Thank you, Madam Chair [Senator Cantwell]. I greatly appreciate the opportunity to appear before this Committee during this afternoon's hearing on the nomination of Richard Clifton to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. I would like to welcome Mr. Clifton's wife, Teresa, and their family.

Madam Chair, I want to commend this Committee and the Senate for the progress made on judicial nominations during the 107th Congress. I applaud the Chairman, Senator Leahy, the members of this Committee, and the Committee staff for holding 16 hearings involving 55 judicial nominations during the past ten months, leading to the confirmation of at least 45 judicial nominations in the 107th Congress.

Madam Chair, as you know, Hawaii has waited a number of years for Senate confirmation of a Hawaii resident for a position on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. In 1995, I introduced legislation to require representation on the court from each state within the jurisdiction of the court. We have waited many years for this opportunity. I am pleased that Hawaii will finally have a Justice on the Ninth Circuit.

I first had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Clifton last year after I learned that the White House was considering him for this judicial position. Mr. Clifton has had a distinguished legal career. The Hawaii State Bar Association found him to be highly qualified for this position. A graduate of Princeton University, he received his juris doctorate from Yale Law School in 1975. Mr. Clifton has practiced law in Hawaii since 1975 and has been a partner with the law firm of Cades Schutte Fleming & Wright in Honolulu, Hawaii, since 1982. Mr. Clifton is licensed to practice before Hawaii state and federal courts, Illinois state courts, the United States Court of Appeals for the Second and Ninth Circuits, and the United States Supreme Court. Mr. Clifton has written articles published in the Yale Review of Law and Social Action and the Hawaii Bar News. He has extensive legal experience in civil litigation, primarily business and commercial litigation. I believe he will be an asset to the Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and offer my full support of his nomination.

Thank you, Madam Chair for the opportunity to introduce Mr. Clifton.