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[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 497 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

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;
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;
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
    Resolved, That the Senate--
     (a) honors the life and accomplishments of Edward Roy Becker; and
    (b) extends its condolences to the family and friends of Edward Roy 
Becker.
                                 <all>
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