Political Quotes

“I want to say a few words about one of the highly qualified nominees belatedly confirmed by the Senate today. Beryl Howell has been confirmed to fill a vacancy on the District Court for the District of Columbia. Many of us on the Judiciary Committee remember her from the 10 years she served as my general counsel and as one of the most effective members of our Judiciary Committee staff. With her background as a highly decorated Federal prosecutor, she worked on issues ranging from criminal justice and national security, to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, the Anti-Cybersquatting Consumer Protection Act, and the No Electronic Theft Act. She worked on the National Information Infrastructure Protection Act and the computer fraud and abuse statute, and on important oversight matters including the Judiciary Committee's bipartisan hearings on Ruby Ridge that led to improvements at the Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI. She also played important roles in electronic freedom of information initiatives, which earned her induction into the Freedom of Information Act Hall of Fame. When I had the chance to introduce Ms. Howell to the committee at her hearing in July, I discussed her impressive background before she joined the committee staff. She grew up in a proud military family.…”