[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 38 (Tuesday, April 12, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: April 12, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                  BYRON WHITE UNITED STATES COURTHOUSE

  Mr. TRAFICANT. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 3693) to designate the U.S. courthouse under construction in 
Denver, CO, as the ``Byron White United States Courthouse.''
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 3693

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. DESIGNATION.

       The United States courthouse being constructed through 
     renovation of the old post office building in Denver, 
     Colorado, shall be known and designated as the ``Byron White 
     United States Courthouse''.

     SEC. 2. REFERENCES.

       Any reference in a law, map, regulation, document, paper, 
     or other record of the United States to the courthouse 
     referred to in section 1 shall be deemed to be a reference to 
     the ``Byron White United States Courthouse''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Ohio [Mr. Traficant] will be recognized for 20 minutes, and the 
gentleman from Tennessee [Mr. Duncan] will be recognized for 20 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Ohio [Mr. Traficant].
  Mr. TRAFICANT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, President John F. Kennedy appointed Judge Byron R. White 
to the U.S. Supreme Court in 1962. His distinguished service on the 
Court continued over three decades, until 1993. Justice White was the 
only native son of Colorado to serve on the Supreme Court. Not only was 
he an outstanding scholar, he was also a highly skilled athlete. 
Justice White was revered for his detailed knowledge of the U.S. 
Constitution, and for his balanced approach to many of the the 
sensitive and controversial issues of the 1960's. Justice White is an 
exemplary jurist, skilled author, and outstanding lawyer, Consequently, 
it is a fitting and appropriate honor that this United States 
courthouse be named after Judge White.
  This bill has my enthusiastic support, and the bipartisan support of 
the committee. I urge adoption of H.R. 3693.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, first of all I want to thank my good friend, the 
gentleman from Ohio [Mr. Traficant] for the very kind and bipartisan 
way in which he conducts the business of this subcommittee. He 
certainly, I think, has been an outstanding chairman of this 
subcommittee, and it is a pleasure to work with him on this and on so 
much other legislation which comes before this House.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to support the naming of the Federal 
courthouse being constructed in Denver, CO in honor of Associate 
Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court the Honorable Byron White.
  Justice White, until his retirement from the Court in 1993, served 
our Nation with great distinction as a member of the U.S. Supreme 
Court.
  Prior to his nomination to the Supreme Court by President Kennedy, 
Justice White practiced law for 15 years in Denver, CO. From 1961-1962 
Mr. White was Deputy Attorney General at the U.S. Department of 
Justice.
  Justice White graduated from Yale Law School and attended Oxford 
University as a Rhodes scholar.
  Many people remember Justice White as ``Whizzer'' White as an All-
American halfback at the University of Colorado and a professional 
football player with the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Detroit Lions.
  I join the sponsor of this legislation, Congressman Schaefer, in 
urging the passage of H.R. 3693.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman 
from Colorado [Mr. Schaefer].
  Mr. SCHAEFER. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend's, the gentleman 
from Ohio [Mr. Traficant] and the gentleman from Tennessee [Mr. 
Duncan].
  Mr. Speaker, I, along my colleague from Colorado Scott McInnis, rise 
in strong support of H.R. 3693, legislation that would name the new 
Federal courthouse in Denver, CO, after Supreme Court Justice Byron 
White, who after 31 years of distinguished service, retired from the 
Court in July 1993.
  Justice White is a native Coloradan and the only citizen of our State 
to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court. As a representative of our State, 
we could of asked for no better--for, throughout his life, Byron White 
has exemplified excellence in every endeavor he has undertaken.
  He excelled in academics, attending the University of Colorado, 
obtaining a Rhodes scholarship to Oxford and attending Yale Law School. 
He also made his homestate proud by leading the University of Colorado 
football team as an All-American athlete to the Cotton Bowl. He then 
went on to play in the National Football League for the Pittsburgh 
Pirates, now the Steelers, and the Detroit Lions. He eventually was 
inducted into the National Football Foundation Hall of Fame.
  During World War II, he served his country as a naval intelligence 
officer. He earned two Bronze Stars and a Presidential Unit Citation.
  After attending Yale Law School, he started is legal career as a 
clerk for then-U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice Fred Vinson, before 
returning to practice law at a prestigious Denver firm.
  He began his involvement in politics working for John F. Kennedy's 
Presidential campaign and then served as his Deputy Attorney General. 
Kennedy nominated White to the Court in early 1962. The Senate 
Judiciary Committee questioned White for 15 minutes and confirmed by a 
voice vote later that same day, April 11, 1962.
  Throughout his service on the Court he remained true to his western 
origins and self-reliant nature. Lawyers arguing cases were often asked 
yes-or-no questions and Justice White expected yes-or-now answers. 
Through witnessing some of the most divisive and emotional cases in 
this Nation's history, Justice White remained a strong voice of reason, 
true to his vision of the Constitution.
  Mr. Speaker, Justice White has served his country well and his 
distinguished service has made his homestate proud. I ask my colleagues 
to join me today in honoring Justice White by designating the new 
Federal courthouse in Denver, CO, the ``Byron White Federal 
Courthouse.''
  Mr. MINETA. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3693 to designate 
the U.S. Courthouse under construction in Denver as the ``Byron White 
United States Courthouse.''
  Byron White was born in Fort Collins, CO, in 1917. He attended high 
school in Wellington, CO, from which he graduated valedictorian. He was 
a varsity football player and student body president at the University 
of Colorado, where he earned his bachelor's degree. In 1946, he earned 
his L.L.B. from Yale Law School.
  Byron White distinguished himself as a professional athlete, Rhodes 
Scholar, naval officer, deputy attorney general, and most notably, as a 
Justice on the U.S. Supreme Court. He will be remembered on the Court 
for his great skill in oral argument. During his tenure on the Supreme 
Court, Justice White ruled on issues such as Miranda, affirmative 
action, and school desecration.
  Because of Justice White's great service to his country, I urge 
adoption of H.R. 3693 to designate the U.S. Courthouse under 
construction in Denver as the ``Byron White United States Courthouse.''

                              {time}  1300

  Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, I have no other requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. TRAFICANT. Mr. Speaker, I want to associate myself with the 
remarks of the previous speaker and commend the gentleman from 
Tennessee [Mr. Duncan] for his work on the committee.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Mazzoli). The question in on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Ohio [Mr. Traficant] that the House 
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3693.
  The question was taken.
  Mr. TRAFICANT. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 5 of rule I and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

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