S10914 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE October 4, 2005 perished in those deadly blasts. Indo- riod for the transaction of morning first woman to serve as president of the nesian officials are on the hunt for the business for up to 60 minutes, with the State Bar of Texas, which is the asso- masterminds of this and the October last 30 minutes now under the control ciation encompassing all members of 12, 2002, attacks. of the majority leader or his designee. the legal profession in Texas. America stands ready to assist in The Senator from Texas. As these accomplishments make whatever way we possibly can. Our f clear, she has had a long and distin- hearts go out to the families of the HARRIET MIERS guished professional career. Her dedi- people of Indonesia who, once again, cation to her clients, to her commu- have suffered at the hands of deranged Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, I rise to nity, and to the rule of law has made killers. We know all too well the pain commend the President on his selec- her a leader in my State. and anguish caused by the terrorist en- tion of Harriet Miers to be associate Her accomplishments do not end at emies. justice of the Supreme Court. I have the border of Texas. Over the last 25 Today, the Senate intends to pass a had the pleasure of knowing both Ms. years, she has worked at the highest resolution expressing our deep sym- Miers and the President for a number levels of our national Government in pathies and condolences. I will come of years, from our days in Texas in the White House, including serving as back to the Chamber later today to State Government in particular. In the President’s closest legal adviser. pass that resolution with unanimous Texas, President Bush had the reputa- Moreover, before she came to Wash- consent. We stand shoulder to shoulder tion of being a uniter. Literally, we ington, she was known and respected with the Indonesian people as they had divided government, with Demo- nationally for her legal skills and her bring justice to the killers. crats controlling the House and the advocacy for legal services being pro- We are at war with a barbarous and Senate. He worked on a daily basis vided and available to all Americans. implacable foe. The killers strike in with Lt. Gov. Bob Bullock and Speaker She was very active in the American the name of Islam, but their religion is Pete Laney, who were of the other not to be found in the pages of the Bar Association, and she is well known party. When he came to Washington, Koran. Their religion is found in their by lawyers throughout the country. We he hoped he would find a Bob Bullock corrupted and blackened hearts and in will hear increasingly more and more or a Pete Laney on the other side of their twisted and hateful minds. of them come forward to speak, with- the aisle so he could continue in that Indonesia, a Muslim country, has out regard to partisan affiliation or tradition, doing what he believed was been the target of multiple attacks. other considerations. best for the people who had sent him The killers seek power, squalid and ab- This long and distinguished career solute. Their war is on the civilized here—all the people. Unfortunately, we know that Washington’s political envi- has made Harriet well qualified to world. serve as an associate justice on the Istanbul, Turkey, 2003: 56 people ronment is way too partisan and even poisonous. U.S. Supreme Court. I am not alone. killed, more than 450 people injured. She has received praise from Senators Madrid, Spain, 2004: 190 people killed, The President has chosen wisely with this nominee. He has chosen a nominee on both sides of the aisle, including the 1,500 injured. Democratic leader, the senior Senator Beslan, Russia, September that year: who should, and I believe will, unite us. from Nevada. She has also received 344 people killed, 186 of them school- I am proud to say that Harriet Miers praise from this side of the aisle, from children. is a fellow Texan. She was born and London, UK, July 7, this summer: 52 raised in Dallas and attended Southern our majority leader, as well as the sen- people killed, 700 injured. Methodist University, where she re- ior Senator from Kentucky, our deputy The attacks continue on the Iraqi ceived her bachelor’s degree in mathe- majority leader. She is without ques- people and the people of Afghanistan. matics and her law degree. That is kind tion a consensus nominee. The United States calls on the inter- of an unusual combination for lawyers. I know that makes some people nerv- national community to renew and Most lawyers eschew mathematics, but ous in a body where we have become so strengthen our efforts to defeat the she nevertheless has a bachelor’s de- accustomed to locking horns and fight- killers by dismantling their network gree in mathematics. Following law ing over so many things, some of which and exposing the nihilism and perver- school, she clerked for a Federal judge are important. There are contests on sion of their aims. We urge the inter- and then joined one of the finest law principle, but sometimes there are national community to increase the firms in our State, where she practiced those who would pick a fight to keep global effort to advance freedom, lib- for a number of years before she came that partisanship and bitterness going. erty, and prosperity, and to root out to the attention of a Governor who The President has chosen well by the social injustice that feeds the vio- would then become our current Presi- choosing a consensus nominee. It is not lence. dent. surprising because this President has These are daunting challenges, to be As proud as I am to say that Harriet engaged in an unprecedented act of sure. But just as surely, we have no is a fellow Texan, I am even more consultation on the two nominations other choice. The gauntlet was thrown proud to say she is a friend. I have to the Supreme Court: First, now-Chief for America on September 11. The known her for about 15 years. I have Justice John Roberts and now soon-to- enemy offers death. We must offer come to know her as a fine and decent be Associate Justice Harriet Miers. hope. We must shine the light of free- human being, someone who has dedi- One thing you will not find in dom wherever they live, wherever they cated her life to serving others, from Harriet’s long and distinguished career hide, a light so dazzling that not even the clients in her law firm to the peo- is service as a judge. I want to talk their shadow remains. ple of Texas, and now to offering her- about that because some have said that I yield the floor and suggest the ab- self to serve all of us in this great that is actually a weakness. I suggest sence of a quorum. country. that it is not a bad thing, nor is it un- The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- It is especially fitting that Harriet precedented. Forty-one of the one hun- pore. The clerk will call the roll. Miers be nominated to the seat being dred and nine Justices who have served The legislative clerk proceeded to vacated by another trailblazer, Justice on the U.S. Supreme Court had no pre- call the roll. Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, I ask Sandra Day O’Connor. Justice O’Con- vious judicial experience. These 41 in- unanimous consent that the order for nor was the first woman to serve on the cluded some of our Nation’s most influ- the quorum call be rescinded. Supreme Court of the United States. ential and best-known justices—Wil- The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. But Harriet has blazed a few trails of liam Rehnquist, Lewis Powell, Byron THUNE). Without objection, it is so or- her own. She was the first woman hired White, Robert Jackson, Felix Frank- dered. by her law firm. She was the first furter, Lewis Brandeis, Joseph Story, woman to serve as the president or co- and John Marshall. Indeed, a little bit f managing partner of that firm. She was of diversity of background and experi- MORNING BUSINESS the first woman to serve as the presi- ence is important to have on the Su- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under dent of the Dallas Bar Association, and preme Court. The Supreme Court is full the previous order, there will be a pe- then she was later selected to be the of Justices who have served either as

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