[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 108 (Monday, August 8, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: August 8, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
    BRUCE R. THOMPSON UNITED STATES COURTHOUSE AND FEDERAL BUILDING

  Mr. TRAFICANT. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill, H.R. 3110, to designate the United States courthouse and Federal 
building to be constructed at the southeastern corner of Liberty and 
South Virginia Streets in Reno, NV, as the ``Bruce R. Thompson United 
States Courthouse and Federal Building.''
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 3110

       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 and Federal building to be 
     constructed at the southeastern corner of Liberty and South 
     Virginia Streets in Reno, Nevada, is designated as the 
     ``Bruce R. Thompson United States Courthouse and Federal 
     Building''.

     SEC. 2. LEGAL REFERENCES.

       Any reference in any law, regulation, document, record, 
     map, or other paper of the United States to the courthouse 
     and Federal building referred to in section 1 is deemed to be 
     a reference to the ``Bruce R. Thompson United States 
     Courthouse and 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 Pennsylvania [Mr. Clinger] will be recognized for 20 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Ohio [Mr. Traficant].
  Mr. TRAFICANT. Mr. Speaker, Judge Bruce R. Thompson of Reno, NV, had 
a long and distinguished judicial career. He was appointed as U.S. 
judge for the District of Nevada by President John F. Kennedy in 1963. 
He assumed senior status in 1978. Judge Thompson was a member of the 
American Bar Association, the American Law Institute, the American 
Judicature Society, and the American College of Trial Lawyers.
  The Nevada Chapter of the Federal Bar Association, as well as the 
Washoe County Bar Association, have unanimously endorsed naming this 
courthouse in honor of Judge Thompson.
  In recognition of his rich judicial career it is fitting and proper 
to acknowledge Judge Thompson in this manner. This bill has my strong 
support and the bipartisan support of the committee.
  I urge adoption of H.R. 3110.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CLINGER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3110, a bill to designate the 
Federal building under construction in Reno, NV, as the ``Bruce R. 
Thompson U.S. Courthouse.''
  Bruce Thompson was born in Reno, NV, on July 31, 1911. He attended 
the University of Nevada, and received a law degree from Stanford Law 
School in 1936. Following admission to the Nevada bar, he entered the 
legal profession, and from 1942 to 1952 he served as assistant U.S. 
attorney for the District of Nevada.
  On August 13, 1963, President John F. Kennedy appointed Bruce 
Thompson as U.S. judge for the District of Nevada. In 1978, Judge 
Thompson took senior status.
  Naming of this building to be built has the endorsement of the Nevada 
Chapter of the Federal Bar Association and the Washoe County Bar 
Association. I urge enactment of the legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman 
from Nevada, [Mrs. Vucanovich].
  Mrs. VUCANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friends, the gentleman from 
Ohio, the gentleman from Pennsylvania, and the gentleman from Tennessee 
[Mr. Duncan]. I also want to thank Chairman Mineta and Mr. Shuster for 
ensuring this legislation's swift movement to the House floor.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3110, my legislation to name 
the new Federal courthouse in Reno, NV, after the late Judge Bruce R. 
Thompson.
  I cannot think of a more deserving Nevadan on which to bestow this 
honor. Judge Thompson was one of Nevada's most prominent, respected, 
and beloved men in the Nevada legal community and led a long and highly 
distinguished career.
  After graduating from the University of Nevada and Stanford law 
school, he practiced law with George Springmeyer and later Mead Dixon 
for 27 years until 1963. He served as Assistant U.S. attorney for the 
District of Nevada from 1942 to 1952 and as special master for the U.S. 
District Court of the District of Nevada from 1952 to 1953.
  Judge Thompson was also president of the Nevada State Bar Association 
from 1955 to 1956. Following a term as regent to the State Planning 
Board in 1959, he served as its chairman from 1960 to 1961. In 1963, he 
was appointed U.S. district judge by President John Kennedy.
  Judge Thompson was also a member of the American Bar Association, the 
American Law Institute, the American Judicature Society--of which he 
was director in 1959, the Institute of Judicial Administration, and the 
American College of Trial Lawyers. From 1975 to 1977, he was president 
of the Ninth Circuit district judges.
  His outstanding career is coupled by the immense love and respect 
Judge Thompson earned from his colleagues. In fact, numerous 
organizations representing nearly the entire legal community of Nevada 
have endorsed this legislation.
  These include, among many others, the Washoe County Bar Association, 
the State Bar of Nevada, the Nevada Trial Lawyers Association, the 
Association of Defense Council of Nevada, and the Northern Nevada Women 
Lawyers Association.
  Mr. Speaker, Bruce Thompson's distinguished service has made the 
State of Nevada proud. I ask my colleagues to join me today in honoring 
Judge Thompson by designating the new Federal courthouse in Reno, NV, 
the ``Bruce R. Thompson United States Courthouse and Federal 
Building.''

                              {time}  1250

  Mr. TRAFICANT. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished 
gentleman from Texas [Mr. Frost].
  (Mr. FROST asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)


   notification of change in deadline for submission of proposals on 
                        health care legislation

  (Mr. FROST asked and was given permission to speak out of order for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to notify members regarding a 
change in the Rules Committee's plans with respect to the health care 
reform legislation.
  In order to give legislative counsel adequate time to draft the 
various health care proposals, the committee is moving the deadline for 
submission of those proposals to the House Rules Committee to 6 p.m., 
Wednesday, August 10.
  Mr. MINETA. Mr. Speaker, at the outset, I want to commend the 
distinguished gentleman from Ohio [Mr. Traficant] as well as the 
gentleman from Tennessee [Mr. Duncan] for their efforts not only on 
this bill, but on all the public buildings and grounds bills they are 
bringing to the floor today.
  Mr. Speaker, I, too, rise in support of H.R. 3110, a bill to name a 
U.S. courthouse and Federal building after Bruce R. Thompson.
  Bruce Thompson was born in Reno, NV; graduated from the University of 
Nevada; and earned his law degree from Stanford Law School in 
California. After being admitted to the Nevada bar in 1936, Thompson 
was in private practice from 1936 until 1942.
  From 1942 until 1952, he served as assistant U.S. attorney for the 
District of Nevada. He then served as a special master for the U.S. 
District Court, District of Nevada, for the next year.
  In 1963, President Kennedy appointed Thompson as a U.S. district 
judge where he has served with distinction.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3110 is a fitting tribute to a great jurist and I 
urge support for the bill.
  Mr. CLINGER. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. TRAFICANT. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time. I 
yield back the balance of my time, and I urge an aye vote.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Montgomery). 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. 3110.
  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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