III 

109TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 497 

Relative to the death of Edward Roy Becker, Chief Judge of the Court 

of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 26, 2006 

Mr. SPECTER (for himself, Mr. LEAHY, and Mr. HATCH) submitted the 

following resolution; which was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Relative to the death of Edward Roy Becker, Chief Judge 

of the Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit. 

Whereas Edward Roy Becker was born on May 4, 1933, in 

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; 

Whereas Edward Roy Becker enjoyed an extraordinary career 

as a leading jurist in the United States; 

Whereas Edward Roy Becker graduated Phi Beta Kappa 

from the University of Pennsylvania in 1954 and received 

his law degree from Yale Law School in 1957 with academic distinction; 

Whereas, following his graduation from law school, Edward 

Roy Becker managed a distinguished law practice at the 

partnership of Becker, Becker, and Fryman with his father and brother-in-law; 


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•SRES 497 ATS

Whereas Edward Roy Becker was active in politics, and followed his father as a Republican committeeman; 

Whereas, at the age of 37, Edward Roy Becker was appointed to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania in 1970, was then elevated 

to the Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit in 1982, was 

Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit 

from February 1998 until May 2003, and served as a 

Senior Judge until his passing on May 19, 2006; 

Whereas, while serving as Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit, Edward Roy Becker authored 

many innovative and important opinions; 

Whereas, in 2002, Edward Roy Becker received the coveted 

Edward J. Devitt Distinguished Service to Justice Award 

after being selected as the most distinguished Article III 

Judge in the United States ‘‘whose career has been exemplary, measured by [his] significant contributions to the 

administration of justice, the advancement of the rule of 

law, and the improvement of society as a whole’’; 

Whereas, among his landmark decisions, the Supreme Court 

adopted 3 opinions rendered by Edward Roy Becker relating to cutting-edge issues, including the reliability of 

scientific evidence, the rationale of class action certification, and the standards of review relating to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act; 

Whereas the University of Chicago Law Review has consistently recognized Edward Roy Becker as among the 3 circuit judges who are most often cited by the Supreme 

Court; 

Whereas Edward Roy Becker handed down approximately 

2,000 judicial opinions; 


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•SRES 497 ATS

Whereas Edward Roy Becker devoted countless hours and a 

tremendous amount of effort for almost 3 years as an assistant to the Senate in drafting asbestos reform legislation, writing most of S. 852 (109th Congress) (commonly 

referred to as the ‘‘Fairness in Asbestos Injury Resolution Act of 2005’’), and holding over 50 meetings in 

Washington, D.C., with stakeholders and Senators; 

Whereas President George W. Bush inscribed a tribute to 

Edward Roy Becker on the face of S. 852 (109th Congress) by designating it as the ‘‘Becker Bill’’; and 

Whereas Edward Roy Becker undertook that arduous extra 

assignment in addition to his judicial duties, all while undergoing treatment for prostate cancer: Now, therefore, 

be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (a) honors the life and accomplishments of Edward 

3 Roy Becker; and 

4 (b) extends its condolences to the family and friends 

5 of Edward Roy Becker. 

Æ 


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