[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 132 (Monday, September 28, 1998)]
[House]
[Pages H9117-H9118]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SIDNEY R. YATES FEDERAL BUILDING
Mr. KIM. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill
(H.R. 4595) to redesignate a Federal building located in Washington,
D.C., as the ``Sidney R. Yates Federal Building,'' as amended.
The Clerk read as follows:
H.R. 4595
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. REDESIGNATION.
The Federal building located at 201 Fourteenth Street
Southwest in the District of Columbia, and known as the
Auditors Main Building, shall be known and designated as the
``Sidney R. Yates Federal Building''.
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 ``Sidney R. Yates Federal Building''.
SEC. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE.
This Act shall take effect on January 3, 1999.
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. 4595 is a simple naming resolution which
redesignates the Federal building located at 201 14th Street,
Southwest, Washington, D.C., currently known as the Auditors Main
Building, as the Sidney Yates Federal Building.
Our colleague, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Yates) is retiring at
the end of this Congress after serving with distinction for 24 terms of
office. He was first elected to Congress in 1948 and held his seat
continuously but for a brief 2-year absence in 1963 to 1964. He has
served as a member of the Committee on Appropriations during his terms
and became chairman of the Subcommittee of Interior of the Committee on
Appropriations in 1975, holding the chairmanship for 20 years.
The gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Yates) was born in Chicago,
Illinois, in 1909. He attended the University of Chicago, where he
earned his law degree in 1933. He commenced practice in Chicago and
became the assistant attorney general with the Illinois Commerce
Commission back in 1937.
[[Page H9118]]
The gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Yates) also served in the United
States Navy from 1944 to 1946, attaining the rank of lieutenant.
This is a fitting honor for our revered colleague and I am pleased to
support the bill and urge my colleagues to support it.
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 this bill. The gentleman from
Illinois (Mr. Yates) is one of our great Members, but I want to offer
something to the Congress a little bit different than usual about the
gentleman from Illinois. Years ago, he was a star basketball player at
the University of Chicago. In fact, he played center. Today, the
centers are 7 feet 2, 7 feet 5, even taller.
While he was a center at the University of Chicago, they played
against the great George Mikan team, the great Hall of Famer, the first
big man superstar in America, and I would say to my colleagues in the
Congress of the United States, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Yates)
played George Mikan tough.
He has made it tough all through his life for those who he competed
against but he was always fair. He has been loved in every profession.
He has been loved in every community. He is absolutely endeared and
loved by this House.
I want to say, even though he did not have a jump shot and he was
known for the old fashioned two-handed set shot, he was absolutely
devastating with a hook shot with either hand, and he has taken that
type of competitiveness, zeal, spirit, team work, to the Congress.
There has not been one bill dealing with arts in this country that
failed to experience the fingerprints of the gentleman from Illinois
(Mr. Yates). If there is a father and champion of the arts, it is the
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Yates).
Mr. Speaker, I rise in absolute support of this tribute. It is
worthy. It is deserving.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise to honor our longest-
serving House Member, the distinguished gentleman from Illinois, Mr.
Sidney R. Yates, by redesignating a Washington, D.C. Federal building
in his name. Elected in 1948, Congressman Yates is departing this year
after his 24th term. His impressive dedication to public service began
after Congressman Yates had served the United States in the Navy from
1944 to 1946.
Sid Yates has served on the Appropriations Committee and for nearly
20 years was known as a significant member of the panel's ``College of
Cardinals.'' He ends his career as the Ranking Member of the Interior
Appropriations Subcommittee.
As Chairman of the House International Relations Committee, I commend
Sid for his dedication to foreign affairs and his willingness to
accommodate the administration and International Relations Committee
Members.
A man whose work ethic extended above and beyond the call of duty,
Sid has earned a reputation as taskmaster. His hearings are among the
most detailed in the House, and he always does much of his own
research. On the floor, Sid Yates has always demonstrated a great
command of facts, and during hearings would often take the lead in
examination and cross-examination of witnesses with an expertise which
became legendary.
Mr. Speaker, I invite our colleagues to wholeheartedly support this
bill to redesignate a Federal building located in Washington, D.C., as
the Sidney R. Yates Federal Building. Please join with us to honor Sid
Yates for his 24 outstanding Congressional terms.
Mr. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this bill. As
all of my colleagues are aware, the gentleman from Illinois has worked
tirelessly, throughout his extensive tenure in Congress, on numerous
issues but especially on the effective management of our public lands.
While this legislation provides recognition in Washington for the work
that the gentleman from Illinois has done, the impact of this work is
felt far beyond the beltway. His efforts can be seen in every National
Park, Refuge, Wilderness, Grassland, Prairie, and Forest across the
Nation.
When Sid Yates first entered Congress in 1948, there were 29 million
recreational visitors to our National Parks. Last year, there were over
279 million. The popularity of, and experiences provided by, these
parks is due in large part to the vision of Sid Yates. He knew that the
number of visitors to these parks would only increase and he wanted to
be sure that the Park System had the needed capacity.
I am fortunate to have served many years with Sid in Congress,
representing the district just north of his. He is a man that I hold in
highest respect for the work he has done and the character and
integrity that he has brought to this institution. He will be missed
but his contributions will never be forgotten.
{time} 1430
Mr. KIM. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. TRAFICANT. Mr. Speaker, I urge an aye vote, and I yield back the
balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Sununu). 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. 4595, 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
redesignate the Federal building located at 201 Fourteenth Street
Southwest in the District of Columbia as the `Sidney R. Yates Federal
Buiding'.''.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________