[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 108 (Tuesday, August 4, 1998)]
[House]
[Pages H7072-H7073]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
JAMES F. BATTIN FEDERAL COURTHOUSE
Mr. KIM. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill
(H.R. 3696) to designate the Federal Courthouse located at 316 North
26th Street in Billings, Montana, as the ``James F. Battin Federal
Courthouse,'' as amended.
The Clerk read as follows:
H.R. 3696
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 located at 316 North 26th
Street in Billings, Montana, shall be known and designated as
the ``James F. Battin 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 ``James F. Battin United States
Courthouse''.
[[Page H7073]]
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. 3696, as amended, designates the United States
Courthouse located in Billings, Montana, as the ``James F. Battin
United States Courthouse.''
Judge Battin was a Federal District Judge for the United States
District Court of Montana, and he was also a former Member of this
Congress, having served in the House of Representatives for the 87th
through the 91st Congress. He was appointed to the Federal bench by
President Nixon in 1969 and served as Chief Judge from 1978 until he
elected to take a senior status in 1990.
From the bench he diligently served the District of Montana, as well
as additional assignments in the United States District Courts for
Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, Hawaii, and Georgia.
During his tenure in Congress, he served on the Committee on
Committees, the Executive Committee, the Judiciary Committee, Foreign
Affairs Committee, and the Committee on Ways and Means.
This certainly is a fitting tribute to a distinguished judge and
dedicated public servant. I support the bill, as amended, and I urge my
colleagues to support it.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. TRAFICANT. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Madam Speaker, I am proud to support this bill. While in Congress,
Judge Battin served on the Committee on the Judiciary, Committee on
Foreign Affairs, and the Committee on Ways and Means.
It is interesting to note that Judge Battin's son, Jim, currently
serves in the California Assembly representing the 80th District. I
think it is proper to honor those contributions. And I want to
compliment the sponsor of the bill, the gentleman from Montana (Mr.
Hill) for his contribution. I am proud to support the legislation.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. KIM. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the
gentleman from Montana (Mr. Hill).
Mr. HILL. Madam Speaker, I am pleased today to present to the House
H.R. 3696, legislation to designate the Federal courthouse in downtown
Billings, Montana, as the ``James F. Battin Federal Courthouse.''
While there are a few Members in and around this Chamber who will
probably remember Jim Battin as Montana's Eastern District congressman,
and others who remember him as a distinguished member of the Federal
bench, I want to take just a few moments today to give my colleagues
some reflections on the life of the man that we will honor today.
James Battin earned a reputation for effectiveness and integrity
during five terms in the Congress and 27 years on the Federal bench.
{time} 1330
His accomplishments range from building new protections for the
environment and wilderness preserves, to rulings on streamlining
Federal judiciary proceedings. He created the precedent for the now
universally accepted six-man Federal jury in civil cases.
After high school, James Battin served in the U.S. Navy during World
War II. After the war he began his career in public service as a city
attorney in Billings, Montana. In 1958 he was elected to the Montana
State legislature, and successfully ran for a seat in the U.S. House of
Representatives in 1960.
During his first term in the U.S. House of Representatives, James
Battin was chosen by his fellow freshman legislators to sit on the
House Committee on Committees. As a member of this critical House
overseer, he secured a seat for himself on the Committee on Ways and
Means. Monitoring the federal purse strings from this vantage point,
Battin solidified the respect of his colleagues, exerting great
influence on behalf of his large home State.
In his second term, Battin was appointed to the House Foreign Affairs
Committee. An assignment to the House Judiciary Committee followed soon
thereafter. With a growing list of congressional responsibilities and
influence, he came to play an instrumental role in a host of
legislation, among these the law creating the Montana Bob Marshall
Wilderness Area, at the time the largest wildlife area in the United
States. Throughout the 1960s he would serve Montana for five terms in
the U.S. House, each time winning reelection by an ever-larger
landslide margin.
In addition to his duties in Washington, James Battin would go on to
serve as one of the two U.S. congressional representatives to the
Intergovernmental Committee on European Migration which met in Geneva.
This group helped persons forced from behind the Iron Curtain to
reestablish in other countries in useful occupations. As an emissary of
his Nation he brought the assistance and stewardship of our government
to people forming businesses abroad.
In 1968 Battin was selected to serve as President Nixon's
representative to the Platform Committee at the Republican National
Convention. Amid a time of change and upheaval and war abroad, he
helped articulate his party's vision for America. With a congressional
career moving at full pace and his influence increasing each year,
Battin welcomed new representatives and he took them under his wing.
In 1969 James Battin was asked by President Nixon to serve as a
Federal district judge on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in San
Francisco. The new post appealed to the five-term Congressman and
represented a huge stepping stone in his career. However, Battin
declined because, while he aspired to be a Federal judge, he also
wanted to raise his family in the quiet beauty of Montana, a life
unlike what he would have expected in San Francisco.
Soon after, a Federal judgeship became available in his home State
and in Billings. His judicial home became the Billings Federal
Building, which we are redesignating today.
James Battin became the first judicial appointment of the new Nixon
administration. He went on to serve and excel in that post for 27
years, becoming the District of Montana's chief judge in 1978. During
the time Battin issued key rulings affecting the lives of Montana
citizens, among them preserving access to the Bighorn River for all
people. A dedicated and hard working man, he remained on the bench
until his passing in the autumn of 1996.
James Battin is best remembered as a dedicated husband and father
whose first priority was always his family. While he preceded us here
by more than 30 years, he stood for the enduring values that bring so
many of us to Congress today, the importance of family, a better
government and the desire to serve our fellow man.
H.R. 3696 is a tribute to a great person. His accomplishments are
numerous, and his contribution to the lives of his neighbors is echoed
by the wide support he enjoyed among Montana residents for decades.
Mr. Speaker, I am proud to offer this legislation as a token of
Montana's and the Nation's deep gratitude for a lifetime of dedicated
service. I urge Members' support of H.R. 3696.
Mr. TRAFICANT. Madam Speaker, I support the legislation.
Madam Speaker, I have no 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. 3696, 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 United States courthouse located at 316 North 26th Street
in Billings, Montana, as the `James F. Battin United States
Courthouse'.''.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________