[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 87 (Thursday, June 13, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6236-S6237]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. HATFIELD (for himself and Mr. WYDEN):
  S. 1875. A bill to designate the U.S. Courthouse in Medford, OR, as 
the ``James A. Redden Federal Courthouse''; to the Committee on 
Environment and Public Works.


               The James A. Redden Federal Courthouse Act

  Mr. HATFIELD. Mr. President, it is my pleasure to introduce today 
legislation to name a Federal courthouse in my State after a fine 
lawyer, judge and Oregon citizen, U.S. District Judge James Anthony 
Redden. My legislation would rename the currently unnamed Federal 
courthouse in Medford, OR, the James A. Redden Federal Courthouse.
  Over the years Judge Redden's many accomplishments have made him 
worthy of this tribute. Judge Redden practiced law in Medford, OR, from 
1956-72. While practicing law he was elected to the Oregon State House 
of Representatives, in which he served from 1963-69. During the 1967 
session he served as the minority leader of the Oregon House of 
Representatives.
  Judge Redden left private practice in 1973 to serve as the Oregon 
State treasurer. In 1977, he began serving as Oregon attorney general. 
He served as Oregon's attorney general until 1980, when President Jimmy 
Carter appointed him to the position of U.S. District Judge. He was 
also appointed to serve on the U.S. Judicial Conference Committee in 
1990 and reappointed to another 3 year term in 1993.
  Judge Redden is a charter member of the American Board of Trial 
Advocates. In 1954, he was admitted to the Massachusetts State bar 
followed by the Oregon Bar in 1955. In 1955, he was also admitted to 
the bars of the U.S. District Court of Oregon and Court of Appeals, and 
finally, in 1979, to the bar of the U.S. Supreme Court.
  The most important of Judge Redden's accomplishments is that he 
practiced law for 20 years in the Federal courthouse my legislation 
proposes to name in his honor. This courthouse is located in Judge 
Redden's beloved Jackson County. During his political life, he 
represented the people of Jackson County for 6 years, and now as a 
senior judge, he plans to try cases in Jackson County again. He has 
also taken a special interest in the ongoing renovation of the fine old 
building.
  Once again I believe that it would be a highly appropriate honor to 
name this courthouse after an individual who has done so much, and who 
has had such a successful career.
  I look forward to working with my colleagues on the Senate 
Environment and Public Works Committee to advance this important 
proposal through the Senate.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be 
printed in the Record.

[[Page S6237]]

  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                S. 1875

       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 at 310 West Sixth Street in 
     Medford, Oregon, shall be known and designated as the ``James 
     A. Redden Federal Courthouse''.

     SEC. 2. REFERENCES.

       Any reference in a law, map, regulation, document, paper, 
     other record of the United States to the United States 
     courthouse referred to in section 1 shall be deemed to be a 
     reference to the ``James A. Redden Federal Courthouse''.

  Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, it is my pleasure to cosponsor legislation 
to name a Federal courthouse in my State after a fine soldier, lawyer, 
and judge, U.S. District Judge James Anthony Redden. This legislation 
would name the Federal courthouse in Medford, OR, the ``James A. Redden 
Federal Courthouse.''
  Judge Redden has made public service the centerpiece of his life. He 
served his country in the U.S. Army from 1946 to 1948. He honed his 
legal skills practicing law from 1956 to 1972 in Medford, OR. He then 
left his private practice to serve the people of Oregon as the Oregon 
State treasurer in 1973 and as the Oregon attorney general in 1977. In 
1980, President Jimmy Carter appointed him to the position of U.S. 
District Judge.
  For 20 years, Judge Redden practiced law in the courthouse that 
Senator Hatfield and I propose to rename today. Judge Redden and 
Senator Hatfield have worked together over the years to renovate this 
courthouse, and now I, as a Member of the Senate, am pleased to join in 
the effort to rename this courthouse after Judge Redden, a great 
Oregonian and a great American.
                                 ______