden county in the west have made their living in the coal fields and coal mines.

For the last decade coal in Kentucky was on the downturn because of legislative and regulatory policies from the Federal Government.

Now I am glad to see that we have turned that around and are taking steps to make sure that coal continues to play a vital role in meeting our future energy needs.

This focus on clean coal is good for the environment. And it is certainly good for the economy and for putting folks back on the job.

The energy bill encourages research and development of clean coal technology by authorizing nearly $2.6 billion in appropriations for the D.O.E. to conduct programs to advance new technology.

Almost $2 billion will be used for the clean coal power initiative where D.O.E. will work with industry to advance efficiency, environmental performance, and cost competitiveness of new clean coal technologies.

The proposed energy tax package includes nearly $2 billion in tax credits

for companies to implement clean coal technology.

Coal plays in important role in our economy. The 21st century economy is going to require increased amounts of reliable, clean, and affordable electricity to keep our Nation running.

Today, more than half of our Nation's electricity is generated from abundant low cost domestic coal.

We have over 275 billion tons of recoverable coal reserves. This is nearly 30 percent of the world's coal supply.

That is enough coal to supply us with energy for more than 250 years.

With research advances, we have the know-how to better balance conservation with the need for increased production. We should use our know-how to come up with a good energy bill.

I hope we can move it quickly and pass a bill to make our environment, economy, and National security stronger.

I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, I have the privilege and honor of rising today to recognize Jimmy Williams of Lexington, KY. Jimmy was selected as a member of the 2003 Youth Leadership Team by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy.

Jimmy is a unique teen with an important message and opportunity to share his story with thousands of people. He works diligently to educate his peers on the ramifications of sexual activity in an attempt to halt America's teen pregnancy rate.

Currently attending Bryan Station High School, Jimmy is an active Teen Leader of the Postponing Sexual Involvement, PSI, program and was once a training session panelist for the Kentucky Coalition. Teen Leaders, such as Jimmy, must complete a minium of 20 training hours before talking directly to middle school students about sexual peer pressure and health concerns.

His dedication to delivering this message caught the eye of the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. Jimmy's strong work ethic made him the a perfect candidate for the Youth Leadership Team. He writes letters in support of the National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy to schools, students, teachers, media sources, and political leaders. Even on his off time, Jimmy can be found at local baseball games handing out flyers promoting abstinence.

I'm pleased that Jimmy cares so much for the health and well-being of his peers. Please join me in congratulating Jimmy Williams and wishing him the best of luck in his new position as a member of the Youth Leadership Team.

Mr. President, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to the William E. Bivin Forensic Society at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, KY. The Western Kentucky University Forensic Team recently defeated forensic teams from all over the world to claim the 2003 International Forensic Association, IFA, Championship in Vancouver, BC.

Led by Director of Forensics Judy Woodring, the team of 36 students and eight coaches defeated 87 other universities to win the 2003 American Forensic Association, AFA, National Championship and the Delta Sigma Rho-Tau Kappa Alpha, DSR-TKA, National Championship earlier this year. The Western Kentucky Forensic Team has a long tradition of honors and distinctions. Over the program's storied history, it has won four IFA International Championships, one AFA National Championship, five DSR-TKA National Championships, and thirteen Kentucky State Forensic Association Championships.

I ask my colleagues in the Senate to pay tribute to the Western Kentucky University Forensic Team of Corey Alderdice, Drew Allen, Elizabeth Au, Margaret Au, Stacy Bernaugh, Chris Blackford, Keith Blaser, Chris Brasfield, Grace Bruenderman, David Burns, Jenny Corum, Ashley Courtney, Justin Cress, Tony Damico, Nicole Estenfelder, Reagan Gibson, Nicole Hawk, Adam Henze, Kate Hertweck, Ryan Howell, Lindsey Nave, Jacob Peregoy, Jennifer Purcell, Hanna Reliford, Alex Rogers, Nick Romerhausen, Evelio Silvera, Rebecca Simms, Courtney Smith, Joel Smith, Jen Taylor, Katie Tyree, Jordon Wadlington, Caleb Williams, Jeff Woods, Courtney Wright and led by Coaches Judy Woodring, Jace Lux, Bonnie McDonald, Greg Robertson, Matt Gerbig, Doug Mory, Chris Grove, and Joe Day. I am proud of their achievements and admirable representation of Western Kentucky University and the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

Mr. President, I rise to express my support for Deborah Cook and urge my colleagues to support her confirmation. The Sixth Circuit, which includes my State of Kentucky, is experiencing a true judicial emergency. Five of the sixteen seats on that court are vacant, leading to justice delayed--and thus justice denied--for the citizens of Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee, and Michigan. Fortunately, last week we confirmed Jeffrey Sutton to the Sixth Circuit, and today we will confirm Deborah Cook.

Deborah Cook was among President Bush's original circuit court nominees first submitted to the Senate on May 9, 2001. Nearly 2 years will have passed from the time her nomination was first submitted until she will be able to assume her seat on the bench. It has been a long wait, but Deborah Cook's confirmation is good news for her and for the people living in the Sixth Circuit.

Deborah Cook is an example of the fine judicial nominees President Bush has submitted to the Senate. She is currently a Justice on the Ohio Supreme Court, where she has served since she was first elected in 1994. Prior to that, Justice Cook served as a Court of Appeals judge in Ohio. She also practiced law for 15 years in Akron, OH, and was her firm's first female associate and partner.

I am proud that President Bush nominated Deborah Cook, and I am proud to vote for her. She has ample experience as an appellate court judge and is well qualified to sit on the Sixth Circuit. Deborah Cook will do a fine job for all people living in the Sixth Circuit. I am glad she will soon be confirmed, and I urge my colleagues to support her as well.

Mr. President, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to the Pulaski County School System for receiving the Public Education Achieves in Kentucky Award from the Kentucky School Boards Association. The Pulaski County School System has distinguished itself through its outstanding efforts to promote gifted and talented students.

The Kentucky School Boards Association's Public Education Achieves in Kentucky Award was first awarded in 1997 to bring statewide attention to public school programs that enhance the impact that elementary and secondary schools have on young people. This award was well earned by the members of the Pulaski County School System under the leadership of Superintendent Tim Eaton.

The faculty of the Pulaski County School System have demonstrated excellence in the classroom by making a difference in the lives of their students. Their commitment towards improving the quality of education in Kentucky's schools has proven their roles as educators. Furthermore, credit is also due to the Pulaski County School Board for implementing the higher standards necessary to meet the demands of gifted education.

I am glad the faculty and administration of the Pulaski County School System chose to work and make their home in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. It is a source of great pride to call attention to their excellence. The citizens of Pulaski County should be privileged to be served by such fine professionals, and their example should be followed by educators across Kentucky.

Mr. President, today I come to the floor of the Senate to offer my support for Jeffrey Sutton and urge my colleagues to support his confirmation. The Sixth Circuit, which includes my State of Kentucky, is experiencing a true judicial emergency. Six of the sixteen seats on that court currently sit vacant, leading to justice delayed-- and thus justice denied--for the citizens of Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee, and Michigan. We need Jeffrey Sutton and we need five others like him on the Sixth Circuit.

Jeffrey Sutton was first nominated by President Bush on May 9, 2001. It has taken him almost 2 years to be confirmed and assume his seat on the bench. That is a long time to wait--but he is one of the lucky nominees, since he is actually getting a vote.

Jeffrey Sutton is an example of the fine nominees President Bush has submitted to the Senate. He was rated ``Qualified'' by the American Bar Association. He has argued 12 cases before the United States Supreme Court, with a strong record of success. He has served as State Solicitor of Ohio and

was highly respected by his peers in that position. He clerked for two Supreme Court justices as well as for the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. Currently, Mr. Sutton is a partner at the well respected Jones Day law firm and he teaches law school classes at Ohio State University. His experience in appellate law practice has earned him acclaim from one legal publication as one of the 45 best lawyers under the age of 45 in the whole country.

I am proud that President Bush nominated Jeffrey Sutton and I am proud to vote for him. He is well qualified to serve on an appellate court and will do a fine job for all states in the circuit. I am glad he will soon be confirmed to the Sixth Circuit, and I urge my colleagues to support him as well.