[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 86 (Wednesday, June 20, 2001)]
[House]
[Pages H3278-H3280]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    DONALD J. PEASE FEDERAL BUILDING

  Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 819) to designate the Federal building located at 143 West 
Liberty Street, Medina, Ohio, as the ``Donald J. Pease Federal 
Building''.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                                H.R. 819

       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 143 West Liberty Street, 
     Medina, Ohio, shall be known and designated as the ``Donald 
     J. Pease 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 ``Donald J. Pease Federal Building''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Ohio (Mr. LaTourette) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Costello) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. LaTourette).
  Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 819 designates the Federal building at 143 West 
Liberty Street, Medina, Ohio, as the ``Donald J. Pease Federal 
Building.''
  Mr. Speaker, I want to commend my colleague the gentleman from Ohio 
(Mr. Brown), a neighbor, for reintroducing this legislation this year. 
I am pleased to be a cosponsor of this important legislation, along 
with many of our colleagues from the Ohio delegation.
  Last year the House passed similar legislation, but, unfortunately, 
the Senate never had the opportunity to act on it. It is my hope we can 
get this through the other body and signed into law by President Bush 
this year.
  Congressman Pease was born in Toledo, Ohio, where he attended public 
schools. He earned his undergraduate and Master's Degrees from the Ohio 
University in Athens, Ohio, before becoming a Fulbright scholar at 
Kings College, University of Durham, England.
  Congressman Pease served in the United States Army from 1955 until 
1957, at which time he returned to Ohio to work at the Oberlin News-
Tribune. He was first co-editor and publisher, before becoming its 
editor. He was editor from 1969 until 1976, during which time 
Congressman Pease also served on the Oberlin City Council, the Ohio 
State House of Representatives and in the Ohio State Senate before 
being elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1976. He 
served in this House from 1977 until his retirement in 1993.
  Congressman Pease began his Congressional career on the Committee on

[[Page H3279]]

International Relations advocating human rights. He later secured a 
spot on the Committee on Ways and Means, and, by the 102nd Congress, 
earned one of three seats on the Committee on the Budget reserved for 
members of the Committee on Ways and Means. Congressman Pease's 
determination to work with both sides of the aisle included service on 
the conference committee for the tax reform bill of 1986.
  This is a fitting tribute to a former Member of the House. I support 
the bill, and urge my colleagues to join in support.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. COSTELLO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 819 is a bill to designate the Federal building 
located at 143 West Liberty Street in Medina, Ohio, in honor of our 
former colleague, Congressman Don Pease. I join my chairman, the 
gentleman from Ohio (Chairman LaTourette), in honoring Don Pease, who 
served the citizens of northern Ohio with distinction, hard work and 
diligence for 14 years. I also commend the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. 
Brown) for introducing the bill.
  Don Pease is a native Ohioan, born in Toledo in 1931. He attended 
local public schools and in 1953 graduated from the University of Ohio 
in Athens, Ohio. While at Ohio State University, he was the editor of 
the student newspaper and the student reporter for the local newspaper, 
the Athens Messenger. In 1955, he joined the Army and was stationed in 
Fort Lee, Virginia, before he was honorably discharged in 1957.
  Don began his public career in 1961 upon his election to the Oberlin 
City Council. In 1964 he ran for the State Senate against an incumbent 
and was elected to a 4-year term. As a State Senator he gained a 
reputation as an effective legislator, concentrating on education 
legislation.
  In 1976, he set his sights on Congress when the seat in the 13th 
Congressional District became vacant. During his seven terms in 
Congress, Don Pease worked hard for tax reform and better tax policy. 
His record on ensuring human rights through the application of foreign 
policy is highlighted with numerous success stories. He approached 
politics as an ethical pursuit and legislation as an intellectual 
exercise.
  Don served on the House Committee on International Relations and the 
House Committee on Science and Technology. In 1981, he was selected to 
serve on the House Committee on Ways and Means and was picked as one of 
the 11 conferees on the landmark Tax Reform Act of 1986.
  Don fought for welfare reform and strongly supported sunshine rules 
for open government. He firmly believed in consensus decision making 
and worked both sides of the aisle to craft legislation to benefit 
middle Americans.
  I support H.R. 819, and join our colleagues from Ohio in honoring Don 
Pease with this designation.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. 
Brown).
  Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Illinois for 
yielding me time, and I especially thank the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. 
LaTourette), the chair of the subcommittee, for his support on this and 
bipartisan support on many the other issues.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 819, which recognizes the many 
terrific achievements of former Congressman Don Pease and honors him by 
designating the Medina Federal Building as the Donald J. Pease Federal 
Building.
  A native of Oberlin, Ohio, Don Pease graduated, as the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Costello) said, from Ohio University. He served as editor 
of the Oberlin News-Tribune, was elected to Oberlin City Council, the 
Ohio House of Representatives, and served in the Ohio Senate during my 
first term in the Ohio House in 1975-1976.
  In 1976, he was elected to represent Ohio's 13th Congressional 
District. In his first term, while on the Committee on International 
Relations, Don Pease spearheaded the fight for human rights 
protections. Later, as a member of the House Committee on Ways and 
Means, Don dedicated himself to a variety of tax fairness issues, and 
he was the first Member of this body to seriously pursue the 
enforcement of labor standards in developing countries and 
international trade agreements. His work has come to fruition in the 
last couple of Congresses as larger and larger numbers of Members of 
Congress have fought for those kind of labor protections in 
international trade agreements.
  His efforts, as the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. LaTourette) said, to 
work with both sides of the aisle include serving on the conference 
committee for the hotly debated Tax Reform Act of 1986, mediating 
between Congressional leaders in the first Bush administration on a 
variety of tax policy issues, and his work on China's Most Favored 
Nation status.
  After leaving Congress, Don returned home to Ohio. He has served on 
the board of Amtrak. He currently serves as a Visiting Distinguished 
Professor at Oberlin College's Department of Politics.
  Don Pease was, and still is, committed to Ohio's working families. 
His efforts to improve education, expand access to health care and 
support workers have made a profound difference in our lives.
  By renaming the Medina Federal Building at 143 West Liberty Street in 
Medina as the Donald Pease Federal Building, this bill honors his hard 
work, and is a testament also to the hard work and community commitment 
of his wife Jeanie and honors the work he did in the district he and 
Jeanie love so much.
  Don was held in high regards as both an ethical and able legislator. 
He devoted 16 years of service to our district, to the State of Ohio 
and our country. I am pleased to join my colleagues in Ohio, Democrats 
and Republicans alike, in recognizing Don Pease's dedication to 
improving people's lives. I urge my colleagues to vote for H.R. 819.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 819 designates the federal building 
in Medina, Ohio, in honor of former Congressman Donald Pease from the 
13th district of Ohio. This simple act honors a man whose life embodies 
the American ideals of hard work personal sacrifice, and service to 
others.
  Congressman Pease rose from a typical American background to do 
uncommon things for his fellow Americans. Growing up, Congressman Pease 
attended public schools and worked as a newsboy. While in college, he 
was the editor of the school newspaper, worked for the Athens messenger 
as a student reporter, and was President of his class. During the 
summers, he worked as a laborer at an oil refinery to help support 
himself and pay for college. He went on to earn a masters degree in 
government from Ohio University, and was a Fulbright Scholar. At 24, 
Congressman Pease entered the U.S. Army and served for two years, 
achieving the rank of first lieutenant.
  Upon leaving the Army, Mr. Pease became co-editor and publisher of 
the Oberlin News-Tribune, and he remained editor/publisher of the paper 
until 1972, and as editor until 1976. During that time, the paper 
received more than 85 awards in journalism, and was voted the best 
newspaper in Ohio nine times, and the best newspaper in the Nation in 
its circulation class four times.
  Congressman Pease began his career in public service in 1960, first 
as Chairman of the Oberlin Public Utilities Commission, and then 
serving on the Oberlin City Council. In the 1960's and 1970's, 
Congressman Pease served in the Ohio General Assembly and the State 
Senate, where he focused on education issues and became chairman of the 
House Education Committee and vice chairman of the Education Review 
Commission. He also championed tough campaign finance laws long before 
that issue became the popular mantra of today.
  In 1976, Congressman Pease was elected to represent the 13th district 
of Ohio in the 95th Congress. Despite a successful career that now 
placed him near the pinnacle of American politics, Congressman Pease 
remained faithful to helping people, and committed to serving those he 
represented. He took an immediate leadership role in Congress as 
chairman of the New Members Caucus, and served on the House 
International Relations Committee, and the House Science and Technology 
Committee.
  During his service in Congress, Mr. Pease became a champion of human 
rights throughout the world. He led the drive to get Congress to ban 
imports of Ugandan coffee to protest the actions of that oppressive 
regime. He consistently fought for international labor standards and, 
as a Member of the International Relations Committee, he led the fight 
to include human rights protections in international trade agreements.
  In 1981, Congressman Pease was selected to serve on the House Ways 
and Means Committee where he continued to focus on human rights and 
became a key player in trade issues. As an active member of the Trade

[[Page H3280]]

Subcommittee, Congressman Pease focused on helping Americans who had 
lost their jobs due to foreign competition, and he fought hard to help 
the industrial district he represented make it through changing times. 
Congressman Pease was also one of the architects of the Omnibus Trade 
and Competitiveness Act of 1988, which was the most comprehensive 
overhaul of U.S. trade laws in twenty years.
  After he retired from Congress, Mr. Pease has continued his 
dedication to public service by serving as a visiting professor at 
Oberlin College, and as a Member of the Amtrak Board of Directors.
  Throughout his life and service in Congress, Congressman Pease has 
always demonstrated an uncompromising desire to help others, an 
unquestioned ability to lead, and an ability to bring people together 
to get things done to benefit the Nation.
  This bill is a modest proposal to honor a man who has given so much 
to this institution and to the American people. It has bipartisan 
support, and I commend the Gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Brown) for 
sponsoring this bill, together with our distinguished Subcommittee 
Chairman, Mr. LaTourette, and many other Members of the Ohio 
delegation.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill.
  Mr. COSTELLO. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and 
I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. LaTourette) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 819.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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