[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 83 (Monday, June 27, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: June 27, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                    RICHARD BOLLING FEDERAL BUILDING

  Mr. TRAFICANT. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and concur in 
the Senate amendments to the bill (H.R. 2559) to designate the Federal 
building located at 601 East 12th Street in Kansas City, MO, as the 
``Richard Bolling Federal Building.''
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Senate amendments:
       Page 2, after line 5, insert:

     SEC. 3. DESIGNATION.

       The United States Courthouse located at North and Locust 
     Streets in Kansas City, Missouri, shall be known and 
     designated as the ``Charles Evans Whittaker United States 
     Courthouse''.

     SEC. 4. 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 ``Charles Evans Whittaker United States Courthouse''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Coleman). 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, on November 15, 1993, the House passed H.R. 2559, a bill 
to honor our esteemed, distinguished colleague, Richard Bolling, by 
designating the Federal building at 601 East 12th Street in Kansas 
City, MO, as the ``Richard Bolling Federal Building.'' As we all know, 
Richard Bolling served in Congress for 34 years--34 years of notable, 
enlightened participation and leadership in public service. In addition 
to his intelligence and insights into reforming the legislative and 
budgetary operations of the House, he was instrumental in the 
successful fight for passage of the 1957 civil rights legislation. In 
addition, Congressman Bolling chaired the Rules Committee, and the 
Joint Economic Committee, and was a member of the Democratic Steering 
and Policy Committee.
  I am very proud to be associated with this bill. The Senate 
amendment, to which the committee has no objection, would designate the 
U.S. courthouse located at Ninth and Locust Streets in Kansas City, MO, 
as the ``Charles Evans Whittaker United States Courthouse.'' Judge 
Whittaker served as president of the Missouri Bar Association, and was 
a judge for the U.S. District Court for the Western District from 1954 
to 1956. In 1957, President Eisenhower nominated Judge Whittaker for 
the Supreme Court. He resigned from the Court in 1962.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, at the outset I would like to say it has been a pleasure 
to work with Chairman Traficant on the naming bills before us today.
  The gentleman from Ohio, Chairman Traficant, is a good friend and an 
outstanding chairman of our Public Building and Grounds Subcommittee.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2559, as amended, an act to 
name the Federal building in Kansas City, MO, as the ``Richard Bolling 
Federal Building, and the U.S. courthouse to be constructed in Kansas 
City, MO, as the ``Charles Evans Whittaker United States Courthouse.''
  On September 13, 1993, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 2559, 
to name the existing Federal building in honor of our distinguished 
former colleague, Mr. Bolling, who served in this body with distinction 
from 1949 until his retirement in 1982. During his service, Mr. Bolling 
was chairman of the Rules Committee, chairman of the Joint Economic 
Committee, and authored serveral books on Congress and the 
congressional process.
  On March 24, 1994, the other body passed H.R. 2559 with an amendment 
to name the U.S. Courthouse to be built in Kansas City, MO, as the 
``Charles Evans Whittaker United States Courthouse.'' Charles Evans 
Whittaker was a respected jurist who practiced law for 30 years in 
Kansas City, and in 1954 was named by President Eisenhower to the U.S. 
District Court, Western District of Missouri. In 1957, the President 
named Judge Whittaker as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, where 
he served until retiring in 1961 for health reasons. Following 
retirement, Justice Whittaker served as legal counsel to General 
Motors, and in 1965 drafted a Code of Senatorial Ethics for the U.S. 
Senate.
  I support the amendment to the original bill and I urge enactment.
  Mr. WHEAT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support H.R. 2559, a bill to 
name two Federal installations in downtown Kansas City, MO. The Federal 
building in that city will be named after my friend and mentor, an 
esteemed late Member of this House, Richard Bolling.
  Mr. Speaker, it is fitting that we should consider this legislation 
in the midst of remembrances for the 50th Anniversary of World War II. 
Dick Bolling fought in that war, and he represents the very best of 
that remarkable generation that battled economic depression, journeyed 
to foreign fields to secure the freedom of humanity, and came home to 
try and build a society based on lasting peace and prosperity, with 
equal opportunity for all.
  The ideals of democracy and freedom that Dick Bolling defended so 
fiercely in these halls he first fought for valiantly in the Pacific 
theater of World War II. He enlisted as a private, and left as a 
lieutenant-colonel with a Bronze Star for heroism. Soon after, Dick 
embarked on a congressional career that was marked by tenacity, 
compassion, hard work, and an abiding intellectual interest in the 
inner workings of the Congress.
  Dick Bolling was a force in passing the first civil rights law for 
African-Americans since Reconstruction, and his was a clear voice for 
opening the opportunities of American society to all citizens. Wherever 
there was a need for reform and fairness, Dick Bolling was there, 
lending his considerable oratorical and intellectual weight to the 
cause of progress.
  When that fight for change came to Congress, an institution Dick 
revered, he did not hesitate to press for monumental reforms in rules 
and procedures that would make the Congress more responsive to the 
needs of the people.
  Perhaps the greatest tribute to Dick Bolling, Mr. Speaker, is that 
whenever his name is mentioned in these halls, a great number of 
Members who have achieved positions of leadership and influence in 
Congress happily acknowledge his counsel and support in the early days 
of their careers.
  They remember sitting on the floor of the House, listening as Dick 
shared his vast knowledge of the rules and history of the people's 
House. They remember sage advice that changed lives and careers, and 
they remember his constant, personal example of courage, intelligence, 
and devotion to the power of principle.
  I ask this House to adopt this bill, and honor this Kansas Citian who 
served his Nation with distinction. I ask my colleagues to honor our 
old friend Dick Bolling and create a lasting tribute to his service to 
his community, State, and Nation in the form of the Richard Bolling 
Federal Building. I ask for your support for H.R. 2559.
  Mr. MINETA. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2559, a 
bill to designate the Federal building located at 601 East 12th Street 
in Kansas City, MO as the ``Richard Bolling Federal Building'' and to 
designate the U.S. courthouse located at Ninth and Locust Street also 
in Kansas City, MO as the ``Charles Evans Whittaker United States 
Courthouse.''
  At the outset, I want to pay special recognition to the distinguished 
gentleman from Missouri, Congressman Wheat for sponsoring this 
important legislation. I also want to comment Congressman Traficant, 
chairman of our Subcommittee on Public Buildings and Grounds, and 
Congressman Duncan, ranking Republican member of the subcommittee, for 
their efforts on this important bill.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2559, which would name a Federal building in Kansas 
City, MO after Richard Bolling, already passed the House on November 
15, 1993. Subsequently, it was amended by the Senate to include the 
naming of another building in Kansas City after Charles Evans 
Whittaker. The purpose of our action today is to concur in the Senate 
amendment.
  Elected to Congress in 1948, Congressman Bolling served the people of 
Kansas City, MO for 17 consecutive terms, where he used his indepth 
knowledge of House rules to help achieve passage of such landmark 
legislation as the 1964 civil rights bill.
  Moreover, as a member of the Rules Committee for 27 years and its 
chair for 4 years, Congressman Bolling championed national health 
insurance and congressional reform long before they became the 
important issues of today. The author of two books on House procedures, 
Congressman Bolling also chaired the bipartisan Congressional Reform 
Committee of 1973. In 1975, my first year in Congress, we instituted 
many of that committee's reform proposals realigning committee 
jurisdictions and designing the current budget process.
  Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned, H.R. 2559 would also designate the U.S. 
courthouse located at Ninth and Locust Street in Kansas City, MO, as 
the ``Charles Evans Whittaker United States Courthouse.''
  Supreme Court Justice Whittaker was born in 1901, on a modest farm in 
Troy, KS. He financed his education at the University of Kansas City 
Law School by selling the pelts of animals he had trapped on the Kansas 
plains, Although he had humble beginnings, Justice Whittaker, rose to a 
distinguished career as a jurist. He served as a Federal judge for the 
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri from 1954 to 
1956 and from 1956 to 1957 he served on the Eighth Circuit Court of 
Appeals. In March 1957, President Eisenhower nominated Justice 
Whittaker to the U.S. Supreme Court. He served until his retirement in 
March 1962 and was replaced by Justice Byron White. While in 
retirement, Justice Whittaker was asked by the Senate Committee on 
Standards and Conduct to help device a code of senatorial ethics.
  Mr. Speaker, based on the two outstanding contributions of these two 
individuals to their professions, Kansas City and the Nation, it is 
only fitting and proper to name the Federal buildings in Kansas City, 
MO, as the ``Richard Bolling Federal Building'' and the ``Charles Evans 
Whittaker United States Courthouse.''
  I urge concurrence in the Senate amendment and passage of this bill.
  Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. TRAFICANT. Mr. Speaker, I concur with the gentleman from 
Tennessee [Mr. Duncan].
  Mr. Speaker, I ask that we adopt the bill, and 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 concur in the Senate amendments to H.R. 2559.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof), the rules were suspended and the Senate amendments were 
concurred in.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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