[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 130 (Monday, October 7, 2002)]
[House]
[Pages H7141-H7143]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        TONY HALL FEDERAL BUILDING AND UNITED STATES COURTHOUSE

  Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 5335) to designate the Federal building and United States 
courthouse located at 200 West 2nd Street in Dayton, Ohio, as the 
``Tony Hall Federal Building and United States Courthouse''.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 5335

       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 and United States courthouse located 
     at 200 West 2nd Street in Dayton, Ohio, shall be known and 
     designated as the ``Tony Hall Federal Building and United 
     States Courthouse''.

     SEC. 2. REFERENCES.

       Any reference in a law, map, regulation, document, paper, 
     or other record of the United States to the Federal building 
     and United States courthouse referred to in section 1 shall 
     be deemed to be a reference to the ``Tony Hall Federal 
     Building and United States Courthouse''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Ohio (Mr. LaTourette) and the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. DeFazio) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. LaTourette).
  Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to 
the gentleman from Springfield, Ohio (Mr. Hobson), the author of the 
legislation
  Mr. HOBSON. Mr. Speaker, the legislation I introduced has been 
cosponsored by every member of the Ohio congressional delegation. It 
would permanently name the Dayton, Ohio, Federal building in honor of 
our good friend and just recently our former colleague, Tony Hall.
  Tony Hall is a gentleman. He has made Ohio and this country better by 
his service here, and he has moved on to make the world a better place 
as the United Nations Ambassador for Hunger. I would urge every Member 
of Congress to support this piece of legislation.
  For years, Tony Hall and I worked together for the benefit of the 
citizens of the Miami Valley on numerous projects and initiatives. I am 
very happy that he can now work directly on hunger issues at the United 
Nations, but it was still very sad to see him leave the House.
  Tony has been a football star, a Peace Corps volunteer, a noted world 
traveler, a devoted husband and father, and a dedicated public servant. 
Tony has become the area's longest-serving Congressman and a three-time 
Nobel Peace Prize nominee known worldwide for his humanitarian work.
  In Congress, Tony always was guided by faith and family. He spent 21 
years on the House Rules Committee, was chairman of the House 
Democratic Caucus Task Force on Hunger and was founder and chairman of 
the Congressional Hunger Center.
  We are all better people because Tony Hall was in Congress, and now 
the world will be a little better off now that Tony will be working 
with the United Nations.
  This legislation is a lasting way to pay tribute to Tony's efforts 
over the years, and I urge all of my colleagues to support this bill.
  Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume and first wish to thank the gentleman from Springfield for his 
remarks.
  It is a personal honor that I rise today to bring this legislation 
forward honoring our former colleague and distinguished Ohioan, Tony 
Hall, to the floor. H.R. 5335 designates the Federal building and 
United States courthouse located at 200 West 2nd Street in Dayton, 
Ohio, as the Tony Hall Federal Building and United States Courthouse.
  For over 40 years, Tony Hall has dedicated his life to helping others 
and serving this Nation. When Tony graduated from Denison University in 
1965 as a Little All American running back, he began his public service 
by joining the Peace Corps, where he spent 1966 and 1967 teaching 
English in Thailand. And I noted at the markup we had in

[[Page H7142]]

our full committee that the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar), 
our ranking member of the full committee, also engaged in such public 
service.
  Upon his return to his native Dayton, Tony was drawn to a career in 
public service, and at the age of 26 put himself up as a candidate for 
the Ohio House of Representatives, an election he won despite facing an 
experienced opponent. Tony ably served in the Ohio House from 1968 to 
1972 before being elected to and serving in the Ohio Senate from 1972 
to 1978.
  In 1978, Tony was elected for his first of 12 terms in this body. 
During his tenure here, Tony was a tireless and outspoken advocate for 
combating world hunger, protecting human rights, and promoting 
humanitarian causes, including basic education, adult literacy, 
immunization, and other child survival programs and sustainable 
agriculture in other countries.
  He served as the distinguished chairman of the House Select Committee 
on Hunger from 1989 until it was abolished in 1993. In protest of this 
decision, Tony engaged in a hunger strike that lasted 22 days, only 
ending after the creation of the Congressional Hunger Center, which he 
chaired from its inception until he left the Congress.
  Tony also served with distinction on the Committee on Rules, in 
addition to numerous other committees and caucus assignments. In 2002, 
Tony resigned his seat to accept a Presidential appointment as United 
States Ambassador to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Agencies. 
This is an appropriate honor to a dedicated public assistant.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate my fellow Ohioan on a 
distinguished career thus far, and I am sure we all wish him great 
success as he moves on to a new position from which he can continue his 
work to help others.
  As the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Hobson) indicated, it is indeed, I 
think, a fitting tribute, in a sometimes fractious and partisan body, 
that every member of the Ohio delegation, whether Republican or 
Democrat, is a cosponsor of this legislation. It is my honor to be a 
cosponsor. I urge my colleagues to adopt this matter.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume, 
and I rise in strong support of this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5335 is a bill to designate the federal building 
and courthouse in Dayton, OH, as the Tony Hall Federal Building and 
United States Courthouse, in honor of our former colleague from Ohio, 
Tony Hall. The bill has strong bipartisan support.
  Tony Hall is a true son of Ohio. He was born in Dayton in 1942. After 
attending local schools he graduated from Denison University in 1964. 
He was accepted into the Peace Corp and served as a volunteer in 
Thailand from 1966 until 1968. Upon his return he was elected to the 
Ohio House of Representatives, and in 1972 he was elected to the Ohio 
Senate. In 1978 he was elected to the House of Representatives where he 
service for 11 terms. tony Hall currently serves as the United States 
Ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture.
  Tony Hall was founder and cochair of the Congressional Hunger Center, 
a nonprofit organization created to bring awareness to the growing and 
persistent problems of world hunger. He also served as chairman for the 
House Select Committee on Hunger from 1989 until 1993. Congressman Hall 
sponsored legislation to help immunize the world's children against 
major diseases, and to increase U.S. funding for Vitamin A and C.
  His passion for protecting and ensuring human rights and combating 
hunger brought Congressman Hall to such places as North Korea, Peru, 
Sudan, Bosnia, Rwanda, Somalia, Bangladesh, and Haiti. In 1994 he 
helped nominate Bishop Carlos Belo for the Nobel Peace Prize for the 
Bishop's role in protecting civilians during armed conflict.
  Congressman Tony Hall was an exemplar for his unswerving commitment 
and sustaining contributions to promoting humanity and peace in a world 
stricken with poverty and worn by war. This designation is a fitting 
tribute to his exceptional public service.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman 
from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur).
  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished gentleman from 
Oregon for yielding me this time, and I offer my strong support of this 
wonderful, wonderful resolution that was entered initially by 
Ambassador Tony Hall's neighbor, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Hobson), 
with the strong support of the Ohio delegation and the full cooperation 
of the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. LaTourette). How fitting it is that 200 
West 2nd Street, the Federal building and courthouse in Dayton, will 
now permanently be named in honor of this really incredible Ohioan, who 
has traveled the world on behalf of the most downtrodden people, those 
who are starving, those who live in undemocratic places, those whose 
futures are truly bleak, and who has tried to be a voice for them in 
the world community, in the United States at the United Nations, and 
now as U.N. ambassador to the food and agriculture organization.
  I think it is so magnificent that Congressman Hall comes from a part 
of Ohio that understands agriculture well and yet he was a city boy. I 
walked with him many times through the food banks across this city, 
across the city of Dayton and across this country. I can remember when 
he and Bill Emerson and Mickey Leland traveled together across the 
world and began the germ of the idea of a hunger caucus here inside the 
Congress of the United States, and bringing young people here to learn 
about not just America's needs and the food pantries needs of our 
country, but indeed the starving people of the world.
  I know the people of Dayton are justly proud that they have sent 
their favorite son in service to the Nation not just in the Peace Corps 
in one country but in the cause of peace globally. So I wish to thank 
the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Hobson), the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. 
DeFazio), and the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. LaTourette) on behalf of the 
entire Buckeye delegation here for so properly recognizing the historic 
work of former Congressman and Ambassador Tony Hall.
  Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time 
only to thank not only my colleague, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. 
Hobson), but also my colleague, the gentlewoman from Toledo, Ohio (Ms. 
Kaptur), for being here this evening.
  Mr. Speaker, I think all Members would recognize that the mark of a 
Member is that it is easy to be elected if you are a Republican from a 
safe Republican seat; it is easy to be elected as a Democrat if you 
come from a safe Democratic seat. But Tony Hall's seat was marginally 
Republican, and the people continued to elect him and reelect him 
because of his outstanding work not only for his community but the 
Nation and the world.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to support H.R. 5335, a bill 
to designate the federal building in Dayton, OH, in honor of our former 
colleague Tony Hall.
  Tony Hall was elected to his first term in the U.S. Congress in 1978. 
He went on to serve 11 consecutive terms. Congressman Hall's long 
career in public service is distinguished by his unwavering commitment 
to humanitarian causes, in particular to combating hunger in this 
country and around the world.
  I witnessed the commitment first hand in 1983 when I traveled with 
Congressman Hall and two other colleagues to Kansas City. At a time of 
high unemployment in our country, the Federal Government was storing 
surplus milk, butter and cheese in Kansas City. Congressman Hall was 
determined to focus national attention on this issue and press for the 
release of this surplus food into general distribution. He even went on 
a hunger strike to compel the government to release the stored food. As 
a result of these efforts, the stored food was eventually distributed 
to homeless shelters and the general public.
  Throughout his career, Congressman Hall focused on helping those in 
need. He promoted economic development that created jobs, championed 
efforts to ease food-stamp reductions, and in 1997, he spearheaded the 
``Hunger Has A Cure'' campaign.
  In the international arena, Congressman Hall visited numerous 
countries around the world in an effort to focus attention on the 
problems of world hunger and to promote international aid. He was part 
of the first congressional delegation to Ethiopia in the

[[Page H7143]]

99th Congress, and he traveled to Bangladesh to observe disaster relief 
programs in the 100th Congress. Congressman Hall also helped create the 
Select Committee on Hunger, which focused on the problem of hunger both 
domestically and internationally. He served as chairman of that Select 
Committee from 1988 until its elimination in 1993.
  Congressman Hall continues to work to banish world hunger and promote 
developmental assistance. In 2002, President Bush appointed him 
Ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture.
  This bill to designate the ``Tony Hall Federal Building and U.S 
Courthouse.'' is a fitting tribute to the compassion and humanity with 
which Ambassador Hall conducts his public service.
  I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5335.
  Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5335, to designate 
the Federal Building and United States courthouse at 200 West 2nd 
Street in Dayton, OH, as the ``Tony Hall Federal Building and United 
States Courthouse.''
  As you know, Mr. Speaker, our former colleague Tony Hall was 
nominated by President Bush to be the United States Ambassador to the 
United Nations food and agriculture agencies located in Rome, Italy, 
and resigned his seat as the representative of the 3rd District of Ohio 
last month to take his post in Rome, where he will be able to continue 
his passionate work as a leading advocate for ending hunger and 
promoting food security around the world.
  I want to thank Congressman David Hobson of Ohio for introducing H.R. 
5335 to honor Tony in his hometown of Dayton by attaching his name to 
the federal building and courthouse there. It is an appropriate 
recognition for the nearly 24 years of service in the House and the 10 
years of service in the Ohio General Assembly that Tony Hall provided 
to the people of Dayton and surrounding areas.
  We already miss Tony in the House, but I know that he is absolutely 
the right person to serve as the United States representative to the 
World Food Program, the Food and Agriculture Organization, and 
International Fund for Agricultural Development, all agencies of the 
United Nations which assist international hunger-relief efforts.
  Tony Hall's name is synonymous with the cause of alleviating hunger 
both domestically and worldwide. He believes that food is the most 
basic of human needs, the most basis of human rights, and he 
passionately worked to convince others that the cause of hunger, which 
often gets lost in the legislative shuffle and pushed aside by more 
visible issued, deserved a prominent share of attention and resources 
to assist people who are the most at risk and too often the least 
defended.
  He also worked as a tireless advocate for the cause of human rights 
around the world and focused his attention on the illicit diamond trade 
in Sierra Leone. He convinced me to travel with him to Sierra Leone in 
later 1999 to see how the machete-wielding rebels there have 
intimidated men, women, and children by hacking off arms, legs, and 
ears. He led the effort in bringing to the attention of Congress the 
conflict diamond trade and authoring legislation to certify that the 
diamonds Americans buy are not tainted with the blood of the people of 
Sierra Leone and other African nations.
  We also traveled together in January to Afghanistan with Congressman 
Joe Pitts as the first congressional delegation to that country since 
the war on terrorism. We visited hospitals, an orphanage, schools, and 
refugee camps. We met with U.S. diplomats and soldiers; with local 
leaders and officials with direct responsibility for humanitarian 
problems and refugees; with representatives of United Nations and 
private relief organizations; and in Pakistan with refugees and members 
of religious minority groups.
  Tony is never deterred in his effort to help make a positive 
difference in the lives of suffering people. In his years in Congress, 
he traveled to wherever the need arose and met with whomever he could 
to effect change, taking risks few would take, with his own comfort and 
safety never entering his mind.
  I believe Tony's life destiny is to be a servant. During 1966 and 
1967, he taught English in Thailand as a Peace Corps volunteer. He 
returned to Dayton to work as a realtor and small businessman for 
several years, but before long, he was elected to the Ohio House of 
Representatives where he served from 1969 to 1972, and then to the Ohio 
Senate, serving from 1973 to 1978. On November 7, 1978, Tony was 
elected to the House of Representatives from the 3rd District of Ohio 
and served with distinction for over two decades.
  Tony Hall is an inspiration to everyone fortunate enough to know him. 
He has a wonderful combination of compassion and passion filled with 
spiritual purpose--compassion to see the suffering in the less 
fortunate in the world and the passion to work to do something about 
it.
  I urge a unanimous vote in support of H.R. 5335, to recognize the 
dedicated public service of Tony Hall by naming the federal building 
and courthouse in Dayton, OH, in his honor.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge support of the resolution, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Brown of South Carolina). 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. 5335.
  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.

                          ____________________