[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 147 (Tuesday, October 28, 1997)]
[House]
[Pages H9576-H9578]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   J. ROY ROWLAND FEDERAL COURTHOUSE

  Mr. KIM. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 1484) to redesignate the Dublin Federal Courthouse building 
located in Dublin, GA, as the ``J. Roy Rowland Federal Courthouse,'' as 
amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 1484

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

[[Page H9577]]

     SECTION 1. REDESIGNATION.

       The United States courthouse located at 100 Franklin Street 
     in Dublin, Georgia, and known as the Dublin Federal 
     Courthouse, shall be known and designated as the ``J. Roy 
     Rowland 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 ``J. Roy Rowland 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. 1484 designates the U.S. Courthouse in Dublin, GA, 
as the J. Roy Rowland United States Courthouse.
  Congressman Rowland was a dedicated public servant. He served in the 
U.S. Army during World War II as a surgeon in command of a machine gun 
crew, earning the Bronze Star for service in combat. Following the war, 
he returned to his home State of Georgia and earned his medical degree 
from the Medical College of Georgia. He then became a family practice 
physician, serving the people of Dublin, GA.
  In 1976, Dr. Rowland was elected to the State legislature, where he 
served as State delegate until 1982. In 1983, Dr. Rowland was elected 
to the U.S. House of Representatives. While in Congress, he 
concentrated his efforts on legislative matters concerning health 
issues.
  He was instrumental in stopping the illegal access and abuse of 
Quaaludes, which at the time was becoming the illegal drug widely used. 
At a later date, Congressman Rowland employed his medical expertise to 
providing leadership in Congress during formulation and consideration 
of legislative initiatives concerning AIDS. The naming of this building 
in honor of Congressman Rowland is a fitting tribute to his dedicated 
service to his country. I support this bill ask urge my colleagues to 
support this 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 wholeheartedly join in support of this bill to 
designate the courthouse in Dublin, GA, as the J. Roy Rowland United 
States Courthouse.
  Congressman Rowland was a World War II vet, during which he was 
awarded the Bronze Star, and after he left the Army he continued his 
educational pursuits and, in 1952, graduated from the Medical College 
of Georgia.
  Doc Rowland was elected to the U.S. Congress in 1983, and he earned a 
well-deserved reputation for expertise in health and medical issues 
which naturally fit his professional discipline.

                              {time}  1315

  He was instrumental in passing legislation to stop the illegal use of 
Quaaludes which for many years had disrupted the lives of so many of 
our young adolescents attempting to adjust to adult life.
  He also became, without a doubt, the reasoned, practical voice during 
heated debate on the issue of AIDS and AIDS funding and will be 
remembered for that historical achievement.
  Dr. Rowland set a standard for bipartisan fairness and for bipartisan 
relations and he included everyone. He was not an exclusive type of 
Member. He never resorted to personal attacks or never was engaged in 
any damaging rhetoric.
  I say that because he was a true gentleman, truly deserving of the 
designation being brought here today. Our former colleague provided the 
working model to ensure a bipartisan spirit that everybody talks about 
around here, but few Members really practice. For Dr. Rowland, that was 
a part of his professional makeup.
  It is absolutely fitting that we honor him with this designation and 
to the sponsor, the gentleman from Georgia [Mr. Norwood], I say, right 
on. I am proud to play a part, with him, in naming this courthouse for 
Dr. Rowland.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. KIM. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia 
[Mr. Norwood].
  Mr. NORWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding time to 
me, and I thank my good friend, the gentleman from Ohio [Mr. 
Traficant], for his kind words.
  Mr. Speaker, it is a great pleasure and actually an honor for me to 
be here presenting this bill to the House of Representatives on behalf 
of one of my constituents, Dr. J. Roy Rowland.
  Dr. Rowland was very instrumental, while in Washington, on health 
care issues and one of the most, I think, outstanding examples of 
bipartisanship that I know of in this Congress in recent years. In 1993 
and 1994, in the 103d Congress, he put together a coalition of five 
Republicans and five Democrats to try to help solve some of the serious 
problems that we have in this country with health care. It was later 
known as the Rowland-Democrat-Bilirakis-Republican health care bill and 
it sort of set the stage for how we work together with our colleagues.
  Dr. Rowland is a good man. Dr. Rowland is a great American, and I am 
so very pleased that we are today in the process of renaming the U.S. 
Federal courthouse in Dublin, GA, after him as a token of all of our 
esteem here and as a token of the esteem that his constituents back in 
Georgia still hold him. This is a great pleasure and I hope all 
Members, and I know they will, because he made friends readily on both 
sides of the aisle, I hope all of our friends will vote for him today.
  Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my colleagues in 
supporting H.R. 1484, legislation to rename the Federal courthouse in 
Dublin, GA, after former Congressman Roy Rowland.
  Roy graduated from the Medical College of Georgia, and for many 
years, he was the only family physician in the entire Congress. He 
willingly shared his experience and medical knowledge with his 
colleagues on numerous occasions.
  Many times, when health care legislation was debated by the then 
House Energy and Commerce Committee, Roy's opinions and suggestions 
were sought out. My colleagues on both sides of the aisle always found 
them invaluable.
  I had the good fortune to work closely with Roy on health care 
reform. We both served on the House Energy and Commerce Committee and 
the Veterans Committee. In addition, we served as cochairman of the 
Congressional Sunbelt Caucus on infant mortality.
  In my opinion, our greatest legislative accomplishment together was 
drafting two separate and completely bipartisan health care bills in 
the 103d Congress. H.R. 3955, the Health Reform Consensus Act, was the 
first comprehensive health bill introduced in the Congress that was 
truly bipartisan. I believe that Roy's medical background provided this 
bill with crucial credibility among our House colleagues.
  As a leader in the House rural health care coalition, Roy assisted in 
drafting a wide range of bills to improve the delivery of rural health 
care that later became law. He also authored legislation creating the 
National AIDS Commission to establish better coordination among 
programs associated with this disease. Finally, while serving as the 
vice chairman of the National Commission to Prevent Infant Mortality, 
he cosponsored several measures to provide prenatal and child health 
care services to high-risk mothers.
  Roy proved himself in other legislative areas as well. For instance, 
he was actively involved in environmental issues, and, in fact, he 
served on the joint conference committee that authored the 1990 Clean 
Air Act. He also played a key role in the 1987 Clean Water Act and 
served as a House conferee when the final version of this legislation 
was debated by a House-Senate conference committee. In addition, he 
served as one of the leaders in promoting the proposed balanced-budget 
amendment to the Constitution.
  With regard to veterans, Roy served as the chairman of the then House 
Veterans' Hospitals and Health Care Subcommittee. He was a leader in 
fighting for improvements in the veterans' health care system and 
cosponsored several legislative measures to assist our veterans.
  These are just some of the highlights that Roy accomplished as a 
Member of the House of Representatives. His talents and unique insights 
are missed, especially as Congress considers improving our health care 
system. I commend Roy for his tireless efforts and strongly urge my 
colleagues to support H.R. 1484.
  Mr. TRAFICANT. Mr. Speaker, I am very supportive of this bill. I urge 
all for an ``aye'' vote.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. KIM. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Snowbarger). The question is on the

[[Page H9578]]

motion offered by the gentleman from California [Mr. Kim] that the 
House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1484, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  Mr. TRAFICANT. 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
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 5 of 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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