[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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