Congressional Record, Volume 144 Issue 19 (Tuesday, March 3, 1998)

[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 19 (Tuesday, March 3, 1998)]
[House]
[Pages H722-H724]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

SAM NUNN FEDERAL CENTER

Mr. KIM. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill
(H.R. 613) to designate the Federal building located at 100 Alabama
Street NW, in Atlanta, Georgia, as the ``Sam Nunn Federal Center,'' as
amended.
The Clerk read as follows:

H.R. 613

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 located at 61 Forsyth Street SW., in
Atlanta, Georgia, shall be known and designated as the ``Sam
Nunn Atlanta Federal Center''.

SEC. 2. REFERENCES.

Any reference in a law, map, regulation, document, paper,
or other record of the United States to the Federal building
referred to in section 1 shall be deemed to be a reference to
the ``Sam Nunn Atlanta Federal Center''.

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, House Resolution 613, as amended, designates the Federal
building located in Atlanta, Georgia, as the ``Sam Nunn Atlanta Federal
Center.''
Sam Nunn was born September 8, 1938 in Houston County, Georgia. He
received his undergraduate degree from Emory University in 1960 and
also his law degree in 1962. During this time, he served in active duty
in the United

[[Page H723]]

States Coast Guard from 1959 to 1960 and then remained in the Coast
Guard Reserve until 1968.
Sam Nunn served in the Georgia House of Representatives from 1968
until 1972. He was then elected to fill the vacant Senate seat of
Richard B. Russell and was reelected to the seat for four consecutive
terms.
In the Senate, Sam Nunn earned the respect of his colleagues for his
extensive work and knowledge of defense matters and his expertise on
NATO, nuclear weapons, and other military manpower. From 1987 to 1995,
he served as Chairman of the Armed Services Committee of the Senate.
Through his position on the Armed Services Committee, Senator Nunn was
a vocal advocate of a strong national defense and unwavering in his
support for our men and women in uniform.
The designation of the Federal building in Atlanta in honor of
Senator Nunn is a fitting tribute to a distinguished public servant. I
support this legislation 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 too rise with great enthusiasm to support this bill
introduced by the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Lewis), my friend, who
recognized the outstanding contributions of former Senator Sam Nunn.
He was elected in 1972, as stated earlier by the gentleman from
California, and he quickly became one of the leading figures in all of
American Government and is still recognized as an international expert
on economic policy, national security affairs, and certainly defense
issues as they relate to America and the world.
Senator Nunn was one of the most respected Senators we have ever had.
He was known for his bipartisan efforts, a strong work ethic and
working style that made things happen, and such an immense grasp of
very complex foreign issues that he many times helped to mitigate
problems that were developed therein.
He was also respectful of his office and he never tried to waste the
taxpayers' dollars.
Mr. Speaker, I want to make a statement here. When I was chairman of
the Subcommittee on Public Buildings and Economic Development, this
committee, I opposed this building that is now being named for Senator
Nunn. We opposed it because it was going to be leased for 30 years at a
cost of $3 billion without any owner equity for the American taxpayers
at the end of that term. The gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Duncan), my
good friend, and I would not allow that.
This project was constructed, I believe, on a time schedule with a
savings of almost half a billion dollars to the American taxpayer. That
is fitting for the legacy of the man for whom this building now shall
be named, Senator Nunn. I am proud to rise and support the gentleman
from California (Mr. Kim).
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. KIM. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia
(Mr. Chambliss).
Mr. CHAMBLISS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Ohio (Mr.
Traficant) for his kind comments about my good friend and constituent,
the Honorable Sam Nunn.
Senator Nunn distinguished himself not only in this body that we
serve in now, the United States Congress, but from his early days as an
All State basketball player at Perry High School in Perry, Georgia;
through his days of law practice in Perry, Georgia; and through his
days of service to the State of Georgia in the House of Representatives
and of course his days in the United States Senate. He is now
distinguishing himself as a very fine lawyer in Atlanta, Georgia.
Mr. Speaker, it was about 25 years ago along about this time of the
year that a fellow walked into my coffee club in Bull's Restaurant in
Moultrie, Georgia and introduced himself as Sam Nunn and said he was
running for the Senate. Nobody knew who Sam Nunn was in our part of the
world at that time. In fact, I myself was supporting another Democratic
candidate in the Democratic primary. But it was not long until
everybody in the State recognized the qualities of the young man from
Perry, Georgia. He went on to get the nomination and of course to win
in the general election in November, and he served 24 years with honor
in the United States Senate.
Sam Nunn succeeded another honorable man, the Honorable Richard B.
Russell, and Sam always admired and was inspired by the service of
Senator Russell and looked up to him in a way that a lot of us now look
up to the service that Sam provided to our State.
Sam was well-known, as the gentleman from Ohio said, on a number of
issues, primarily in the area of national security and defense. But his
ideas and his thoughtfulness on every single issue that came before the
United States Senate was well thought out and well respected by his
colleagues. In fact, Senator Nunn was way out front on the balanced
budget issue before it was fashionable on the Hill to talk in terms of
balancing the budget of this country.
Today he continues that fight. He serves as cochairman of the Concord
Coalition, and one of the main points that he advocates is continuing
to hold our feet to the fire to ensure that we do continue along the
lines of balancing the budget of this country to make this country a
better place for our children and our grandchildren.
Mr. Speaker, it is a great pleasure for me to rise today in support
of this bill naming the Federal building in Atlanta, Georgia, after the
Honorable Sam Nunn, my constituent, my colleague for 2 years, and most
importantly, my friend.
Mr. TRAFICANT. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to
the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Lewis), sponsor of the bill and an
outstanding leader on our side of the aisle.
Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Ohio,
my friend, for yielding me this time, and I thank the gentleman from
California (Mr. Kim) as well as the gentleman from Ohio for their work
to help us honor Senator Sam Nunn, a fellow Georgian.
Mr. Speaker, I believe we all recognize the tremendous
accomplishments of Sam Nunn and his service in the United States
Senate. Sam Nunn was one of the true statesmen of that body and is a
source of pride to all Georgia.
Since winning election to Congress in 1986, I have had many
opportunities to work with Senator Sam Nunn on several issues, and
often benefited from his experience, his counsel, and his support as we
worked together.
Since his election to the Senate in 1972, Senator Nunn has served the
State of Georgia with honor and distinction. Senator Nunn worked to
become the Senate's foremost expert on national security and
international affairs. Senator Nunn served 8 years as the chairman of
the Senate Armed Services Committee and retired as the ranking Democrat
on both the Armed Services Committee and the Permanent Subcommittee on
Investigations.
Mr. Speaker, the naming of this building located in the heart of
downtown Atlanta will be a fitting tribute to a great American and to a
citizen of the world, Senator Sam Nunn. For these reasons, I hope that
the Federal Center will soon bear the name of our former Senator and
colleague, Senator Sam Nunn.
Mr. BISHOP. Mr. Speaker, I rise today as a cosponsor and supporter of
this measure which would designate a building in downtown Atlanta as
the Sam Nunn Federal Center. This is a fitting tribute to a friend who
happens to be one of the great Georgians and great Americans of our
time.
I am proud to have had the opportunity to serve with Senator Sam Nunn
as a member of the Georgia Congressional delegation for four years. The
benefit of his counsel and his friendship, is one of the great
privileges that I have had in public life.
Senator Nunn has played a major role in shaping our times. He is, in
fact, an historic figure. Our country is stronger and the world is
freer and more secure because of his 12 years of leadership as Chairman
and Ranking Minority Leader on the Senate Armed Services Committee. In
fact, no one played a bigger role in building our modern military
infrastructure than Senator Nunn--and that was one of the essential
factors leading to the demise of communism and the global spread of
democracy.
This native Georgian, an offspring of a Houston County farm family,
followed in the footsteps of his uncle, Representative Carl Vinson, and
legendary Senator Richard B.

[[Page H724]]

Russell, both longtime chairmen of their respective armed services
committees who also made historic contributions to national security.
He certainly did them proud. In carrying on their tradition, he won the
admiration of his colleagues on both sides of the aisle and achieved
international recognition for helping secure peace and freedom
throughout much of the world. And he did it his way--not with conflict
and confrontation, but through the exercise of quiet strength, deep
knowledge, and thoughtful statesmanship.
While he will be most prominently remembered for his work on defense
and national security, Senator Nunn did much more. He helped restore
fiscal responsibility and efficiency in federal government, fought for
land conservation and the environment, attacked drug abuse, and
promoted a spirit of citizenship and patriotism in our state and across
the country.
Again, I rise in strong support of this measure and I urge all of my
colleagues to do the same.
Mr. KIM. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. TRAFICANT. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this bill,
asking for an ``aye'' vote, and 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 bill, H.R. 613, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
The title of the bill was amended so as to read: ``A bill to
designate the Federal building located at 61 Forsyth Street SW., in
Atlanta, Georgia, as the `Sam Nunn Atlanta Federal Center'.''
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
Mr. KIM. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on
Transportation and Infrastructure be discharged from further
consideration of the Senate bill (S. 347) to designate the Federal
building located at 100 Alabama Street NW, in Atlanta, Georgia, as the
``Sam Nunn Federal Center'' and ask for its immediate consideration in
the House.
The Clerk read the title of the Senate bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from California?
There was no objection.
The Clerk read the Senate bill, as follows:

S. 347

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

SECTION 1. DESIGNATION OF SAM NUNN FEDERAL CENTER.

The Federal building located at 100 Alabama Street NW, in
Atlanta, Georgia, shall be known and designated as the ``Sam
Nunn Federal Center''.

SEC. 2. REFERENCES.

Motion Offered by Mr. Kim

Mr. KIM. Mr. Speaker, I offer a motion.
The Clerk read as follows:

Mr. Kim moves to strike all after the enacting clause of
the Senate bill, S. 347, and insert in lieu thereof the text
of H.R. 613, as passed the House.

Motion was agreed to.
The Senate bill was ordered to be read a third time, was read the
third time, and passed.
The title of the Senate bill was amended so as to read: ``A bill to
designate the Federal building located at 61 Forsyth Street SW., in
Atlanta, Georgia, as the `Sam Nunn Atlanta Federal Center'.''
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
A similar House bill (H.R. 613) was laid on the table.

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