[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 128 (Tuesday, September 23, 1997)]
[House]
[Pages H7632-H7635]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     CARL B. STOKES U.S. COURTHOUSE

  Mr. KIM. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 643) to designate the United States courthouse to be constructed 
at the corner of Superior and Huron Roads, in Cleveland, OH, as the 
``Carl B. Stokes United States Courthouse''.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                                H.R. 643

       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 to be constructed at the 
     corner of Superior and Huron Roads, in Cleveland, Ohio, shall 
     be known and designated as the ``Carl B. Stokes United States 
     Courthouse''.

     SEC. 2. REFERENCES.

       Any reference in a law, map, regulation, document, paper, 
     or 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 ``Carl B. Stokes United States Courthouse''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California [Mr. Kim] and the gentleman from Ohio [Mr. Traficant] each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California [Mr. Kim].
  Mr. KIM. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, H.R. 643 designates the U.S. Courthouse in Cleveland, 
OH, as the ``Carl B. Stokes United States Courthouse.'' In 1962 Carl 
Stokes began public service upon his election to the Ohio General 
Assembly. Five years later Carl Stokes broke new ground when he won 
Cleveland's mayoral election, becoming the first African American to be 
elected mayor of a major city.
  Declining reelection in 1971, Carl Stokes entered the field of 
journalism with WNBC TV in New York City. For his work at WNBC, he 
received an Emmy Award. In 1983 Carl Stokes returned to Cleveland, 
where he won election to Cleveland's municipal court.

                              {time}  1615

  Within weeks he was elected both presiding and administrative judge. 
In 1994, President Clinton appointed him the Ambassador to the African 
Island Republic of Seychelles. In his position, he advised emerging 
African nations on the establishment of a democratic form of government 
and lobbied the administration in support of the African continent.
  Carl Stokes passed away on April 3, 1996. This is a fitting tribute 
to a man who dedicated so much of his life to the public service. I 
support the bill and urge my colleagues to join in this support.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. TRAFICANT. Madam Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may 
consume.
  Carl Stokes probably will be remembered for being the first black 
political figure to be elected in a major urban area of our country, 
that being Cleveland, OH, and all of Ohio participated in that great 
election.
  I can remember from Youngstown, OH, now my constituents, that had 
traveled to Cleveland to help elect Carl back then. I think his record 
is exemplary, and I think everybody in here also knows that he is the 
brother of Lewis Stokes, Lou Stokes, one the strongest leaders of 
Congress for many years and has set a record for the Stokes family that 
is unparalleled in our country regardless of race or religion or 
however we want to categorize it.
  So, on behalf of all from Ohio, I want to extend to the gentleman 
from Ohio [Mr. LaTourette], the sponsor of this bill, and to the Stokes 
family, and to the legacy of Carl Stokes in Cleveland and to the record 
in contributions of Lou and the entire family, I am very honored to 
have been a part of this and support the bill wholeheartedly.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. KIM. Madam Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to my colleague, the 
gentleman from Ohio [Mr. LaTourette].
  (Mr. LaTOURETTE asked and was given permission to revise and extend 
his remarks.)
  Mr. LaTOURETTE. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California 
[Mr. Kim] for yielding me the time.
  Madam Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from California [Mr. 
Kim], the chair of our subcommittee, for his assistance and also in 
getting this bill to the floor. I also want to thank the gentleman from 
Youngstown, OH [Mr. Traficant], ranking member of our subcommittee. I 
also want to extend my appreciation to the staff of the subcommittee on 
their hard work.
  Madam Speaker, this bill was passed by the House under suspension in 
the last Congress, but unfortunately the Senate adjourned before taking 
it up. I am pleased to report that, in the 105th Congress, the Senate 
has already passed this bill, sponsored by Senator DeWine of Ohio. If 
we are successful today, and given the bipartisan support this bill 
enjoys I assume we will be, we can complete this tribute.
  Madam Speaker, Carl Stokes grew up in the ghetto of Cleveland but 
never let his surroundings hold him back. In fact, he made it his 
life's devotion to make a difference in the lives of others and to help 
others aspire to the greatness lurking within them.
  In 1962, Carl Stokes became the first black Democrat to be elected to 
the Ohio House of Representatives, winning a seat in Cuyahoga County. 
At the time, the population of Cuyahoga County was only 14 percent 
black.
  In 1967, Carl Stokes came back and beat the Democratic mayor by 
20,000 votes. And in 1967, he was elected mayor of the city of 
Cleveland. And he faced in that election one of Ohio's and the 
country's most notable political families, the Tafts. That November in 
1967, Carl Stokes, who was the great-grandson of a slave, defeated Seth 
Taft, the grandson of President William Howard Taft.
  Madam Speaker, in April of 1996, cancer claimed the life of Carl 
Stokes. At his funeral, Carl Stokes was remembered with great fondness 
and admiration. Few, of course, were able to capture the essence of the 
magic of Carl Stokes more than his brother, the gentleman from Ohio 
[Mr. Stokes], our colleague for many years, who described his brother's 
life this way:

       A life that has been a series of `firsts' for African-
     Americans. A life that opened up doors and opportunities and 
     raised the aspirations of African-Americans everywhere. He 
     wrote a different American story. He wrote the poor American 
     black boy's story. He didn't rise from rags to riches. He 
     went from poverty to power. And he used that power to help 
     people.

  Cleveland, Ohio will never forget Mayor Stokes' contributions, Judge 
Stokes' contributions, and Ambassador Stokes' contributions. He served 
his city and country with dignity and purpose. And it is only fitting 
that Carl Stokes, the true visionary, one of Cleveland's most 
remarkable sons, now be honored by the naming of the Carl B. Stokes 
U.S. Courthouse.
  Mr. TRAFICANT. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to 
the distinguished gentlewoman from Texas [Ms. Jackson-Lee].
  (Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to revise 
and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I likewise am delighted for 
the kindness of the distinguished gentleman from Ohio [Mr. Traficant] 
and certainly congratulate the proponents of this legislation.
  Some would say that there is something in the water in Ohio. I would 
say there is something in the water of the Stokes home in Ohio.
  Carl Stokes was born on June 21, 1927, in Cleveland, OH, and he was 
only 2 years old when his father, Charles, a laundry worker, died. His 
widowed mother, Mrs. Louise Stokes, supported her two sons by working 
as a domestic, and for a time the family was on public assistance.
  He and his older brother Louis, who must have drank from the same 
well and the same water, a Member of this body and a great leader in 
this Congress, went ahead to augment the family income as newspaper 
carriers for the old Cleveland News and by working in neighborhood 
stores.
  What I am trying to say, Madam Speaker, is these are true American 
stories and heroes. Certainly, the honorable and the late Carl Stokes 
exhibits the ability and the fact that you can pull yourself up by your 
bootstraps and, as well, continue to fight against the oppression of 
some of those who would not lose their prejudice.

[[Page H7633]]

  They represent, the two, the brothers, and as we are celebrating and 
commemorating the Honorable Carl Stokes, the fact that you can stand 
for what you believe in. The Honorable Carl B. Stokes held the title of 
mayor and ambassador, two of the finest and most honored titles that 
anyone can hold in a lifetime. His life's work was centered around 
expanding opportunity for others that had been denied to him in his 
youth.
  What we are actually saying is he did not hold a grudge, he did not 
have a chip on his shoulder, he kept pressing forward. And even until 
the time he took ill, he was serving his country as an ambassador. Carl 
Stokes was a great communicator who shared his gift of the spoken and 
written word and thereby challenged the minds of his constituents to 
reach beyond where they were to where they could go in life. His 
dedication to others through his work as a public servant will be most 
missed by those who can appreciate his spirit of egalitarianism.
  Carl Stokes' work promoted equal political, economic, and social 
rights for all through sharing his vital perspective on the human 
condition with this world. As mayor, he challenged his city to be 
great. And as ambassador, he challenged his Nation to be even greater.
  Madam Speaker, let me say that I am delighted to join by honoring 
this very fine gentleman and providing with him a lasting legacy along 
with his works.
  Madam Speaker, I include the following statement into the Record.
   Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 643, which would designate a 
U.S. courthouse to be constructed in Cleveland, OH, as the ``Carl B. 
Stokes United States Courthouse.''
  Carl Stokes was born on June 21, 1927, in Cleveland, OH. He was only 
2 years old when his father, Charles, a laundry worker, died. His 
widowed mother, Mrs. Louise Stokes, supported her two sons by working 
as a domestic and for a time the family was on public assistance. He 
and his older brother Louis, who is a Member of this body, augmented 
the family income as newspaper carriers for the old Cleveland News, and 
by working in neighborhood stores.
  The Honorable Carl B. Stokes held the title of mayor and ambassador, 
two of the finest and most honored titles that anyone can hold in a 
lifetime. His life's work was centered around expanding opportunities 
for others that had been denied him in his youth. Carl Stokes was a 
great communicator who shared his gift of the spoken and written word, 
and thereby challenged the minds of his constituents to reach beyond 
where they were, to where they could go in life. His dedication to 
others through his work as a public servant will be most missed by 
those who can appreciate his spirit of egalitarianism. Carl Stokes' 
work promoted equal political, economic, and social rights for all 
through sharing his vital perspective on the human condition with the 
world.
  In November 1962, Carl Stokes became the first African-American 
Democrat in the history of the State of Ohio to be elected to the Ohio 
General Assembly. He was reelected in 1964 and 1966. At that time 
members of the assembly were elected countywide. Cuyahoga County's 
population was only 14 percent African-American.
  On November 13, 1967, Carl Stokes attracted international attention 
when he was sworn in as mayor of the city of Cleveland--the first 
African-American mayor of a large American city. At that time 
Cleveland's population was only 37 percent African-American.
  Public service provides a path through and around barriers in life 
which violence and harsh words can never penetrate. We know through the 
example of Cesar Chavez, John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King, and Carl 
Stokes, that violent actions are much weaker than the strength of 
powerful positive messages which have been instrumental in leading us 
all to a better understanding of each other, and the world around us. 
These heroes were each guided by a strong personal philosophy rooted in 
the belief that, indeed, one person could make a difference in this 
world.
  In August 1994, President Clinton appointed then Judge Carl Stokes to 
be his Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United 
States to the Republic of the Seychelles.
  Carl Stokes was a full participant in life who believed in making a 
difference in the lives of others, strangers and friends alike, and his 
legacy to this Nation will be the positive lives that each person he 
reached through personal example have chosen to lead.
  Dedication of the new U.S. courthouse to be constructed in Cleveland, 
OH, in recognition of the work which Carl Stokes engaged in is most 
appropriate. He devoted his life to the promotion of human welfare and 
the advancement of social reforms. The Honorable Carl Stokes lived a 
life based on his personal philosophy; that the sole moral obligation 
of humankind is the improvement of human welfare. The tireless 
humanitarian work he performed in the area of economic redevelopment 
and revitalization of the diverse Cleveland community reflects the 
character of a unique individual. His extraordinary efforts gave the 
gifts of employment, housing, and a brighter future to families 
throughout that city. His commitment to Cleveland and the Nation 
provided many with the good news that caring translated into hard work, 
determination, and perseverance leads to a better quality of life for 
everyone.
  I would like to offer my thanks to the leadership of both parties for 
allowing this measure to come before the full House for consideration. 
I urge all of my colleagues to join me in support of this important 
bill.
  Thank you.
  Mr. KIM. Madam Speaker, I do not have any more speakers, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. TRAFICANT. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
Ohio [Mr. Kucinich], a young fighter newly elected, who knows the 
Stokes family well.
  Mr. KUCINICH. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Ohio [Mr. 
Traficant] for yielding me the time.
  It is an honor to be on this floor and actually between the gentleman 
from Ohio [Mr. Traficant] on my right and the gentleman from Ohio [Mr. 
Stokes] on my left to read this tribute today in honor of Ambassador 
Carl B. Stokes, the former mayor of the city of Cleveland.
  Carl Stokes grew up in the depths of the Great Depression and scaled 
the heights of public service. He was a visionary and a great leader 
who inspired those who worked around him. The world will remember him 
as the first African-American mayor of a major American city. I will 
always remember him as a special friend, as a confidant, and as a 
mentor who helped me navigate the rough waters of Cleveland politics 
and the even rougher circumstances of being mayor of Cleveland, an 
office which Carl and I have both held.
  Carl B. Stokes was the son of a laundry worker who died when he was 2 
years old. His mother worked as a domestic. He and his brother, the 
honorable gentleman from Ohio [Mr. Stokes], worked in neighborhood 
stores and delivered newspapers to help out their family.
  Over the years, Carl Stokes excelled in many aspects of life: as a 
soldier during World War II, as a middle-weight boxing champion in 
1948, as someone who could shoot a pretty good game of pool I might 
add, as an attorney and investigator for the Ohio Department of Liquor 
Control.
  In his 1973 autobiography ``Promises of Power,'' we see a classic 
work of Cleveland political literature. The story of Carl Stokes and 
his career is a story of accomplishments. In 1962, he became the first 
black Democrat elected to the Ohio General Assembly. In 1967, he became 
the first African-American to be elected mayor of a major American 
city. He appeared on the cover of Time Magazine after that victory.
  As mayor, before environmental issues attracted wild public 
attention, he developed a program to clean up the Cuyahoga River and 
started the first clean water task force in the city's history. In 
1970, he was elected president of the National League of Cities, the 
first African-American to hold that post.
  After 4 years as mayor, he moved on to a journalist career in New 
York City, becoming the first African-American to serve as the daily 
anchorman for a television news program. I am sure those who are 
familiar with American politics at that time know that in 1968, he was 
actually being considered as a possible running mate to Hubert 
Humphrey. So we may have had the first African-American Vice President 
of the United States in Carl Stokes. He was later elected as judge of 
the Cleveland Municipal Court. In 1994, President Clinton appointed 
Carl Stokes as Ambassador to the Seychelles.
  The legacy of Carl Stokes is with us today. As the Reverend Jesse 
Jackson said about Carl Stokes, ``All that exists now in the political 
spectrum for African-Americans are seeds from trees that Carl Stokes 
planted.''
  It is a fitting tribute to the legacy of Carl Stokes that we name the 
new Federal courthouse in Cleveland as the ``Carl B. Stokes United 
States Courthouse.''

[[Page H7634]]

  I join with the gentleman from Ohio [Mr. LaTourette] and other 
Members of the Ohio delegation in asking my colleagues to support this 
tribute.
  Mr. TRAFICANT. Madam Speaker, evidently Louise Stokes was a great 
woman. And Charles Stokes, I think we all know his legacy.
  But the gentleman I am introducing now is one of the stalwarts of 
this Congress, one of the most respected men of our Congress. He stands 
up there with the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Hyde], shoulder to 
shoulder with the giants that have been here for many years. I want to 
thank him on behalf of all Ohioans for his record and his distinguished 
service.
  Madam Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Ohio [Mr. Stokes]. I think it is fitting that he should 
have an opportunity to pay tribute to his younger brother.
  Mr. STOKES. Ms. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Ohio [Mr. 
Traficant], my distinguished friend and colleague, for yielding to me 
and also want to thank the gentleman from Ohio [Mr. Traficant], the 
ranking member of the committee, for his work bringing this legislation 
to the floor and for his very kind and generous words.
  I also want to express my appreciation to the distinguished gentleman 
from California [Mr. Kim] for making this resolution possible today and 
for his action in bringing this bill to the floor. I want to say to the 
gentleman from Ohio [Mr. LaTourette], my friend and colleague, the 
sponsor of this legislation to name the new courthouse to be built in 
Cleveland, OH, the ``Carl B. Stokes Courthouse,'' how much I appreciate 
this honor to be bestowed upon my late brother.
  To all of my colleagues who have spoken so eloquently about the life 
of my brother Carl, I thank them for the eloquent statements spoken 
here on the floor today regarding the meaning of his life, his 
accomplishments, and the reasons for memorializing his name in this 
manner. They have far exceeded my ability to in any manner enhance 
their eloquent statements here on the floor.
  I would confine my remarks on this occasion to expressing the 
heartfelt appreciation of Carl's wife Raija, his daughters Cordi and 
Cynthia, his sons Carl, Jr., and Cordell, and his grandchildren, 
Jevonne, Cybil, and Cordell, Jr., for the action being taken by the 
House today.
  The naming of this courthouse, which will sit in the heart of 
downtown Cleveland, will be a lasting and fitting memorial to the man 
who became America's first black mayor of a major American city and who 
became mayor of Cleveland in 1967.
  As my colleagues have already heard, Carl and I were both born and 
raised in Cleveland. Our mother, Louise Stokes, was a woman who 
believed in the American dream. Shortly after her marriage to our 
father, he became ill and died, leaving her with two young boys. I was 
3 years old, and Carl was only a year old.
  Our mother had only an eighth grade education. So as a widow with two 
young boys and a mother to care for, she became a domestic worker. My 
mother worked in suburban homes around Cleveland, caring for children, 
cleaning homes, serving dinners, washing windows, scrubbing floors, 
doing whatever domestic work was required of her. In order to make ends 
meet, she also went on welfare. And in order to provide decent housing 
for Carl and me, she applied for and obtained a home in public housing.
  It was in this setting that she urged both of us to get an education, 
``Get something in your heads so you don't have to work with your 
hands, as I've had to work with mine.''

                              {time}  1630

  My mother's greatest dream was that someday her two boys would not 
have to scrub floors as she did. She dreamed that they would have high 
school diplomas. In her wildest dreams she did not realize that she 
would be the inspiration for one of her sons to become America's first 
black mayor, following the achievement of becoming the first black 
American to be elected to the Ohio Legislature as a Democrat.
  As my colleagues have already heard, Carl followed these achievements 
with his career as an Emmy award-winning TV anchorman and journalist, 
lawyer, and then judge of the Cleveland Municipal Court, and finally by 
appointment by President Bill Clinton as United States Ambassador to 
the Seychelles.
  The election of Carl B. Stokes as mayor of Cleveland in 1967 sparked 
and inspired black Americans all over America to aspire to the highest 
offices in the land. As mayor of Cleveland, Carl was proud of his 
accomplishments for a city which in 1967 was the eighth largest city in 
the United States. It was also not a black city. At the time of his 
election, Cleveland was only 37 percent black.
  The naming of this courthouse in honor of Carl B. Stokes will be a 
fitting and lasting tribute to a son who not only was a credit to his 
mother Louise Stokes, but was a credit to the city of Cleveland, the 
State of Ohio and to our Nation. Again, I thank the House for this 
honor which you would bestow upon my brother.
  Mr. TRAFICANT. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  (Mr. TRAFICANT asked and was given permission to revise and extend 
his remarks.)
  Mr. TRAFICANT. Madam Speaker, I, too, want to thank the gentleman 
from California [Mr. Kim] as well as the gentleman from Pennsylvania 
[Mr. Shuster], the chairman of our committee, and the gentleman from 
Minnesota [Mr. Oberstar], the ranking member. I, too, want to concur 
with all the statements made here today.
  Mr. TRAFICANT. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 643 and thank 
Mr. LaTourette for introducing a bill to honor Carl B. Stokes.
  Carl B. Stokes achieved many remarkable things in his life--he was a 
member of the Ohio General Assembly, a news anchor for WNBC-TV in New 
York City, a Judge, and a U.S. Ambassador. Perhaps his greatest 
achievement was his landmark election as the mayor of Cleveland, 
becoming the first African-American to hold great urban, political 
power.
  He is the brother of Louis Stokes, our friend and colleague. It is 
most fitting to honor Carl Stokes by designating the new U.S. 
courthouse in Cleveland in his honor.
  Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I am happy to support HR 643, a bill to name 
the new Federal Courthouse in Cleveland, Ohio in honor of the late 
Ambassador Carl B. Stokes. Carl Burton Stokes was one of our nation's 
preeminent Black leaders and this legislation is a fitting tribute in 
memory of his noteworthy accomplishments.
  Ambassador Stokes was a trailblazer. He was the first Black Democrat 
in history to be elected to the Ohio General Assembly. In 1967 he 
became the first Black American to be elected mayor of a major city. 
When the people of Cleveland, Ohio elected Carl Stokes, the grandson of 
a slave over Seth Taft, the grandson of a President, his victory was 
acclaimed around the world.
  In 1983 Carl Stokes was elected Judge of the Cleveland Municipal 
Court and his colleagues soon elected him Administrative Judge of the 
Court and later chose him to be Presiding Judge. In 1994 President 
Clinton appointed Judge Stokes Ambassador Extraordinary and 
Plenipotentiary of the United States to the Republic of Sychelles. 
Ambassador Stokes had the distinction of being among the few Americans 
to serve at the highest levels in all three branches of the 
government--legislative, executive and judicial.
  I was a dear friend and great admirer of Carl Stokes. He was a man of 
courage and dedication. His life was about overcoming obstacles and 
advancing true justice and social equality for all. Stokes was a man 
blessed with vision and courage. He lived a life of true conviction to 
the principles of social justice. His many contributions to our society 
have forever changed the course of our Nation's history. I urge my 
colleagues to support this legislation to designate the Carl Burton 
Stokes Federal Courthouse.
  Mr. BISHOP. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a great 
American and distinguished Ohioan, Carl Burton Stokes. Mr. Stokes rose 
to prominence in this country at a time when it was unheard of for an 
African-American male to serve as a big-city Mayor. In his death, Mr. 
Stokes has left a legacy of accomplishment both personally and 
professionally. He is the first African-American ever to be elected to 
all three branches of government--the legislative, the executive, and 
the judicial.
  Ambassador Stokes' career was both long and distinguished. It began 
in November, 1962 when he was elected to the Ohio General Assembly. In 
1967, Mr. Stokes attracted international attention when he was sworn in 
as Mayor of the city of Cleveland, a major American city with a 
population of 810,000. In 1983, he was elected as a Judge of Cleveland 
Municipal Court, Ohio's largest court. In 1994,

[[Page H7635]]

President Bill Clinton appointed then-Judge Stokes as his Ambassador of 
the United States to the Republic of the Seychelles. He served in this 
position until his death. I encourage all my colleagues to join with me 
in paying tribute to a leader, a visionary, a role model and above all, 
a wonderful and warm human being, Carl Burton Stokes.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the designation of the 
Carl B. Stokes United States Courthouse.
  In 1967 Carl Stokes was elected as the first Afro-American Mayor of 
Cleveland. His victory was a milestone in the Black empowerment 
movement of the late sixties and early seventies.
  Mayor Stokes was born June 21, 1927 in a Cleveland housing project. 
His upbringing is what made it possible for him to be so close to all 
his constituents. The bond he shared especially with the lower income 
families of Cleveland had motivated him to push legislative acts such 
as the awarding of federal money to urban renewal projects and programs 
that required city contractors to employ more minorities.
  Carl Stokes' career is also highlighted with his service as a 
Cleveland Municipal Judge. As a Ohio State legislator subsequent to his 
service as Mayor, he became a New York City anchorman. In 1994 he was 
appointed an Ambassador to Seychelles by President Clinton where he 
served until his death in 1996.
  The service of Ambassador Stokes is deserving of this honor and I 
strongly urge my colleagues join me in support of this bill.
  Mr. TRAFICANT. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, 
and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. KIM. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. Emerson). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from California [Mr. Kim] that the House 
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 643.
  The question was taken.
  Mr. CONDIT. Madam Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a 
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not 
present.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 5, rule I, and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.
  The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.

                          ____________________