[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 192 (Tuesday, December 5, 1995)]
[House]
[Pages H13958-H13961]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   ROMANO L. MAZZOLI FEDERAL BUILDING

  Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 965) to designate the Federal building located at 1600 
Martin Luther King, Jr., Place in Louisville, KY, as the ``Romano L. 
Mazzoli Federal Building.''
  The Clerk read as follows:

                                H.R. 965

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

     SECTION 1. DESIGNATION.

       The Federal building located at 600 Martin Luther King, Jr. 
     Place in Louisville, Kentucky, shall be known and designated 
     as the ``Romano L. Mazzoli Federal Building''.

                          SEC. 2. REFERENCES.

       Any reference in a law, map, regulation, document, paper, 
     or other record of the Under States to the Federal building 
     referred to in section 1 shall be deemed to be a reference to 
     the ``Romano L. Mazzoli Federal Building''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Maryland [Mr. Gilchrest] will be recognized for 20 minutes, and the 
gentleman from Ohio [Mr. Traficant] will be recognized for 20 minutes.

[[Page H 13959]]

  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Maryland [Mr. Gilchrest].
  Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 965, a bill which 
designates the Federal building located in Louisville, KY, as the 
``Romano L. Mazzoli Federal Building.'' Romano L. Mazzoli was born and 
raised in Louisville, KY. After graduating from the University of Notre 
Dame, he served in the Army for 2 years before returning to attend law 
school at the University of Louisville. Ron was admitted to the 
Kentucky bar in 1960, and began practicing law in Louisville. In 1967, 
he began his career in public service by being elected to the Kentucky 
Senate, where he served from 1968 to 1970. In 1970, he was elected to 
join the House of Representatives, and the people of Kentucky's 3d 
Congressional District returned him to Washington in 11 subsequent 
elections, where he served from 1970 to his retirement in 1994.
  Mr. Mazzoli may be best remembered for his tireless efforts on 
immigration issues. He was also an active voice on issues concerning 
campaign finance reform, smoking in public places, and cigarette 
advertising. Romano Mazzoli built a strong reputation as one of the 
most dedicated ethical and courageous Members ever to serve in 
Congress. Naming this Federal Building in his honor would be a fitting 
tribute to this distinguished former Member of Congress. I urge all 
Members to support this bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. TRAFICANT. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to 
the gentleman from Minnesota [Mr. Oberstar], the distinguished ranking 
Democrat on the committee.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Ohio [Mr. 
Traficant], our senior Democrat on the subcommittee, for bringing forth 
this legislation, and the gentleman from Maryland [Mr. Gilchrest] for 
his support of the legislation to honor Ron Mazzoli.
  Mr. Speaker, I came to know Ron Mazzoli, a very distinguished and 
special man, when I served on the staff of the Committee on Public 
Works and on the staff of my predecessor, John Blatnik, when I was 
administrative assistant and who took Mr. Mazzoli under his wing when 
Ron was first elected and counseled him in his early days serving in 
the Congress.
  I think what the gentleman from Maryland [Mr. Gilchrest] said of Ron 
Mazzoli epitomizes his service in the Congress; Honor, integrity, 
respect for the institution, a person who approached each issue on the 
basis of the merits of the case. He studied every issue that he was 
about to vote on the House floor, often agonized over votes where there 
was a conflict, at least ideologically, between a national issue and 
the views of his constituency.
  He always made sure that the vote he cast was the right vote, not 
just for his district, but also for the national interests. He left a 
great example that all of us could well follow.
  Clearly, his great legacy will be that in the field of immigration. 
The Simpson-Mazzoli Act that shapes the current body of immigration 
laws is one that scholars, attorneys, and Federal agency administrators 
will pour over for years to come. It was his great legacy, along with 
many other issues that were listed by our chairman.
  For me, this is a very personal matter. Ron was a graduate of Notre 
Dame. I am very proud of his education at Notre Dame. When my son 
graduated from high school, Notre Dame was at the top of his list of 
universities that he wanted to attend, and he was a little uncertain 
about Notre Dame and I arranged for Ron to visit with him. It was Ron's 
encouragement, painting a picture of the quality of education, but 
especially the values.
  Whether you agree with Notre Dame on football or basketball or any 
other sports activity, on the matter of values I think there can be no 
question of the standard set by Notre Dame. It was that that persuaded 
Ted, and he entered Notre Dame on a scholarship, graduated with 
distinction, is now pursuing a master's degree in theology, and with 
very fond and very warm memories of Ron Mazzoli.
  I mention that because so often I saw him take time with young people 
to talk to them about education, about career, and about values, and 
about what is important in life. That we name a Federal building in his 
honor is a tribute to his service to this country and to his care and 
concern for what this institution is all about, the people we 
represent. No one served them better than Ron Mazzoli.
  Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from 
Kentucky [Mr. Rogers], a colleague of Mr. Mazzoli.
  Mr. ROGERS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this 
time.
  Mr. Speaker, as the dean of the Kentucky delegation this year, I am 
honored today to rise and strongly support this bill and praise my most 
immediate predecessor as the dean of the delegation, our friend Ron 
Mazzoli.
  Kentucky, Mr. Speaker, has been blessed with many outstanding 
Representatives in the Congress during the 20th century. The names are 
in history. Carl Perkins, Tim Lee Carter, John Sherman Cooper, and of 
course the unparalleled Bill Natcher, to name just a few. There have 
been many others of an outstanding nature as well, but Ron Mazzoli is 
another Member who distinguished our State and certainly this body.
  First elected in 1970, Ron served nearly a quarter of a century in 
the Congress, representing Louisville and most of Jefferson County. As 
many of my colleagues know, Ron retired last year to return to 
Louisville to spend more time with his wonderful wife, Helen, and their 
children and grandchildren. He was and still remains a great man, 
admired at home and certainly here in Washington.

                              {time}  1615

  Ron, as the gentleman from Minnesota [Mr. Oberstar] has said, was a 
very conscientious and very determined legislator. He stood fast to his 
beliefs and dealt honorably with supporters and adversaries alike. If 
he made his mind up to vote a certain way on a bill, it did not matter 
who was President or who was Speaker or who was chairman of this or 
whatever, Ron Mazzoli would vote his conscience regardless of the 
consequences. That is what made him a very valued and valuable Member 
of the U.S. House of Representatives.
  Even in the heat of battle, Ron's principled manner drew nothing but 
cooperation and respect from all Members of this body.
  He pursued with intelligence and vigor the different issues of our 
Nation's immigration policies as chairman of that subcommittee on 
Judiciary. He became the foremost expert, in fact, on immigration, 
something completely unrelated to his district in Louisville, but it 
was his responsibility here in the Congress that was assigned to him, 
and he did it to the utmost ability that he had, which was great. And 
so he became the foremost expert on that very arcane subject and his 
work is reflected in the major laws that govern immigration in this 
country to this day.
  Ron was also a sentry for the disadvantaged, working on any number of 
issues for more than 20 years of service on the Committee on the 
Judiciary. First and foremost, however, he worked for the Third 
District of Kentucky, for the people who honored him with their many 
years of devoted support.
  In Ron's last speech to the Congress on November 29, 1994, he said, 
``This is the kind of day that is steeped in nostalgia, as we look 
backward, but also look forward to new lives.''
  That is Ron Mazzoli. Always remembering the good times with a warm 
heart but looking forward to new challenges and new opportunities with 
a smile.
  I am very pleased to join Ron's many friends here in this body to 
this day. I know of no Member who made more friends across that aisle 
than did Ron Mazzoli. I am very pleased to join many of them here today 
as we seek to pass this legislation to name the Federal building that 
has been designated for our friend Ron Mazzoli. It is an honor he has 
earned through his years of dedication and service for the people of 
his district, for Kentucky, and for our Nation.
  So I hope today we pass this legislation as a symbol of the respect 
that Ron Mazzoli earned along the way.

[[Page H 13960]]

  Mr. Speaker, I am here to help us pass our bill, and that bill is a 
large one indeed that we owe to Ron Mazzoli for service to his Nation.
  Mr. TRAFICANT. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to 
the gentleman from Kentucky [Mr. Ward] the outstanding individual who 
has succeeded our fine past Member Ron Mazzoli.
  Mr. WARD. I thank the gentleman from Ohio for yielding me the time.
  Mr. Speaker, I am proud to join my friends and colleagues, especially 
proud to follow my colleague, the gentleman from Kentucky [Mr. Rogers], 
in speaking on behalf of this bill today.
  I urge all of my colleagues to support this legislation which will 
serve as a lasting tribute to such a distinguished Member who served in 
this body for 24 years.
  Ron Mazzoli, as many Members who had the privilege to serve with him 
know, earned the reputation as one of the most devoted and ethical 
Members ever to serve in this House. His work on immigration issues and 
campaign finance reform will continue to serve as a lasting testament 
to his years of public service for many years to come.
  I have had the pleasure of succeeding Ron Mazzoli here and of being, 
I hope, associated with the kind of commitment that he had by virtue of 
that succession. I also served in the Kentucky legislature where 
Congressman Mazzoli served with great distinction for 4 years.
  I serve in this Congress and feel that it is a great honor to be able 
to say when I introduced myself to my new colleagues upon arrival that 
I have Ron Mazzoli's seat.
  As an unassuming man, Ron Mazzoli would never ask for this 
distinction or seek to have it bestowed upon him. But no one is more 
deserving of such an honor.
  I urge all Members to support this legislation because by doing so 
this Congress will give me the privilege of going to my district office 
by walking into the Romano L. Mazzoli Federal Building.
  Mr. TRAFICANT. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to 
the distinguished gentleman from New York [Mr. Engel]. Due to travel 
schedules, he had a little rough time getting here exactly on time. He 
is one of the sponsors of the legislation honoring and naming the 
building after Judge Thurgood Marshall and will speak out order on that 
bill as well as on this bill.
  Mr. ENGEL. I thank my friend from Ohio for yielding me the time.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to also add my voice in the designation of H.R. 
965, to designate the Federal building in Louisville, KY, as the Romano 
Mazzoli Federal Building.
  Having served with Ron Mazzoli, I can think of no greater or fitting 
honor and I am just delighted that this bill is here this afternoon. I 
know that all of our colleagues will support it, because Ron was truly 
one of the great members of Congress with which many of us served.
  I am here today also now to thank my colleagues for the passage of 
the bill which commemorates one of the most distinguished Americans of 
this century, and that is the designation of the U.S. courthouse in 
White Plains, NY, as the Thurgood Marshall U.S. Courthouse. As 
representatives of the Westchester, NY, area I am here on behalf of 
Congresswomen Nita Lowey, Sue Kelly, and Congressman Ben Gilman to urge 
the bestowal of this honor in memory of an historic and influential 
man, and the ideals for which he stood.
  Mr. Marshall, as we know, began his distinguished career in private 
practice. Specializing in civil rights cases, he represented clients 
who very often could not afford to pay for his services. As the 
national counsel of the NAACP, Mr. Marshall spent much of his time in 
the South furthering the cause of civil rights and challenging 
segregated education. In 1954, Mr. Marshall's struggle for integrated 
education culminated in his argument before the Supreme Court in the 
landmark Brown versus Board of Education case. Following this decision, 
he focused his energies on the elimination of segregation and 
discrimination in voting, housing, public accommodations, as well as 
within our defense.

  He chose to fight the battle of civil rights on a different front 
when he accepted President Kennedy's appointment to the U.S. Court of 
Appeals for the Second Circuit. He continued to break down the walls of 
segregation on the other side of the bench, accepting posts 
traditionally held by white males. As solicitor general he argued such 
cases as the Voting Rights Act of 1965, abolishing literacy 
requirements, voter qualification tests, and poll taxes.
  On June 13, 1967, Thurgood Marshall, the great grandson of an African 
man brought to this country as a slave, was appointed to the Supreme 
Court of the United States, the first African-American to hold that 
position. As a Supreme Court Justice, Mr. Marshall continued his work 
in the name of individual rights for minorities, women, and all those 
who for so long did not have a voice in our Government.
  Mr. Speaker, these are but a few of the highlights in the 
distinguished career of a man who earned the respect of his colleagues 
through his intelligence, hard work, and commitment to the civil rights 
of all Americans. Mr. Marshall said of himself that he hoped to be 
thought of as one who did the best he could with what he had. We know 
that he deserves a better and more lasting memory.
  The Westchester County Board of Legislators, the Common Council of 
the City of White Plains, the African-American Federation of 
Westchester, the White Plains-Greenburgh Federation of the NAACP, and 
the constituents of Westchester County have asked that we name the 
courthouse at 300 Quarropas Street as a lasting memorial to Mr. 
Marshall's legacy. Sixty years ago Mr. Marshall was at the forefront of 
a movement at its inception. The struggle for civil rights for 
minorities is one which we continue today. What tribute could be more 
fitting for a man who fought tirelessly for the cause of civil rights 
than to provide a tangible symbol of the principles of law and justice 
which will be defended within the walls of the courthouse.
  I again thank my colleagues for passing this bill. I thank the 
gentleman from Ohio [Mr. Traficant] for his hospitality. I urge the 
passage of this other fitting tribute to Ron Mazzoli.
  Mr. TRAFICANT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, as a sponsor of the bill, I am very proud to bring this 
legislation forth. I believe the record, as has been depicted in the 
statements made here by so many Members, justifiably brings forth the 
great contributions that Ron Mazzoli has made to the Nation and to his 
district.
  I was a very good friend of Ron's. Being that he was an old Notre 
Dame grad and I was a University of Pittsburgh grad, we had certainly 
debated a lot about Pitt-Notre Dame games. But in addition to that we 
worked very hard on some common issues.
  Maybe a little bit off the record here, I had the occasion to have a 
call from his mom, 83 years old. She was just so tickled that her son 
would be memorialized in such a fashion to have a building named after 
his distinguished record.
  I think that that phone call basically said it all. There are many 
people that take tremendous interest in what we do here. Sometimes we 
overlook the contributions that many of them made to help many of us 
get here to serve our Nation. I am sure Mrs. Mazzoli back in Kentucky 
today is very proud. I would like to thank Mrs. Mazzoli for producing 
such a fine American who served so well in the Congress of the United 
States, ladies and gentlemen. I urge all to support this bill.
  With that, Mr. Speaker, I yield the balance of my time.
  Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I, too, urge an ``aye'' vote on this bill and would like to echo the 
sentiments of my good friend, the gentleman from Ohio [Mr. Traficant], 
to restate that Mr. Mazzoli, a Member of Congress, epitomizes what all 
of us would seek to be like, an honorable man, a just man, and without 
a doubt a good friend.
  I urge support for the bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Everett). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Maryland [Mr. Gilchrest] that the House 
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 965.

[[Page H 13961]]

  The question was taken.
  Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 5, rule I, and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

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