[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 65 (Monday, May 23, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: May 23, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                     BRIEN McMAHON FEDERAL BUILDING

  Mr. TRAFICANT. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 3724) to designate the United States courthouse located in 
Bridgeport, CT, as the ``Brien McMahon Federal Building.''
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 3724

       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 located at 915 Lafayette Boulevard in 
Bridgeport, Connecticut, shall be known and designated as the ``Brien 
McMahon Federal Building''.

     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 ``Brien McMahon Federal Building''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Ohio [Mr. Traficant] will be recognized for 20 minutes, and the 
gentleman from Wisconsin [Mr. Petri] will be recognized for 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Ohio [Mr. Traficent].
  Mr. TRAFICANT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, the committee is pleased to support Mrs. Kennelly in 
honoring former Senator Brien McMahon for his extensive career in 
public service. As a lawyer, city court judge, assistant U.S. attorney, 
and U.S. Senator, Brien McMahon distinguished himself by diligence, 
perseverance, honesty, and intelligence.
  Senator McMahon was instrumental in developing and controlling atomic 
energy, and served as the first chairman of the Joint Committee on 
Atomic Energy.
  Although former Senator McMahon died at the young age of 48, he made 
significant contributions to this State and his country. I urge my 
colleagues to join me in support of H.R. 3724.
  I urge adoption of H.R. 3724.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to support H.R. 3724, which designates the 
U.S. courthouse and Federal building located in Bridgeport, CT, as the 
``Brien McMahon Federal Building.''
  Senator McMahon was a Member of the U.S. Senate from 1944 until his 
untimely death in 1952 at the age of 48.
  Among his numerous accomplishments as a Member of the Senate was his 
contribution to our Nation in the field of atomic energy. As chairman 
of the Joint Committee on Atomic Energy, Senator McMahon played a key 
role in authoring legislation supporting our Nation's atomic weapons 
program. We owe a great debt of gratitude to Senator McMahon whose work 
helped to ensure that the United States had an effective deterrent to 
an attack on this Nation as the age of atomic weapons began.
  Prior to becoming a member of the U.S. Senate, Brien McMahon served, 
with great distinction, as an Assistant Attorney General under 
President Roosevelt in charge of the criminal division.
  The U.S. courthouse in Bridgeport, CT, was a place where Brien 
McMahon tried many cases. I can think of no better way to recognize 
someone who has served his country with honor and patriotism than 
responding to the request of his fellow citizens to name the U.S. 
courthouse and the Federal Building in Bridgeport for Senator McMahon.
  I am proud to join the sponsor of this legislation, Congresswoman 
Barbara Kennelly, in urging the House to support H.R. 3724.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. TRAFICANT. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to 
the gentlewoman from Connecticut [Mrs. Kennelly], a leader in the 
Congress, a member of the Committee on Ways and Means, and a sponsor of 
the bill.
  (Mrs. KENNELLY asked and was given permission to revise and extend 
her remarks.)
  Mrs. KENNELLY. Mr. Speaker, I am happy to be here today as the 
sponsor of H.R. 3724, legislation which would name the Federal 
courthouse in Bridgeport, CT, after a distinguished former Member of 
the U.S. Senate, Senator Brien McMahon. A native of Norwalk, CT, 
Senator McMahon was first elected in 1944 and was reelected in 1950. 
His Senate career was tragically cut short by his untimely passing on 
July 28, 1952, at the age of 48.
  A Senator for only 8 years, Senator McMahon nonetheless left his mark 
on our country. Perhaps no area is so identified with him as atomic 
energy. Brien McMahon was responsible for the McMahon Act, also known 
as the Atomic Energy Act of 1946. In 1948, he became chairman of the 
Joint Committee on Atomic Energy, where he worked diligently to support 
the weapons program that would become the free world's security blanket 
for the next four decades.
  But Brien McMahon's contributions extended far beyond atomic energy. 
He was the first Member of Congress to venture behind the Iron Curtain, 
where he negotiated an aid program with Marshall Tito, who had just 
broken with Stalin.
  Senator McMahon was also a man of principle. He was one of the first 
Senators to challenge the activities of the late Senator Joseph 
McCarthy. Senator McCarthy even went to Connecticut to campaign against 
Senator McMahon.
  It is particularly appropriate to name a courthouse for Senator 
McMahon. Before being elected to the Senate, he had a distinguished 
legal career. A graduate of Yale Law School, he practiced law in 
Norwalk, CT, where he became a city court judge in 1933. Later that 
same year, he was appointed special assistant to U.S. Attorney General 
Cummings. In 1935, Senator McMahon was appointed Assistant Attorney 
General in charge of the Criminal Division of the Department of 
Justice, where he served for 4 years. For all these reasons, it would 
be fitting to honor Senator Brien McMahon by naming this Federal 
courthouse in his memory.
  Mr. MINETA. Mr. Speaker, I also rise in support of H.R. 3724, a bill 
to designate the U.S. courthouse in Bridgeport, CT, as the ``Brien 
McMahon Federal Building.''
  Senator Brien McMahon was born on October 6, 1903, in Norwalk, CT. He 
attended Norwalk public schools and graduated from Fordham University 
in 1924. In 1927, he graduated from Yale Law School and he was admitted 
to the Connecticut bar that same year.
  In 1933, Senator McMahon briefly served as city judge in Norwalk, but 
resigned to become special assistant to the Attorney General of the 
United States; a position he held until 1935. At that time, President 
Roosevelt appointed him Assistant Attorney General, heading the 
Criminal Division of the Department of Justice from 1935-1939. At 31 
years old, he was the youngest person to ever hold that position. As 
Assistant Attorney General, he argued and won twenty-one cases before 
the U.S. Supreme Court.
  Senator Brien McMahon was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1944, 
representing the State of Connecticut. He served on the Committee on 
Foreign Relations, the Democratic Policy Committee and the Interstate 
and Foreign Commerce Committee and served as the first Chairman of the 
Joint Committee on Atomic Energy.
  During his tenure in the U.S. Senate, he authored the Atomic Energy 
Act of 1946. When President Truman was considering building the 
hydrogen bomb, Senator McMahon urged him to build every weapon 
necessary for the Nation's defense, but with the intention of halting 
the atomic armaments race, thereby making the use of such weapons 
unnecessary. He was the first Senator to suggest taking bold and new 
approaches for dealing with the former Soviet Union and neutralizing 
atomic weapons. Senator McMahon was dedicated to enhancing the ideals 
of international cooperation and diminishing the tendencies of 
international rivalries during the cold war.
  Brien McMahon died of lung cancer July 28, 1952, at the age of 48. 
Earlier in the year he had been mentioned for the nomination for 
President at the Democratic National Convention. However, he ordered 
that his name be withheld and supported Truman. He is remembered as a 
respected leader in the world peace movement. It is fitting and 
appropriate to designate the U.S. courthouse located in Bridgeport, CT, 
as the Brien McMahon Federal Building.
  I urge an ``aye'' vote.
  Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. TRAFICANT. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentlewoman from 
Connecticut [Mrs. Kennelly]. I want to thank the gentleman from 
Tennessee [Mr. Duncan] and the gentleman from Wisconsin [Mr. Petri] and 
all of the staff of the Subcommittee on Public Buildings and Grounds 
from the minority side and from the Democrat side for this piece of 
legislation and the other two pieces brought here earlier.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of H.R. 3724.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Ohio [Mr. Traficant] that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 3724.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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