[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 128 (Tuesday, September 23, 1997)]
[House]
[Pages H7636-H7639]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                ROBERT J. DOLE UNITED STATES COURTHOUSE

  Mr. KIM. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the Senate 
bill (S. 1000) to designate the U.S. courthouse at 500 State Avenue in 
Kansas City, KS, as the ``Robert J. Dole United States Courthouse''.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                                S. 1000

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

     SECTION 1. DESIGNATION OF ROBERT J. DOLE UNITED STATES 
                   COURTHOUSE.

       The United States courthouse at 500 State Avenue in Kansas 
     City, Kansas, shall be known and designated as the ``Robert 
     J. Dole 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 ``Robert J. Dole 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. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, S. 1000 designates the U.S. courthouse in Kansas City, 
KS, as the Robert J. Dole United States Courthouse.
  Senator Dole has served and continues to serve his country in many 
ways. He is an honorable leader and a respected statesman who will long 
be considered one of the most powerful Senators and brilliant 
legislators of our times.
  He was raised in the small town of Russell, KS, and though he gained 
national prominence, he remained a faithful advocate for the State of 
Kansas. Senator Dole attended the University of Kansas and Washburn 
University, but left to join the U.S. Army in World War II. During his 
tour of duty, he was severely wounded, permanently hindering his right 
arm. Upon leaving the military, he returned to school and earned his 
college and law degrees, graduating magna cum laude.
  In 1950, Senator Dole began his political career by his election to 
the Kansas State legislature. Following his term in the State house, he 
became the prosecuting attorney of Russell County from 1953 until he 
successfully bid for a seat in the United States House of 
Representatives in 1960. In 1968 Senator Dole successfully won a term 
in the U.S. Senate. Early in his tenure, he was recognized for his 
organizational skills by being selected as national chairman of the 
Republican Party. Senator Dole became the majority leader of the Senate 
in 1985, and served as majority and minority leader in the Senate from 
that time until his resignation in April 1996. Senator Dole holds a 
place of distinction as the longest serving Republican majority leader.

[[Page H7637]]

 He earned national acclaim for his leadership on behalf of the 
disadvantaged, Americans with disabilities, tax reform and military 
veterans, and for his mastery of foreign affairs.
  Senator Dole now presides as the chairman of the Commission on the 
World War II Memorial, and is leading the effort to raise $100 million 
to construct the memorial on the mall.
  The naming of this U.S. courthouse is a fitting tribute to Senator 
Dole. He played an instrumental role in maintaining its location in 
downtown Kansas City.
  I am honored to bring this measure to the floor. It is a fine tribute 
to a distinguished public servant who has given so much of his life in 
service to his country. I support the measure, and urge my colleagues 
to join me in this effort.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. TRAFICANT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I join the gentleman from California [Mr. Kim], the 
chairman, and all of those speaking on behalf of the truly 
distinguished service record of a former Senator, and although Senator 
Dole's duties required him to have a national focus, he never forgot 
the people of his hometown and never forgot the people of his home 
State of Kansas. He continually worked on their behalf, he listened to 
their concerns on issues such as farm prices, safe roads, economic 
development, schools, and the safety of their children. I think that is 
what distinguished his career. He never lost sight of where he had come 
from and who he was. As all have stated, his career is filled with 
these lasting contributions and certainly great success. It is fitting 
to honor Senator Dole by designating the U.S. courthouse in Kansas as 
the Robert J. Dole United States Courthouse. I am honored to be a 
participant in that.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. KIM. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Kansas 
[Mr. Snowbarger].
  Mr. SNOWBARGER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me 
this time.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the gentleman from California [Mr. 
Kim], the subcommittee chairman, and the gentleman from Ohio [Mr. 
Traficant], the ranking member, for their effort in bringing this bill 
to the floor. Additionally I would like to recognize the work and 
solidarity of the congressional delegation from Kansas. The gentleman 
from Kansas [Mr. Tiahrt], the gentleman from Kansas [Mr. Moran], and 
the gentleman from Kansas [Mr. Ryun] are cosponsors of H.R. 2177, which 
is the companion bill to S. 1000.
  Mr. Speaker, it is truly an honor for me to stand before this body 
today and pay tribute to a great Kansan, a dedicated patriot, and one 
of our Nation's most honorable statesmen, a man who has committed his 
life to this country.
  As we all know by now, Bob Dole was born in the small town of 
Russell, KS. It was there that he learned from example the importance 
of hard work and the value of integrity. These lessons were sacred, 
they have never been neglected, and they remain uncompromised.
  When World War II broke out, Bob Dole enlisted in the Army and put 
his life on the line to fight for his country. He led a platoon of the 
legendary 10th Mountain Division in Italy, and was severely wounded by 
shrapnel from enemy fire. His injuries were so severe that several 
times during his 4-year struggle to recover, his family was told he 
might not live. His ability to overcome the injuries sustained on the 
battlefield is testimony to his heroic will and the power of 
perseverance.
  Bob Dole came home and served the town of Russell and our State of 
Kansas as an elected representative in the statehouse. In 1960 he was 
elected to the U.S. Congress and served honorably in this body until 
1968 when then Congressman Dole became Senator Dole. In his 36 years of 
public service in Washington, Bob Dole commanded the highest respect of 
his colleagues. He earned the appreciation of his country by forging 
common ground on which progress could be made. President Clinton 
honored him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his significant 
contributions to this Nation.

                              {time}  1645

  Bob Dole has dedicated himself to moving this country forward. In 
every undertaking Senator Dole exhibited passion that shaped leaders 
and inspired others to follow and, more importantly, to trust. This 
trust is the greatest compliment that we pay to an individual, and it 
is the trademark of Bob Dole's public life. Bob Dole showed us what it 
means to lead by integrity built on principle. In the sound bite pace 
of this modern era we seem to have lost our understanding of this 
important concept. We are most fortunate to have such visible reference 
to guide us in our public and personal lives.
  Senator Dole's life has clearly proven the advantages of conducting 
oneself by this maxim. The true power of his example resides in his 
ability to serve as a model for all of us to emulate.
  Despite his ascension to the Senate as Senate majority leader, Bob 
Dole never forgot Kansas. Despite ascension to Senate majority leader, 
he never forgot the values that he learned as a child in rural America, 
and we will never forget his love and devotion to his country and home. 
Kansas is honored to have Bob Dole as her son. The dedication of the 
U.S. courthouse in the Third Congressional District of Kansas as the 
Robert J. Dole United States Courthouse is a small way to honor Senator 
Dole for his years of sacrifice and unwavering commitment to our State. 
I urge my colleagues to support this legislation and join Kansans and 
Americans in thanking Senator Dole for his service and example.
  Mr. KIM. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Kansas 
[Mr. Tiahrt], my colleague.
  (Mr. TIAHRT asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. TIAHRT. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from 
California for yielding me 2 minutes, and I also want to thank the 
committee chairman for bringing this bill forward, and I also want to 
thank the gentleman from Ohio [Mr. Traficant], who appreciates Senator 
Dole's work to reform the IRS, and I want to congratulate the gentleman 
from Kansas [Mr. Snowbarger] for his hard work getting this bill moved 
forward in the House.
  As my colleagues know, I do not have enough time to really tell about 
all the feelings and thoughts I have about Senator Dole, but I do want 
to tell my colleagues that I think he is an American hero, that he is 
still today living the American dream. He is a personal friend, and I 
still seek his sage counsel. In 1992 when I was first involved in the 
political process, he helped because he thought Kansas needed a farm 
team of young individuals who would be willing to serve their country, 
and I was part of his effort. In Kansas he spoke of smaller government, 
of States rights, of individual responsibility. It was the message of 
Bob Dole and the message of Kansas that still rings true today. I was 
proud to support him during his presidential campaign, and like the 
gentleman he is, he graciously stepped back from public life into the 
private, but I want to tell my colleagues that in Kansas he will always 
be No. 1 in our hearts.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support the naming of the new Federal 
courthouse in Kansas City, KS, for a man who has lived his life 
dedicated to the people of his State and the ideals of his Nation.
  Bob Dole's commitment and service to America began in WWII, and 
nearly ended there. On a mountain in Italy named simply Hill 913, Lt. 
Bob Dole was leading the 2d platoon with the Army's 85th Mountain 
Regiment when he nearly lost his life. He endured terrible wounds that 
would last a lifetime.
  He returned from this experience to the comfort and support of his 
home in Russell, KS, where he had grown up the hard-working son of a 
cream and egg station operator. Back home, he began his recovery and 
continued his career of serving his neighbors and country.
  Bob Dole was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1960, 
and elected to the Senate in 1968, where he served as the Republican 
leader for a record 11 years. He ran for Vice President with President 
Gerald Ford in 1976 and ran for the Republican Presidential nomination 
in 1980 and 1988, and was the Republican nominee for President in 1996.
  And he never ceased working for the Kansans he represented for so 
long.
  In the 1980's he worked extensively helping farmers get through the 
financial crisis they

[[Page H7638]]

were facing--many family farms across our State and our Nation still 
work their own lands due to Bob Dole's leadership.
  Senator Dole also took the lead in the effort to rebuild McConnell 
Air Force Base in Wichita, KS, after a devastating tornado hit.
  In addition, he was deeply involved as an advocate for Kansas in 
every farm bill, tax bill, or any other issue which affected Kansas.
  During the latter part of his career Bob Dole became one of the 
preeminent legislators and statesmen of our day. He has been a major 
player in just about every substantial policy debate of the last three 
decades--budget deals, tax packages, health reform, saving Social 
Security, farm bills, advocating for the disabled--Bob Dole's deft 
legislative ability and talent were imparted on hundreds of issues and 
countless pieces of legislation.
  Norman Ornstein of the American Enterprise Institute has called 
Senator Dole one of the five most significant Senators of the last half 
of the 20th century.
  Upon his farewell from the Senate to pursue the Presidency, his 
former colleagues used the words honor and integrity probably more than 
any others to pay tribute to Bob Dole. These two simple terms seem to 
best describe a truly great man.
  It is with great pleasure that I come to the floor today to support 
the naming of the Bob Dole Federal courthouse in Kansas City, KS.
  Mr. TRAFICANT. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to 
the gentleman from Ohio [Mr. Regula], my neighbor from Canton, one of 
our distinguished cardinals not only for his tremendous support of the 
naming of the courthouse for Bob Dole but also the fact that he was a 
very good friend of Carl Stokes.
  Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding time to 
me.
  Mr. Speaker, I just wanted to say as to Senator Dole that my 
observation of his service as a legislator was that of a caring person. 
I noticed that in his speeches, in his legislative programs, that he 
had a great empathy for the people of this Nation, and would reach out 
to them. I think it reflected his background, coming from Kansas and 
coming from a family and community situation where people worked hard 
and lived our cherished American values. Senator Dole showed these in 
the way that he dealt with legislative issues, that he cared about 
people.
  As far as Carl Stokes, my first term as a member of the Ohio 
Legislature I had the good fortune to be placed on the Judiciary 
Committee, and one of my colleagues was Carl Stokes. I came from a 
rural area, he came from Cleveland, and yet we discovered we had 
sympatico and we had the same concerns for people. Carl was a great 
warm human being, and that was reflected in his approach to legislative 
issues. He was helpful to me as a new member of the Committee on the 
Judiciary, and we became good friends. I was there when he was 
inaugurated as the mayor of Cleveland. Our friendship continued over 
the years. He visited with his family at our home. We live on a farm 
about 60 miles south of Cleveland, and I will never forget Carl saying, 
``Well, one thing I would like to do is to have a farm.'' He just had a 
real yen for living in the rural area, and I was somewhat surprised 
given the fact that he was a product of the big city, but that is 
something that really appealed to him.
  The other thing is that in one of--I guess it tells us a lot about 
Carl that in one of the political races in which I was involved, Carl 
went out of his way to endorse me before a group in my district for a 
Senate race. Given our political differences, that came as a little bit 
of a shock to quite a few people, but that is because Carl made his 
decisions based on personal relationships, and we had the same approach 
on a lot of issues. He therefore felt that the would like to support me 
even though we were of different parties. And I think again that tells 
us a lot about Carl Stokes. The important thing with him is what people 
were, what they stood for and how we could best serve them, and he was 
willing to support people who approached things in the same way even 
though of different political parties.
  I am pleased that we are naming the courthouse in Cleveland. I am 
confident that knowing Carl, he would be very pleased and proud to have 
this type of recognition. The same would be true with Senator Dole. I 
was proud to work on his campaign for President. I think he is a great 
American in the finest sense of the words.
  Mr. TRAFICANT. Mr. Speaker, S. 1000 is a bill to designate the U.S. 
courthouse at 500 State Ave. in Kansas City in honor of Senator Robert 
Dole.
  Senator Dole represented the people of Kansas with honor and 
distinction for over 40 years. His biography is several pages long and 
includes numerous activities and civic positions such as being a member 
of the American Bar Association, the Veterans of Foreign War, National 
Society of Autistic Children, National Association of Retarded 
Children, and the American Heart Association.
  Although Senator Dole's senatorial duties required him to have a 
national focus he never forgot the people of Kansas. He continually 
worked on their behalf listening to their concerns on such issues as 
farm prices, safe roads, and economic development. His career is filled 
with lasting contributions and success. It is fitting to honor Senator 
Dole by designating the U.S. courthouse in Kansas as the ``Robert J. 
Dole United States Courthouse.''
  Mr. RYUN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today not only in support of S. 1000, 
but also in support of one of my State's greatest citizens, Senator Bob 
Dole.
  Bob Dole faithfully served the people of Kansas for 46 years, 
starting in the State House, continuing through his leadership in 
Congress, and ending with a run for the Presidency. Even before this 
service though, Bob Dole answered his country's call. He bravely served 
in the Army during World War II where he was gravely injured. By the 
grace of God and a strong will, Bob Dole overcame adversity to continue 
his fight for America.
  This designation--the Robert J. Dole Courthouse--is but a small 
symbol of our Nation's appreciation for his years of selfless sacrifice 
and his fight for our freedom.
  I have admired this great man since I was a boy running through the 
Kansas countryside. That was back when Bob Dole was helping run the 
country as a Member of this great legislative body.
  Now, as a freshman Representative from Kansas' Second District, I am 
grateful for Bob Dole's legacy.
  Senator, a grateful Nation honors you today for a lifetime of 
dedicated service to your country.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in support of the bill 
passed by the Senate honoring Robert J. Dole. Mr. Dole is a man of 
character and of dedication to the people of Kansas and the United 
States. The designation of the Robert J. Dole U.S. Courthouse in Kansas 
City, KS, is an honor that is duly earned.
  Senator Dole served the United States for more than 50 years. It was 
in the Army during World War II that Bob Dole devoted his life to 
national service. His ability to overcome the injuries he sustained in 
combat demonstrates an enormous capacity to overcome adversity through 
trying and difficult times.
  After serving the State of Kansas as an attorney and a State 
representative, Bob Dole spent four terms in the U.S. House of 
Representatives diligently working for his district's constituents. It 
was from the House that he moved to the Senate where his legacy would 
be built.
  The election of Robert Dole to the Senate in 1968 was the beginning 
of an illustrious career in the national spotlight. During his terms, 
Senator Dole served as the Republican National Party chairman and twice 
as Senate majority leader. Most of the country came to know Bob Dole in 
his national campaigns for the Presidency and Vice Presidency. In his 
bids for these offices Mr. Dole demonstrated a skilled ability for 
reaching out to Americans and in supporting legislation he believed to 
be in their best interests.
  It was an honor and a pleasure to have served with Senator Dole here 
on Capitol Hill. He is a friend and someone with whom I worked with 
many times on issues of importance to the people we represented. Our 
efforts together on POW/MIA issues, the Americans with Disabilities 
Act, senior food programs, and our campaigns against domestic violence 
were among some of the more significant projects on which Senator Dole 
displayed great interest, devotion, and expertise. It was a pleasure 
for me to work with him on these issues.
  Though retired now from elected office, Bob Dole still works on 
behalf of issues that he deems important to our national well being. 
His tireless efforts are admirable and deserve our adulation. I urge my 
colleagues to join with the Senate in passing this bill honoring a 
great American.
  Mr. TRAFICANT. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and 
I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. KIM. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from California [Mr. Kim] that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the Senate bill, S. 1000.
  The question was taken.
  Mr. CONDIT. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a 
quorum

[[Page H7639]]

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.

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