[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.

                          ____________________