Floor Statements

Mr. President, I have spoken many times on the Senate floor about Vermont's dedicated farming families. Today, I would like to recognize the contributions of a great Vermont farmer, at a time of transition, Ray Allen of Allenholm Farm in South Hero, VT.

Ray has, since 1990, represented the University of Vermont as a delegate to the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, Council for Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching, CARET. The APLU is a research, policy, and advocacy organization representing 235 universities and public land grant institutions nationwide, and CARET advocates for greater national support and understanding of the land- grant university system's food and agricultural research, extension, and teaching programs that enhance the quality of life for all people.

Ray is the longest serving delegate nationally to the CARET and has made many significant contributions to the university extension component of the land grant mission. It is fitting, and should surprise no one that this seventh generation Vermont farmer has so truly served the land grant mission, considering that Ray's ancestors began farming in South Hero, VT in 1870, at about the same time that Vermont Senator Justin Morrill gained passage of his legislation creating the Land Grant College system.

Allenholm Farm is the oldest continuously operating apple orchard in the State of Vermont, and over the years has grown to be a mainstay of our regional and State agricultural economy.

In 1870, Ray Allen's great-grandfather purchased the current farm, marking the beginning of a family farming tradition on lovely Grand Isle, VT. Today, Ray and his wife Pam run the Allenholm Farm with the help of their children, grandchildren, and now great-grandchildren.

The chain of islands running up the center of Lake Champlain was once home to more than 100 commercial apple orchards. Today there are fewer, but the Allen's have thrived through creativity. They have diversified the farm to include many new apple varieties, and they now produce and retail their own cider, ice cider, hard cider, applesauce, and more than 3,000 apple pies every year.

Making great use of their location, which is within sight of New York and a few miles from the Canadian border, Ray and Pam have made the Allenholm Farm an international destination. Visitors can rent bicycles, stay the night at the Bed & Breakfast overlooking the orchards, buy maple syrup and maple creemies, and visit their petting zoo to meet Willie and Sassafrass, the famous kissing donkeys.

The Allenholm Farm AppleFest attracts up to 25,000 visitors annually and has yielded a bountiful harvest for the entire local economy of the Champlain islands.

Vermont's agricultural economy is thriving today as more and more of farmers follow Ray and Pam's formula: Focus on superb quality, create value-added products, build the Vermont brand, provide local food to local markets, and have fun doing it. For many visitors, Ray and Pam Allen are the face of farming.

As Vermont's agricultural leaders are inclined to do, Ray has taken on many leadership roles in his local community, as well at the State and National level, all in addition to his decades of service to the Association of Public Land Grant Universities. He has served as town auditor, justice of the peace, a member of the school board and has been chief of the rescue squad since its inception in 1973. Ray's contributions to his alma mater, the University of Vermont, are too numerous to list completely here, but they include current or past membership on the boards of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, UVM Extension, and the Alumni Council. Ray's feats as a student track star are still the subject of legend now, 50 years later, and two annual track trophies bear his name.

As a strong supporter of the land grant mission, I thank Ray Allen for his service to the Association of Public Land Grant Universities as a delegate to the Council of Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching. I am certain that Ray will be missed in this role but that he will continue to build on this record of accomplishment and public service in many other venues and that the seventh generation Allenholm Farm will continue to thrive under his leadership.

Marcelle and I think of Ray and Pam as very special friends and cherished Vermonters.

Mr. President, from DNA to digital evidence, prosecutors, defense attorneys, and judges are becoming increasingly reliant on the collection and analysis of various forms of forensic evidence in a criminal investigation or prosecution. It is therefore all the more important that we strengthen our confidence in the criminal justice system, and the evidence it relies upon, by ensuring that forensic evidence and testimony is accurate, credible, and scientifically grounded.

I am proud to introduce today the Criminal Justice and Forensic Science Reform Act. This legislation represents a comprehensive and commonsense approach toward guaranteeing the effectiveness and scientific integrity of forensic evidence used in criminal cases, and in ensuring that Americans can have faith in their criminal justice system. The bill is also bipartisan, and I am pleased that Senator Cornyn has agreed to be a cosponsor of this legislation.

Over the course of the past 5 years, my staff and I have spent countless hours talking to prosecutors, defense attorneys, law enforcement officers, judges, forensic practitioners, academic experts, and many, many others to learn as much as we could about what is happening in the forensic sciences and what needs to be done. As this effort has progressed, I have been disturbed to learn about still more cases in which innocent people may have been convicted, and perhaps even executed, in part due to faulty forensic

evidence or the lack of valid forensic evidence. Since the first post- conviction DNA exoneration in the United States in 1989, there have been 314 DNA exonerations. These exonerees spent an average of 13.5 years in prison, amounting to an astounding total of 4,202 years. It is a double tragedy when an innocent person is convicted. An innocent person suffers, and a guilty person remains free, leaving us all less safe. We must do everything we can to avoid that untenable outcome.

It has also become abundantly clear through the course of this inquiry that the men and women who test and analyze forensic evidence do tremendous work that is vital to our criminal justice system. I remember their important contributions and hard work from my days as a prosecutor in Vermont, and the rapid development and expansion of the forensic science disciplines since that time has been extraordinary. So their work is even more important today, and we need to strengthen the field of forensics, and the justice system's confidence in it, so that their hard work can be consistently relied upon, as it should be.

Everyone recognizes the need for forensic evidence that is accurate and reliable. Prosecutors and law enforcement officers want evidence that can be relied upon to determine guilt and prove it beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Defense attorneys want strong evidence that can be used to exclude innocent people from suspicion. Forensic science practitioners want their work to have as much certainty as possible and to be able to testify in court with confidence and integrity. All scientists and all attorneys who care about these issues want the scientific analysis that is admitted as evidence in the courtroom to meet the same rigorous testing and research standards found in the laboratory.

There is general agreement that the forensic sciences can be improved through strong and unassailable research to test and establish the validity of the forensic disciplines, as well as the application of consistent and established standards in the field. There is also a dire need for well managed and appropriately directed funding for research, development, training, and technical assistance. It is a good investment that will lead to fewer trials and appeals, and will reduce crime by ensuring that those who commit serious offenses are promptly captured and convicted. There is also broad consensus that all forensic laboratories should be required to meet rigorous accreditation standards and that forensic practitioners should be required to obtain meaningful certification.

Finally, there is wide acknowledgement about the need for comprehensive legislation to address all of these issues. I first introduced a version of this legislation in 2011, after an extensive process of consultation with experts and stakeholders that included three Judiciary Committee hearings, dozens of meetings with individuals and organizations, and multiple drafts and revisions of legislative proposals. We have continued to refine this bill over the past 3 years, and the legislation Senator Cornyn and I introduce today is the product of that ongoing conversation.

I have been encouraged by the efforts of the Department of Justice and National Institute of Standards and Technology, NIST, to implement administratively some of the basic structural reforms contained in our bill, pursuant to a Memorandum of Understanding that led to the formation of the National Commission on Forensic Science. However, executive action is not enough. Congress must enact comprehensive forensic science reform legislation, and I look forward to working with the Department of Justice, NIST, the National Science Foundation, and others to make sure we implement the necessary reforms as expeditiously as possible.

This is not a partisan issue. Improving the reliability of forensic evidence does not advance the interests of just prosecutors or defendants, or of Democrats or Republicans. It is in the interest of justice. Senator Cornyn recognizes this, and I am proud to have him as a cosponsor of this important legislation. We will continue to work diligently with senators on both sides of the aisle, and I hope many other senators will join us to cosponsor this legislation, and work with me to ensure its passage.

I want to thank the forensic science practitioners, experts, advocates, law enforcement personnel, judges, and so many others whose input forms the basis for this legislation. Their passion for this issue and for getting it right gives me confidence that we will work together successfully to make much needed progress in implementing comprehensive forensic reform legislation.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, from DNA to digital evidence, prosecutors, defense attorneys, and judges are becoming increasingly reliant on the collection and analysis of various forms of forensic evidence in a criminal investigation or prosecution. It is therefore all the more important that we strengthen our confidence in the criminal justice system, and the evidence it relies upon, by ensuring that forensic evidence and testimony is accurate, credible, and scientifically grounded.

I am proud to introduce today the Criminal Justice and Forensic Science Reform Act. This legislation represents a comprehensive and commonsense approach toward guaranteeing the effectiveness and scientific integrity of forensic evidence used in criminal cases, and in ensuring that Americans can have faith in their criminal justice system. The bill is also bipartisan, and I am pleased that Senator Cornyn has agreed to be a cosponsor of this legislation.

Over the course of the past 5 years, my staff and I have spent countless hours talking to prosecutors, defense attorneys, law enforcement officers, judges, forensic practitioners, academic experts, and many, many others to learn as much as we could about what is happening in the forensic sciences and what needs to be done. As this effort has progressed, I have been disturbed to learn about still more cases in which innocent people may have been convicted, and perhaps even executed, in part due to faulty forensic

evidence or the lack of valid forensic evidence. Since the first post- conviction DNA exoneration in the United States in 1989, there have been 314 DNA exonerations. These exonerees spent an average of 13.5 years in prison, amounting to an astounding total of 4,202 years. It is a double tragedy when an innocent person is convicted. An innocent person suffers, and a guilty person remains free, leaving us all less safe. We must do everything we can to avoid that untenable outcome.

It has also become abundantly clear through the course of this inquiry that the men and women who test and analyze forensic evidence do tremendous work that is vital to our criminal justice system. I remember their important contributions and hard work from my days as a prosecutor in Vermont, and the rapid development and expansion of the forensic science disciplines since that time has been extraordinary. So their work is even more important today, and we need to strengthen the field of forensics, and the justice system's confidence in it, so that their hard work can be consistently relied upon, as it should be.

Everyone recognizes the need for forensic evidence that is accurate and reliable. Prosecutors and law enforcement officers want evidence that can be relied upon to determine guilt and prove it beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Defense attorneys want strong evidence that can be used to exclude innocent people from suspicion. Forensic science practitioners want their work to have as much certainty as possible and to be able to testify in court with confidence and integrity. All scientists and all attorneys who care about these issues want the scientific analysis that is admitted as evidence in the courtroom to meet the same rigorous testing and research standards found in the laboratory.

There is general agreement that the forensic sciences can be improved through strong and unassailable research to test and establish the validity of the forensic disciplines, as well as the application of consistent and established standards in the field. There is also a dire need for well managed and appropriately directed funding for research, development, training, and technical assistance. It is a good investment that will lead to fewer trials and appeals, and will reduce crime by ensuring that those who commit serious offenses are promptly captured and convicted. There is also broad consensus that all forensic laboratories should be required to meet rigorous accreditation standards and that forensic practitioners should be required to obtain meaningful certification.

Finally, there is wide acknowledgement about the need for comprehensive legislation to address all of these issues. I first introduced a version of this legislation in 2011, after an extensive process of consultation with experts and stakeholders that included three Judiciary Committee hearings, dozens of meetings with individuals and organizations, and multiple drafts and revisions of legislative proposals. We have continued to refine this bill over the past 3 years, and the legislation Senator Cornyn and I introduce today is the product of that ongoing conversation.

I have been encouraged by the efforts of the Department of Justice and National Institute of Standards and Technology, NIST, to implement administratively some of the basic structural reforms contained in our bill, pursuant to a Memorandum of Understanding that led to the formation of the National Commission on Forensic Science. However, executive action is not enough. Congress must enact comprehensive forensic science reform legislation, and I look forward to working with the Department of Justice, NIST, the National Science Foundation, and others to make sure we implement the necessary reforms as expeditiously as possible.

This is not a partisan issue. Improving the reliability of forensic evidence does not advance the interests of just prosecutors or defendants, or of Democrats or Republicans. It is in the interest of justice. Senator Cornyn recognizes this, and I am proud to have him as a cosponsor of this important legislation. We will continue to work diligently with senators on both sides of the aisle, and I hope many other senators will join us to cosponsor this legislation, and work with me to ensure its passage.

I want to thank the forensic science practitioners, experts, advocates, law enforcement personnel, judges, and so many others whose input forms the basis for this legislation. Their passion for this issue and for getting it right gives me confidence that we will work together successfully to make much needed progress in implementing comprehensive forensic reform legislation.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, the Senate has been asked to take up and pass by unanimous consent House legislation on U.S. international programming to Ukraine and neighboring regions. This House bill directs the Broadcasting Board of Governors to increase programming in the Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Ukrainian, Balkan, Russian, and Tatar language services, and authorizes up to an additional $10,000,000 in fiscal year 2014 for this purpose.

We all support Ukraine's democracy and territorial integrity, and want to provide credible news and information to people in Ukraine whose access to uncensored information has been blocked by the Russian Government. I intend to ensure that current programming for Ukraine, Russia, and neighboring regions is not reduced in fiscal year 2014. But I want to remind Senators, as well as Members of the House of Representatives, that the Congress already enacted the fiscal year 2014 funding level for U.S. international broadcasting to Ukraine and other regions of the world.

The House bill we are adopting today does not appropriate additional funds. Nor does it provide offsets for the cost of additional broadcasting to Ukraine, Russia or the other regions specified. As drafted it is an unfunded mandate, which as a practical matter has no effect unless we are to reduce broadcasting to other critical countries or regions, such as Burma and Tibet, which I doubt Senators of either party would support.

Consequently, this bill should be interpreted as authorizing funds to be appropriated for the Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty to Ukraine and neighboring countries, consistent with the role of the House authorizing committee from which it originated. As Chairman of the Department of State and Foreign Operations Subcommittee that funds international broadcasting programs, I will work with the Broadcasting Board of Governors to ensure that additional funds are appropriated for these language services in fiscal year 2015 to enable them to sustain and strengthen critical broadcasts and programming to Ukraine, Russia, and neighboring regions.

I yield back all time.

Mr. President, last week I had the privilege of chairing a field hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee in Rutland, VT. The committee received powerful testimony about community solutions to breaking the cycle of addiction to heroin and other opioids. The hearing marked the fourth time in the past 6 years that the Judiciary Committee traveled to Vermont to explore issues related to drug abuse. As in many States, opioid addiction has ripped through parts of Vermont. Overdoses have reached record levels, while communities have struggled to keep pace with the demand for treatment. Sadly, this story is not unique. We are confronting a localized problem with regional echoes and national implications. Some of what we face is similar to the addiction outbreaks in large cities, and other aspects are particular to rural areas.

What struck me in Rutland last week is how Vermonters have worked together--and are continuing to work together--to get ahead of this problem, with innovative prevention, treatment, and law enforcement strategies.

The city of Rutland has an important story to tell. Its addiction crisis has received national attention. But I brought the Judiciary Committee to Rutland not to explore the horrors the city once faced; rather, I wanted us to learn how the people of Rutland are reclaiming their community, block by block. One effort that has shown great promise is Project VISION--Viable Initiatives and Solutions through Involvement of Neighborhoods--developed by city and community leaders to address the many issues related to opioid abuse: addiction and treatment, prevention, quality of life, and crime and safety issues.

The chief of the Rutland Police Department, James Baker, testified at the hearing. Chief Baker explained that the police department for the first time is housing social workers, a domestic violence advocate, a mental health specialist, an early intervention coordinator, an assistant attorney general, a school resource officer, a crime analyst, and a building inspector. All are working in concert toward one goal: ``Not on our streets; not in our town.'' When Chief Baker asked how many in the audience were connected with Project VISION, over half of the standing-room-only audience raised their hands. Project VISION has proven adept at pursuing emerging, community-driven strategies. Just this week, community leaders and police in Rutland are considering implementing drug market intervention. This is a promising tactic designed to clear neighborhoods of nonviolent street-level dealers by bringing them in front of community leaders and giving them a stark choice: Stop selling today or go to jail tomorrow. Rutland has clearly risen to the challenge of combatting heroin and opioid abuse.

Other witnesses at the hearing described communities in action, working together to find inventive and tailored solutions. The U.S. attorney for Vermont, Tristram Coffin, who has had remarkable success leading enforcement efforts in the State, described how he has taken the message of prevention to Vermont schools, partnering with the father of a young man who tragically died of a heroin overdose. Dr. Harry Chen, the Vermont Department of Health commissioner and a career emergency room physician, described what it means to recognize addiction as a public health issue, expanding access to prevention and treatment services to all corners of the state. Mary Alice McKenzie, director of the Boys & Girls Club in Burlington, made clear how important it is to provide young people early and safe alternatives to drug use. The director of the Vermont State Police, Colonel Tom L'Esperance, described how State police will soon carry naloxone, a drug that immediately reverses the effects of a heroin overdose. Addicts in Vermont now know that police are not just there to arrest but to save lives.

It is important that the Judiciary Committee hear about a range of experiences, as opioid addiction has plagued communities large and small, rural and urban. This is why I encouraged all Vermonters to submit testimony on strategies to curb addiction, which will be incorporated into the permanent record of the U.S. Senate. The response was remarkable. We received testimony from law enforcement officers, first responders, substance abuse counselors, doctors, public health officials, mental health practitioners, professors, school counselors and teachers, concerned parents, Governor Peter Shumlin--who is sharply focusing his administration on these problems--and many, many others.

Taken together, the testimony submitted to the committee offers a blueprint for communities ready to get ahead of addiction. It is clear that success requires community investment. Only after a community identifies addiction as a problem can it commit to defeating it. This is where Vermont is ahead of the curve. We tend to come from close-knit communities in Vermont. When we hear about victims of overdoses, and concerns about a growing problem, nearly all Vermonters can name someone who is affected. I suspect that is why we have had a number of excellent initiatives already enacted--it did not take long for heroin and opioid abuse to affect all Vermonters. And it did not take long for Vermont to take steps to resolve the problem. Nowhere is this more evident than in Rutland.

It is equally clear from the submitted testimony that success requires close collaboration among prevention, treatment, and law enforcement efforts. From my years as a Vermont prosecutor, I recall how important such collaboration is, but never have I seen a law enforcement community as committed to prevention and treatment efforts as I do now. We know we cannot arrest our way out of this problem. If the underlying cause of criminal behavior is an addiction, treatment is often a more humane and cost-effective alternative to arrests and prison.

As we continue to review testimony submitted to the committee, I look forward to working with other members of the Judiciary and Appropriations Committees to ensure that these community-driven responses receive the support necessary to succeed. I will continue to work to fund youth mentoring and prevention organizations on the front lines, like the Boys & Girls Clubs, and I will continue to work to fully fund Byrne-JAG and COPS grants to enable law enforcement agencies to devote the necessary time and resources to develop durable solutions with community partners. We also need to continue to support drug court and diversion models to substitute treatment for prison when appropriate. Many programs funded through the Second Chance Act provide offenders a real opportunity to succeed once released from prison by ensuring they have the resources to become productive members of their community.

I also look forward to discussing effective law enforcement strategies and partnerships with Michele Leonhart,

Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Agency, when she comes before the Judiciary Committee next month.

We all understand that the ability of the Federal Government to provide any assistance is increasingly challenged in light of our burgeoning prison population, which is largely driven by inflexible and unfair drug mandatory minimums. Federal prison and detention costs have risen to account for nearly one-third of the budget for the Department of Justice. This unsustainable growth in our prison costs siphons resources from other crucial law enforcement priorities every year. It is vital that Congress pass our bipartisan Smarter Sentencing Act, which would make modest reductions to mandatory minimums for nonviolent drug offenses and help preserve funding for assistance to state and local law enforcement agencies and to victim services.

Addiction to heroin and other opioids is a community problem, demanding community solutions. I can report that Vermonters have stepped up to this challenge. Obstacles remain, but Vermont communities have rallied to develop lasting solutions and get ahead of addiction. After seeing this commitment firsthand, I left Rutland hopeful. And very proud.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to proceed as if in morning business.

Mr. President, in Vermont we have been fortunate that for almost two decades Judge William Sessions has served with distinction as a Federal judge for the District of Vermont. In January, Judge Sessions announced that he would take senior status later this year. In response to this news, the Vermont Bar Association, Senator Sanders, and I, each appointed three members to the Judicial Nominating Commission.

The commission, as one can imagine, received many applications for this district court vacancy. It interviewed and vetted seven finalists, and then recommended to us the two candidates who garnered unanimous support.

I spent hours interviewing them last week in Vermont, and today I am recommending that the President nominate Geoffrey Crawford, a recently- appointed justice from Vermont's highest court. I talked to him at great length last week and again at length this morning. I am very comfortable in forwarding his name to President Obama, as I now have.

Justice Crawford is an experienced and well-respected jurist. He is known for his modesty and humanity, notwithstanding his elite educational background and intellectual heft. He was a successful plaintiffs' attorney before he was appointed to the Vermont Superior Court in 2002.

Then-Judge Crawford served on the superior court in our State for more than a decade, earning a reputation for his skill in working with juries and handling a wide variety of litigation. Attorneys who have appeared before him, on either side, have found him to be an engaged and careful jurist who treats everyone in the courtroom with respect. I have talked with a number of those lawyers, and they speak of his respect and abilities.

As a lawyer, I wanted to hear this, and although I did not know Justice Crawford before interviewing him for this vacancy, the Vermont legal community repeatedly told me of his intelligence, warmth, and unwavering commitment to the highest calling of public service.

When I met Justice Crawford, I found him to be well deserving of these accolades, and I was impressed by his thoughtfulness and pragmatic approach to the law, as was the chief counsel of the Judiciary Committee, Kristine Lucius, and the state director of my Vermont offices, John Tracy.

I am confident that Justice Crawford will make an excellent Federal district court judge and I hope the President will nominate him soon for the vacancy on Vermont's Federal district court.

Tribute to General Richard Cody

Mr. President, it is my honor today to pay tribute to a fellow native of Montpelier, VT, GEN Richard Cody. General Cody is going to be honored next month--and deservedly so--by his alma mater, Montpelier High School.

Following his graduation from Montpelier High School, General Cody attended and graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. This was the launch of an outstanding U.S. Army career which took him all over our country and world and culminated in his service from 2004 to 2008 as Vice Chief of Staff of the Army. I am really proud to share a hometown with such a distinguished member of our military. I remember how proud Marcelle and I were of General Cody on the day of his retirement ceremony, with full honors, here in Washington.

The Codys and the Leahys go back decades in Montpelier and have always been friends. General Cody, his siblings, and parents have been among the business and civic leaders in that city for as long as I can remember, and they have always shown the best of true Vermont values. The General brought those values of hard work, patriotism, and especially integrity to his military career, and ended that career as the best example a soldier could have. Even the Secretary of Defense was there for the retirement ceremony to honor him.

I think of this man who would often march from his quarters in Virginia to the Pentagon carrying a military pack just to remind himself of what soldiers on the front line were doing. I have known many in the military--from privates to generals. No one has ranked higher in my esteem than General Dick Cody. He set an example for the whole country.

No salute to a member of the military would be complete without recognizing the family beside the man. Dick's wife, Vicki, and his sons Clint and Tyler, sacrificed much through his service to our country. In fact, Clint and Tyler followed in their father's footsteps, both as members of the Army, and served as helicopter pilots during several combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. I am told one flew the same helicopter his father had flown.

In closing, I would like to thank the Montpelier High School Boosters Club, and the citizens of Montpelier, for honoring General Cody. There is no more deserving alumnus, and I am proud to call him a friend.

Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, the last two days, we have spent unnecessary floor time overcoming procedural obstacles so that we can vote to confirm the five judicial nominations before us today. Every single one of the nominees that we will vote on today has bipartisan support and will be confirmed by significant margins. Judge Carolyn McHugh was nominated last May, while all four nominees to the Eastern District of Michigan were nominated last July. All of these nominees could and should have been confirmed before we adjourned last year. Instead, because Republicans refused to consent to hold these nominations in the Senate, and every single one had to be returned to the President at the end of last year. They then had to be re-nominated and re-processed through Committee this year and were all reported out with bipartisan support on January 16, 2014.

We have not had a vote on a judicial nomination this year that was not subjected to a Republican filibuster. I appreciate very much the two Republican senators, Senator Collins and Senator Murkowski, who have voted each time to end the filibuster of judicial nominees. For other Republican senators, however, I have started to notice a pattern of voting to end filibusters only if a nominee is from a state with at least one Republican home state Senator. Most recently this happened earlier this week on the cloture vote for Judge McHugh with nine Republicans voting to end the filibuster. It should not require a judicial nominee to be from a state with one or more Republican home state senators for some senators to do the right thing. Filling vacancies so that our Federal judiciary can be fully functioning should not be a partisan issue.

Today, we will finally vote to confirm the following nominees:

Judge Carolyn McHugh has been nominated to fill a vacancy in the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals. She has served since 2005 as a judge on the Utah Court of Appeals and as the Presiding Judge of that court since 2012. She previously worked in private practice at Parr Brown Gee & Loveless as an Associate, 1983-1987, and subsequently as a Shareholder, 1987-2005. She has served as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Utah Law School and at the University of Utah College of Social and Behavioral Science. Judge McHugh earned her J.D., Order of the Coif, from the University of Utah Law School in 1982. After law school, she clerked for Judge Bruce S. Jenkins of the United States District Court for the District of Utah. The ABA Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary unanimously rated Judge McHugh ``Well Qualified'' to serve on the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit, its highest rating. She has the support of her home state senators, Senator Hatch and Senator Lee.

Matthew Leitman is nominated to fill a judicial emergency vacancy in the Eastern District of Michigan. He has worked in private practice for almost 20 years, including as senior principal, 2005-present, and senior counsel, 2004, at Miller, Canfield, Paddock, and Stone, P.L.C, and as Partner, 2000-2004, and Associate, 1994-1999, at Miro, Weiner, & Kramer, P.C. He earned his J.D., magna cum laude, from Harvard Law School in 1993. Following his graduation from law school, he served as a law clerk to Justice Charles L. Levin of the Michigan Supreme Court. The ABA Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary unanimously rated Mr. Leitman ``Well Qualified'' to serve on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, its highest rating.

Judith Levy is nominated to fill a judicial emergency vacancy in the Eastern District of Michigan. She has served since 2000 as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District of Michigan, where she has served as the Chief of the Civil Rights Unit since 2010. She has also worked as an Adjunct Professor of Law at the University of Michigan Law School, 2005-present, and as a trial attorney for the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 1999-2000. She earned her J.D., cum laude, from Michigan Law School in 1996. Following her graduation from law school, she served as a law clerk to Judge Bernard Friedman of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern of District of Michigan, 1996-1999.

Judge Laurie Michelson is nominated to fill a vacancy in the Eastern District of Michigan. She has served since 2011 as a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the Eastern District of Michigan. Prior to her judicial service, she worked in private practice for 18 years at Butzel Long as an associate, 1993-2000, and subsequently as a shareholder, 2000-2011. She has also served for 3 years as an Adjunct Professor at Oakland University, 2003-2006. She earned her J.D. from Northwestern University Law School in 1992. Following her graduation from law school, she served as a law clerk to Judge Cornelia G. Kennedy of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. The ABA Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary unanimously rated Mr. Leitman ``Well Qualified'' to serve on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, its highest rating.

Judge Linda Parker is nominated to fill a vacancy in the Eastern District of Michigan. She has served since 2009 as a circuit court judge on the Third Judicial Circuit of Michigan. Prior to her judicial service, she worked as director of the Michigan Department of Civil Rights, 2003-2008, as Director of Development at the Detroit Institute of Arts, 2000-2003, as Executive Assistant United States Attorney in the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Eastern District of Michigan, 1994- 2000, in private practice at Dickinson Wright as associate attorney, 1989-1992, and partner from (1992-1994), and as a staff attorney to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, 1985-1989. She earned her J.D. from George Washington University Law School in 1983. Following graduation from law school, she served as a law clerk to Judge William S. Thompson of the District of Columbia Superior Court, 1983-1985.

All four of the district court nominees have the support of their home state senators--Senator Levin and Senator Stabenow. I hope my fellow senators will join me today to confirm these nominees so that they can begin working on behalf of the American people.

I yield back time.

Madam President, I yield back all time.

Mr. President, earlier this year, after 39 years of public service, most recently as the National Zoo's keeper for the Small Mammal House, David Kessler turned in his keys and turned toward retirement. He has dedicated two-thirds of his life to caring for the howler monkeys, lemurs, and shrews living at the zoo.

In addition to feeding the animals and cleaning out their enclosures, Kessler spent his days watching, closely observing any changes in appetite or behavior that might suggest something was amiss. He remembers the endless hours he spent with William, a gibbon, after William's traumatizing experience at the hospital that left him afraid of humans and ostracized from his parents. Kessler holds on to a photo of William sleeping on his shoulder.

At the zoo, it wasn't just about Kessler caring for the animals; it was about connecting with them. They kept him as much as he kept them. He admits he wouldn't be the same person if it weren't for the animals. Their connection has kept him in the moment and happy.

I was touched to read a moving profile of David's career and of his last day in the Small Mammal House. His love for the small mammals for which he cared is evident. Health may have rushed his retirement, but by any measure his was a career spent in service to some of the most interesting creatures visited at our Nation's zoo. I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record this touching profile from the Washington Post of a career well worth celebrating.

Mr. President, I come to the Senate floor today to talk about a treasured Vermont author, Katherine Paterson. Her award-winning prose has won alcolades near and far, but her writing has reached more than just those who have read her published words. In 2004, she started a letter exchange with an American soldier based in Afghanistan. Upon his return, she helped him launch his writing career.

Trent Reedy of the Iowa Army National Guard was enthralled with Paterson's master work, ``Bridge to Terabithia,'' while deployed to Farah, Afghanistan. Reedy's wife Amanda sent him the book, and he loved it so much that he read it in one sitting and sent a thank you note to the author.

Katherine's husband John, whom I knew as a gentle soul, sorted her mail and made sure that his wife saw the letter from Trent. A correspondence began between the two, and Trent finally revealed his intent to become a writer. Upon his return, Trent visited Katherine and John in Vermont and at Katherine's urging, and with her recommendation, studied writing at the Vermont College of Fine Arts and later wrote his first novel, ``Words in the Dust.''

As someone who considers Katherine and her late husband to be special friends, I was thrilled to read Sally Pollak's article in the Burlington Free Press, ``Soldier finds lifeline in letter exchange with Vermont author.'' In fact I was so pleased, I called Katherine the day the story was published.

In addition to being a Vermont treasure, Katherine is an acclaimed author whose stories will be read for generations. Marcelle and I have enjoyed them, our children have enjoyed them, and now our grandchildren enjoy her stories. Katherine's influence is also felt through the many writers she has mentored, including Trent Reedy.

In honor of Katherine Paterson, I ask that Sally Pollak's story from the February 23, 2014, edition of the Burlington Free Press be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, Vermont is known for its small and large businesses alike. Vermonters take pride in

buying locally, and as a result, businesses like the Vermont Coffee Company have been able to expand and become forces in their respective industries.

When Paul Ralston started the Vermont Coffee Company over 30 years ago in the small town of Middlebury, VT, he did so based on the belief that coffee creates community. Today, he continues his commitment to a high-quality farmer-friendly coffee blend by using only fair trade, certified organic coffee beans from around the world.

Paul's passion for coffee has created an opportunity for him to forge his own path to success, and he has expanded Vermont Coffee Company's distribution to retail outlets throughout the Northeast and along the Atlantic coast. His business continues to expand, and his success is just one hallmark of the respected Vermont Brand. I congratulate his success, and I ask that the text of an article appearing in the Burlington Free Press on February 20, 2014, about his success be printed in for the Record.

Mr. President, I would like to recognize the more than three decades of contributions by Bob Klein, one of the greatest conservationists in Vermont history, on the occasion of his retirement after 35 years as State Director of the Vermont Nature Conservancy.

Mr. President, while the distinguished Senator from California is on the floor, I will tell her through the Chair that I have had the privilege of serving in this body for 40 years. I have heard thousands of speeches on this floor. I cannot think of any speech by any Member of either party as important as the one the Senator from California just gave.

What she is saying is that if we are going to protect the separation of powers and the concept of congressional oversight, then she has taken the right steps to do that.

The very first vote I cast in this body was for the Church Committee, which examined the excesses of the CIA and other agencies--everything from assassinations to spying on those who were protesting the war in Vietnam. There was a famous George Tames picture, where then-chairman of the Armed Services Committee John Stennis was berating Senator Frank Church for proposing this committee. He said that he, Senator Stennis, could find out what he wanted to find out but didn't really want to know everything.

I was standing behind George Tames when he took that picture in my first caucus. There is pressure on the junior Members--and I was the most junior Member of the Senate at that time--not to vote for the Church Committee.

Senator Mike Mansfield said to me--as did Senator Fritz Mondale and others--that the Senate is bigger than any one Senator. We come and go, but the Senate lasts. If we do not stand up for the protection of the separation of powers and our ability to do oversight--especially when conduct has happened that is, in all likelihood, criminal conduct on the part of a government agency--then what do we stand for? We are supposed to be the conscience of the Nation.

The Senator from California, Mrs. Feinstein, has spoken to our conscience--to every one of the 100 Senators, men and women, of both parties. She has spoken to our conscience. Now let's stand up for this country. Let's stand up as the Senate should and as the Senator from California has.

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