[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 84 (Monday, June 10, 1996)]
[House]
[Pages H6049-H6050]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
WILLIAM J. NEALON UNITED STATES COURTHOUSE
Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 3364), to designate a United States courthouse in Scranton,
PA, as the ``William J. Nealon United States Courthouse'', as amended.
The Clerk read as follows:
H.R. 3364
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 and United States courthouse located
at 235 North Washington Avenue in Scranton, Pennsylvania,
shall be known and designated as the ``William J. Nealon
Federal Building and United States Courthouse''.
SEC. 2. REFERENCES.
Any reference in a law, map, regulation, document, paper,
or other record of the United States to the Federal building
and United States courthouse referred to in section 1 shall
be deemed to be a reference to the ``William J. Nealon
Federal Building and United States Courthouse''.
Amend the title so as to read: ``A bill to designate the
Federal building and United States courthouse located at 235
North Washington Avenue in Scranton, Pennsylvania, as the
`William J. Nealon Federal Building and United States
Courthouse'.''
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Maryland [Mr. Gilchrest] and the gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr.
Mascara] each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Maryland [Mr. Gilchrest].
Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3364, as amended, is a bill to designate the
Federal building and United States Courthouse in Scranton, PA as the
``William J. Nealon Federal Building and United States Courthouse.''
Judge Nealon is a noted jurist, who is a native of Scranton, PA. He was
born in Scranton, attended local schools, and was graduated from
Villanova and received his law degree from Catholic University.
President Kennedy appointed Judge Nealon to the Federal bench in 1962
after 2 years service on the Lackawanna County Court of Common Pleas.
He became the youngest Federal judge in the country at that time. Judge
Nealon has served as chief judge for the Middle District of
Pennsylvania from 1976 to 1989. In 1983, Judge Nealon was honored as
the outstanding Federal trial judge in the United States by the
Association of Trial Lawyers of America.
Judge Nealon currently serves as a senior judge and remains active in
civic affairs in Scranton. He and his wife are the proud parents of 10
children and 26 grandchildren.
This bill has the support of the community of Scranton, and its able
Congressman, Congressman Joe McDade, who took the time to appear before
the Subcommittee on Public Buildings and Economic Development in
support of this legislation. I support the bill and urge my colleagues
to support its passage.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. MASCARA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, Judge William J. Nealon is not only an outstanding
jurist, a committed community leader, a marine, and devoted father of
10 children but also he has made significant social contributions to
local colleges, hospitals, and youth organizations. This bill has
overwhelming support by various judicial organizations, the local
newspaper, Senator Specter and Senator Santorum, and the mayor of
Scranton.
It is most fitting and proper to honor the distinguished career of
Judge William J. Nealon by designating the Federal Building and United
States Courthouse in Scranton, PA, in his honor.
I urge support for H.R. 3364.
Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman
from Minnesota [Mr. Oberstar], the ranking member of the full
committee.
Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, again, I greatly appreciate the Chair of
our subcommittee moving this legislation to honor Judge William J.
Nealon and the gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. McDade] for sponsoring
the legislation. It has received the strong support on both sides of
the aisle in our committee because of the person who we are recognizing
in this very unique way.
Appointed to the Federal bench by President Kennedy, he was the
youngest Federal judge in the country at the time, but he comes from an
absolutely impeccable background which was very well expressed by
Chairman Gilchrest.
The bill has overwhelming bipartisan support and has widespread
endorsement of the Pennsylvania Bar Association, Northeastern
Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association, numerous civic and charitable
organizations. It is wonderful that a person could spend so much time
on the Federal bench and be so widely and warmly acclaimed.
It is a very special way in which we can pay tribute to years of
dedication to the law and to service of the public by dedicating a
building to the honor of Judge William J. Nealon.
For me, coming from northern Minnesota, where for years we shipped
iron ore and taconite to the steel mills of Pennsylvania, Scranton was
a name
[[Page H6050]]
much revered and respected and beloved. So, I take a very special
pleasure in participating in moving this legislation through
subcommittee, full committee and now through the floor linking our two
regions of the country through this very unique and distinguished
judge. I urge the passage of the legislation.
Mr. MASCARA. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I again thank the gentleman from
Pennsylvania [Mr. Mascara] and the gentleman from Minnesota [Mr.
Oberstar] for their support in this legislation, and I also thank the
gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. McDade], and I hope this honors the
people of Scranton, PA, in the most positive way.
Mr. McDADE. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3364, a
bill to name the U.S. Courthouse and Federal building in Scranton, PA,
after Senior Judge William J. Nealon.
I want to express my gratitude to Public Buildings and Economic
Development Subcommittee Chairman Wayne Gilchrest and ranking Democrat
Jim Traficant for their leadership in moving this bill through the
committee and on to the House floor.
To my colleagues who may not be familiar with Judge Nealon, I want to
say that I introduced this legislation because Judge Nealon is an
extraordinary public servant who richly deserves this fitting tribute.
Judge Nealon has served the middle district of Pennsylvania for the
past 34 years, longer than any judge in the history of the district
since its inception in 1901. He currently serves as a senior judge,
after serving as chief judge of the court from 1976 to 1989. President
Kennedy appointed Judge Nealon as the U.S. District Judge for the
middle district of Pennsylvania on December 15, 1962, making him at
that time the youngest Federal judge in the country.
Judge Nealon was honored in 1983 by the Association of Trial Lawyers
of America as the Outstanding Federal Trial Judge in the United States.
In 1979, he received the Distinguished Judicial Service Award from the
Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association and has been honored as an
outstanding trial judge by the Pennsylvania Defense Institute.
The people of northeastern Pennsylvania have been enriched by Judge
Nealon's long record of community service. He has served as a volunteer
for numerous educational, medical, youth, and human services
organizations. He and his wife, Jean, are the parents of 10 children
and 26 grandchildren.
Designation of the courthouse and Federal building, which is
currently undergoing a major expansion and renovation, is an
appropriate honor for Judge Nealon, a man who has distinguished himself
in the Federal judiciary and in his community. He is a man who truly
personifies integrity, fairness, good citizenship, and possesses an
unyielding commitment to his profession, community, and family.
I urge passage of H.R. 3364.
Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and
I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. 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. 3364, as amended.
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 of rule I and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be
postponed.
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