[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 53 (Tuesday, April 29, 1997)]
[House]
[Pages H1957-H1958]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




RENAMING THE DUBLIN, GEORGIA FEDERAL COURTHOUSE IN HONOR OF FORMER U.S. 
                       REPRESENTATIVE ROY ROWLAND

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Rogers). Under a previous order of the 
House, the gentleman from Georgia [Mr. Norwood] is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. NORWOOD. Mr. Speaker and fellow Members of the House, we find 
ourselves today in a period of great debate as to what constitutes 
bipartisanship. I believe now that true bipartisanship is honorable 
compromise for the good of the country.

[[Page H1958]]

  If we search for real-life models of honorable compromise, we can 
find no better example than the former Democratic Member from my home 
State of Georgia that I have brought back to the floor of the people's 
House for this occasion.
  Congressman Roy Rowland of Dublin, GA, began a lifetime of public 
service long before coming to the House of Representatives. Roy Rowland 
spent his youth developing a keen sense of duty and honor as an Eagle 
Scout.
  Fresh out of high school, Roy entered the U.S. Army to fight in World 
War II as a sergeant in command of a machine-gun crew in the European 
theater. He was a member of United States Forces that liberated German 
concentration camps, where he learned firsthand the horrifying final 
results of intolerance.
  Roy left the Army at the end of the war with a Bronze Star for 
service in combat and returned to educational pursuits. He graduated 
from the Medical College of Georgia in 1952 and continued what was to 
become a lifetime of public service by providing health care to the 
people of Dublin, GA, as a family practice physician.
  Roy not only provided health care to Georgia families, he served them 
in the State legislature from 1976 until 1982. And in 1983, Roy's 
dedication to serving his country brought him to the U.S. House of 
Representatives. In his freshman year, Congressman Rowland introduced 
and succeeded in passing legislation that stopped the illegal use of 
quaaludes through fraudulent prescription sales.
  In the early 1980's, the abuse of quaaludes had reached epidemic 
proportions, and the drug was fast on its way to becoming the illegal 
drug of choice on the streets. Today that problem is history because of 
the work of Roy Rowland. Congressman Rowland's efforts were not 
Republican or Democratic in nature. They addressed a pressing concern 
for all Americans and garnered true bipartisan support.
  When debate over the AIDS crisis was still locked in a state of 
misinformation and confusion and fragmentation, Roy Rowland stepped 
forward in this House with his experience as a medical professional to 
provide the leadership this body needed to move ahead.
  Congressman Rowland introduced and passed into law legislation that 
created the National Commission on AIDS, which provided America with 
the plain scientific facts so necessary to establish sound public 
health policy to combat this killer disease.
  When the battle over health care reform was at its peak in the 103d 
Congress, Roy Rowland once again led the way in finding solutions to 
America's problems that were outside the realm of partisanship. He 
succeeded in drafting health care reform legislation through a group of 
five Republicans and five Democrats that provided coverage for 92 
percent of the American public.
  The Rowland bill did not pass during that time of heated debate and 
multiple proposals, but the blueprint that Roy left us is one that 
should be carefully examined when we face contentious issues in the 
future.
  In his 12 years of service here in the House, Roy set a standard for 
standing firm on conviction without resorting to partisan attacks. He 
fought like a tiger on the floor but never had an enemy on either side 
of the aisle. In his reelection campaigns, he was frequently personally 
attacked but never, never responded in kind.
  Today I am introducing legislation that will honor and preserve the 
legacy of service that Doctor and Congressman Roy Rowland has left for 
us to follow. This bill would redesignate the Dublin Federal Courthouse 
in Dublin, GA, as the J. Roy Rowland Federal Courthouse in order that 
the example Roy Rowland set through a lifetime of service should not be 
forgotten.
  In the spirit of true bipartisanship that our former colleague 
exemplified, I ask for support for this legislation.

                          ____________________