Robert Smith: “colleagues, I rise today in support of the nomination of Judge Ann Aiken to the Federal district bench in Oregon. Before…”

“colleagues, I rise today in support of the nomination of Judge Ann Aiken to the Federal district bench in Oregon. Before I comment on her nomination, though, I would like to thank and compliment my friend, the distinguished chairman of the Judiciary Committee, Senator Hatch. I have gone to him repeatedly about the three vacancies in the State of Oregon and the challenges they create in our judicial process. Since my time here, against some opposition, Senator Hatch has in every instance acted responsibly, and helped me to move the Oregon nominees along so we can fill these vacancies and get rid of a considerable backlog that we have in our State. I would also like to thank the majority leader for scheduling a vote today so we can vote up or down on this and other nominations. And I would like to thank my colleague, Ron Wyden, who, before my admission to this body, was laboring here on behalf of Judge Aiken. To my colleagues on the Republican side, those who may have a question about the qualifications or the decisions or the political leanings of Judge Aiken, I would like to point out to you the impressive list of letters and phone calls I have received from both Democrats and Republicans on her behalf.”