[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 132 (Monday, September 29, 1997)]
[House]
[Pages H8095-H8096]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
WILLIAM AUGUSTUS BOOTLE FEDERAL BUILDING AND UNITED STATES COURTHOUSE
Mr. KIM. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill
(H.R. 595) to designate the Federal building and U.S. courthouse
located at 475 Mulberry Street in Macon, GA, as the ``William Augustus
Bootle Federal Building and United States Courthouse''.
The Clerk read as follows:
H.R. 595
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 475 Mulberry Street in Macon, Georgia, shall be known and
designated as the ``William Augustus Bootle Federal Building
and United States Courthouse''.
SEC. 2. REFERENCES.
Any references 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 Augustus Bootle
Federal Building and 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, H.R. 595 simply designates the U.S. courthouse in Macon,
GA, as the ``William Augustus Bootle Federal Building and United States
Courthouse.''
Judge Bootle was appointed to the U.S. District Court by President
Dwight D. Eisenhower on May 20, 1954. He presided as district judge and
acted as chief judge handling all six divisions of the court in six
different courthouses, in 71 counties of Georgia.
Throughout his career, Judge Bootle was highly regarded by lawyers
throughout the district for his keen intellect and warm sense of humor.
He is, perhaps, most widely recognized for his decision in 1961
ordering the admittance of two African-American students to the
University of Georgia. This decision led to the desegregation of
Georgia's public school system.
The naming of this courthouse in Judge Bootle's honor is certainly a
fitting tribute to a distinguished jurist. I support this bill and urge
my colleagues to support the bill.
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 rise in support of H.R. 595, and I want to commend my
colleague, the gentleman from Georgia [Mr. Chambliss], for sponsoring
this legislation to designate the U.S. courthouse in Macon, GA, as the
``William Augustus Bootle Federal Building and United States
Courthouse.''
{time} 1430
Judge Bootle began his judicial career in 1925 when he was admitted
to the Georgia bar. He has served the people of Georgia since 1928,
when he was first appointed assistant U.S. attorney for the Middle
District of Georgia. In 1954, he was appointed U.S. district judge and
served as the chief judge from 1961 through 1972, where at that time he
had taken senior status.
Mr. Speaker, it is absolutely fitting and proper to join forces with
the gentleman from Georgia [Mr. Chambliss] in recognizing the
outstanding service of Judge Bootle. I am proud to support this bill. I
want to thank the gentleman from California [Mr. Kim] again for the
effort he has put forward for both sides of the aisle on this
legislation here, and I want to thank the staff, Mr. Barnett and Ms.
Brita, for their efforts in helping bring it along.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 595, a bill to designate the
U.S. Courthouse in Macon, GA, as the ``William Augustus Bootle Federal
Building and United States Courthouse''.
Judge Bootle began his judicial career in 1925 when he was admitted
to the Georgia bar. He has served the people of Georgia since 1928 when
he was appointed assistant U.S. attorney for the Middle District of
Georgia.
In 1954 he was appointed U.S. district judge and served as the chief
judge from 1961 through 1972, when he took senior status.
It is fitting and proper to honor his long, productive career by this
designation.
Mr. CHAMBLISS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to
express my strong support for H.R. 595, the William Augustus Bootle
Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse. This is an issue of great
importance to me, as well as the citizens of Macon, GA.
On February 5, 1997, I introduced this legislation in the House of
Representatives. H.R. 595 is similar to a bill I introduced in the
104th Congress, H.R. 4119. H.R. 4119 passed in the House by voice vote,
but unfortunately was vetoed in the U.S. Senate along with many other
naming bills.
H.R. 595 passed in the Senate on June 12, 1997, and I urge my
colleagues to pass this legislation in the House and send this bill to
the President for his signature.
This courthouse is vital to judicial proceedings in the State of
Georgia. It serves as the U.S. District Court for the Middle District
of Georgia which covers much of the territory of Georgia's 8th
Congressional District which I represent. Mr. Speaker, there is not a
more deserving individual to name this building and courthouse for than
Judge Bootle and the current judges of the court wholeheartedly agree.
Judge Bootle received his undergraduate and juris doctor from Mercer
University located in Macon. He was admitted to the bar of the State of
Georgia in 1925. Judge Bootle honorably served the U.S. District Court
for the Middle District of Georgia for a number of years. Upon his
appointment by President Eisenhower, Judge Bootle served as district
judge from 1954 to 1961 before serving as chief judge from 1961 to
1972. Moreover, he served the Middle District as assistant U.S.
attorney and as U.S. attorney from 1928 to 1933. Judge Bootle also
served the Macon community as dean of Mercer University's School of Law
from 1933 to 1937. His distinguished service is admired, appreciated,
and recognized throughout the State of Georgia.
Upon Judge Bootle's appointment to the bench as the judge for the
Middle District of Georgia in 1954, the chief judge was ill and
remained so for an extended period of time, and until 1962 when another
judge was appointed, Judge Bootle handled all six divisions of the
middle district of Georgia which included the Athens, Macon, Columbus,
Americus, Albany, and Valdosta Divisions. Those six courthouses covered
71 counties in Georgia.
Judge Bootle was also responsible for the admittance of the first
black students into the University of Georgia. I would like to take
this opportunity to quote from a book written by Frederick Allen
entitled ``Atlanta Rising.'' This book deals with a lot of history
which took place in the Atlanta area during the years of the civil
rights era.
The two black applicants who were denied admittance into the
University of Georgia were Charlayne Hunter and Hamilton Holmes. They
filed suit in the middle district of Georgia, and quoting from this
book, I read as follows:
Two black applicants, Charlayne Hunter and Hamilton Holmes,
went to the court attacking the welter of excuses University
of Georgia officials had concocted to keep them out. The two
made a convincing case that the only reason they had been
denied admission was segregation, pure and simple. In a
ruling issued late on the afternoon of Friday, January 6,
1961, Judge William A. Bootle ordered Hunter and Holmes
admitted to the school, not in 6 months or a year, but bright
and early the next Monday morning.
Judge Bootle has dedicated himself to years of service as a humble
steward of justice, his community, the State of Georgia, and the United
States. Due to this level of commitment, all of these societies are
better places. Naming the courthouse the ``William Augustus Bootle
Federal Building and United States Courthouse'' is an appropriate way
to ensure the judge's efforts will always be remembered.
Again, I would like to urge my colleagues to vote in favor of naming
the Federal Building and United States Courthouse in Macon after this
honorable, deserving individual.
Mr. TRAFICANT. Mr. Speaker, with that, I reserve the balance of my
time.
Mr. KIM. Mr. Speaker, I do not have any other speakers, and I yield
back the balance of my time.
Mr. TRAFICANT. I, too, Mr. Speaker, 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 bill, H.R. 595.
The question was taken.
Mr. CONDIT. Mr. 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.
[[Page H8096]]
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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