Commission Members to be Nominated

President Clinton has announced he will make seven nominations to the U.S. Sentencing Commission after the July 4th recess. The Commission has been without commissioners since the end of the 105th Congress last October, when the terms of the last three members expired and the Commission chair, Judge Richard P. Conaboy, resigned October 31, 1998.

The nominees are Judge Diana E. Murphy (8th Cir.), who would serve as chair; Judge Ruben Castillo (N.D. Ill.); Judge Sterling Johnson, Jr. (E. D. NY); Judge Joseph Kendell (N.D. Tex.); Judge William K. Sessions (D. Vt.); Michael O’Neill, assistant professor of law, George Mason University School of Law; and John R. Steer, General Counsel of the Sentencing Commission. The nominees must be confirmed by the Senate.

By statute, the President appoints Commission members with the ad-vice and consent of the Senate. One member is appointed by the Senate as chair, and three members by the President as vice-chairs. At least three of the members shall be federal judges, and not more than four of the Commission members shall be members of the same political party. Of the three vice-chairs, not more than two shall be members of the same political party. A quorum of four commissioners is required to amend the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.