[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 80 (Tuesday, June 3, 2003)]
[House]
[Pages H4806-H4809]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
BIRCH BAYH FEDERAL BUILDING AND UNITED STATES COURTHOUSE
Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
Senate bill (S. 763) to designate the Federal building and United
States courthouse located at 46 East Ohio Street in Indianapolis,
Indiana, as the ``Birch Bayh Federal Building and United States
Courthouse.''
The Clerk read as follows:
S. 763
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. DESIGNATION OF BIRCH BAYH FEDERAL BUILDING AND
UNITED STATES COURTHOUSE.
The Federal building and United States courthouse located
at 46 East Ohio Street in Indianapolis, Indiana, shall be
known and designated as the ``Birch Bayh 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 Birch Bayh Federal
Building and United States Courthouse.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Terry). Pursuant to the rule, the
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. LaTourette) and the gentlewoman from Indiana
(Ms. Carson) 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, S. 763, which is identical to H.R. 1082 which was
introduced by the gentlewoman from Indiana (Ms. Carson), designates the
Federal building and United States courthouse located at 46 East Ohio
Street, in Indianapolis, Indiana, as the Birch Bayh Federal Building
and United States Courthouse.
This bill has the bipartisan support of the entire Indiana
delegation, and I thank the gentlewoman from Indiana (Ms. Carson) for
agreeing to bring S. 763 to the floor in lieu of her bill, which the
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure favorably reported out
on May 21, 2003. I would like to have inserted into the Record that the
gentlewoman from Indiana (Ms. Carson) has been diligent not only in
this Congress, but in the last Congress, in attempting to achieve
passage of this legislation, not only in this body, but in the other
body; and the Bayh family has a great champion on their side when it
comes to the gentlewoman.
Senator Bayh was born in Terre Haute, Indiana, in 1928 to school
teachers, and it is from them he inherited an ethic of public service.
Upon graduation from high school, Senator Bayh volunteered for and
served in the United States Army from 1946 to 1948. Upon his return, he
attended and graduated from the Purdue University School of Agriculture
at Lafayette in
[[Page H4807]]
1951. This education served him well, since throughout his long career,
he always found time to work on and oversee the family farm, growing
corn and soybeans for more than four decades.
Senator Bayh's political career began in 1954, when, at the age of
26, he was elected to serve in the Indiana House of Representatives.
While serving in that body, he served as speaker in 1959 and as the
Democratic floor leader in 1957 and 1961. Despite these
responsibilities, he also found time to attend and graduate from
Indiana University School of Law in 1960, and was admitted to the bar
in 1961.
In 1962, at the age of 34, Senator Bayh entered the United States
Senate where he served three terms from 1963 until 1981. While in the
Senate, he served as chairman of the Senate Select Committee on
Intelligence, working with the CIA, the National Security Agency and
the FBI. He also was a member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on
Transportation where he called for and funded efforts to build the
District of Columbia's Metro subway system which so many of us enjoy,
and to modernize the Amtrak rail system.
Senator Bayh is best known as chairman of the Constitution
Subcommittee where he authored two amendments to the Constitution,
something we will not see any time soon in subsequent Congresses, the
25th Amendment on Presidential and Vice Presidential succession, and
the 26th Amendment which lowered the voting age from 21 to 18.
This is a fitting tribute to a dedicated public servant. I support
this legislation and encourage Members to do the same.
Parliamentary Inquiry
Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I would like to make a parliamentary
inquiry of the Chair.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman will state it.
Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, is the Chair aware of any rule of the
House which would provide a nexus between this legislation and the tax
bill except for the fact that Birch Bayh at one time was a child?
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair will have to listen to the debate
before making a determination.
Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. CARSON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, as I rise to speak in favor of S. 763, I would like to
pay respect to my colleague who also hails from the Midwest, the
honorable gentleman from Ohio (Mr. LaTourette). There were several
occasions where he felt he was being stalked to move this legislation
forward, and I am very happy that he remained a gentleman and a genteel
man in terms of allowing us to get this out. He indicated he had to
have a companion from the other side of the aisle, and I presume he
found a companion on the other side of the aisle.
S. 763, as my colleague has mentioned, is a companion bill to the
bill I introduced, H.R. 1082, and it really does not matter whose name
appears first as author of this bill; the subject matter is very
noteworthy on behalf of an individual who served this country well, the
honorable former U.S. Senator Birch Bayh from the State of Indiana.
The bill, as Members know, designates the Federal building of the
United States courthouse in Indianapolis, Indiana, in my district, as
the Birch Bayh Federal Building and United States Courthouse. This is
the second legislation I have authored. The first one I did was to put
my predecessor's name on a Post Office, and now we are going to put
Birch Bayh's name on the Federal building and United States courthouse,
and I am pleased to sponsor, and it is cosponsored by the entire
Indiana delegation.
As the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. LaTourette) indicated, the Honorable
Birch Bayh was born to two school teachers in Terre Haute, Indiana, on
July 22, 1928. He began his political career at the young age of 26
with his election to the Indiana House of Representatives in 1954, and
in that body he rose to become minority leader in 1957 and then Speaker
of the House in 1959. In 1962, he entered the United States Senate
where he distinguished himself on the Subcommittee on the Constitution
of the Committee of the Judiciary.
Now, there is some distinction between Terre Haute, Indiana, and a
town called Schererville, Indiana, and apparently the United States
Senator wants to be known as coming from Terre Haute instead of
Schererville, but Schererville is immediately contiguous to Terre Haute
so whichever place the gentleman wants him to be born, I am sure it is
fine with him. But in all fairness, there has not been a lawmaker since
the Founding Fathers who has authored successfully two amendments to
the United States Constitution.
Senator Bayh was the principal architect of title IX, the provision
of law which helped give access to athletic achievement for many of our
daughters. In his 18 years in the United States Senate, he
distinguished himself by ushering successfully through the amendment to
the Constitution which provides for the succession of the President
which was the 25th amendment to the Constitution, and he also
successfully authored and ushered through the 26th amendment to the
Constitution which lowered the voting age from 21 years to 18 years of
age, which was ratified in 1971.
The Federal courthouse in Indianapolis was called the ``Old Post
Office,'' but now it rises to a magnificent building of importance, and
that is where our Federal courthouse is located. It will now enjoy the
name of a very honorable, incredible, dynamic public servant, the
Honorable Birch Bayh. It is very suitable historically to name that
building for such a person who served this Nation with distinction.
Mr. Speaker, I am happy that the Honorable Birch Bayh is alive and
well, and probably watching the presentation of this matter. I also
thank Senator Lugar, who is the senior Senator from Indiana, for
authoring this bill and ushering it through the United States Senate.
While I do not agree with them most of the time, we have two
Republicans, the honorable gentleman from Ohio (Mr. LaTourette), and I
hope that does not impugn his motives, Mr. Speaker, and Senator Lugar,
and I speak about those two gentlemen very favorably, and I hope that
does not violate House rules that I speak about Republicans favorably
in this particular instance.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to
the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Burton).
Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, let me just say, I am sure that
the historical accomplishments of Birch Bayh have been covered well by
my colleagues. All I want to say is, though he is in the other party,
he is a heck of a nice guy.
You can tell a lot about people by their children. Evan Bayh, who is
the United States Senator from Indiana and the son of Birch and
Marvella Bayh, is in the other party, and we have our differences like
all people do on a political basis, but Evan is a real credit to the
institution of the United States Senate, and I think a lot of that is
due to his mother and his father. Birch Bayh and Marvella Bayh did an
outstanding job in raising Evan, and I think he is doing a good job in
the United States Senate.
Let me just say that Birch Bayh, who was elected to the United States
Senate, I think, when he was 34 years old, did a good job for the State
of Indiana, and his wife Marvella was a real leader in Indiana as well.
One of the things that I most appreciate about Birch Bayh was a
personal attachment that I received from him when my wife was suffering
from breast cancer. His wife, Marvella, died of cancer, as my wife did,
and he showed a great deal of concern for me and my family while we
were going through that tragedy. And anybody like that, I think,
deserves accolades from people regardless of their party affiliation.
Senator Bayh is a fine human being, and he was a fine United States
Senator. His wife Marvella was a credit to the State of Indiana, and
their son Evan is doing a fine job in the United States Senate and is a
credit to both his mother and father. And I want to add my two cents to
the applause for Birch Bayh, and I think it is a fine and fitting thing
that we are doing here today by naming the Federal building after him.
[[Page H4808]]
Born in Terre Haute in 1928, it seemed that Birch Bayh was destined
for success. He received an undergraduate degree in Agriculture with
distinction from Purdue University, and divided his time after
graduating between farming and politics.
In 1955, Birch Bayh became a member of the Indiana General Assembly,
and in 1957, he enrolled in law school. While still a law student, he
was elected Speaker of the Indian House.
Senator Bayh was a skilled politician and excellent student. He
received the prestigious Edwards Scholarship, which is awarded for
merit and he graduated with distinction in 1960. However, as we all
know, the story doesn't end there!
In 1962, at the age of 34, he was elected to the U.S. Senate and
Senator Bayh went on to serve three terms.
As ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Senator Bayh was
considered one of the Senate's foremost experts in constitutional law.
As Chairman of the Subcommittee on the Constitution, he wrote and
sponsored two amendments to the Constitution: the twenty-fifth
amendment (for Presidential succession in case of death or disability)
and the twenty-sixth amendment (lowering the voting age to 18).
From 1977 to 1980, Senator Bayh was Chairman of the Senate Select
Committee on Intelligence. During his tenure as Chairman, he helped
strengthen intelligence gathering while protecting American citizens
from abuses of their rights.
Senator Bayh also served on the Senate Public Works Subcommittee on
the Environment for 10 years.
In 1976, Senator Bayh entered the race for President of the United
States. I have an Internet copy of a Birch Bayh for President 1976
Campaign Brochure. ``Senator Birch Bayh--The Democratic candidate for
President with a plan for economic recovery . . .'' All one has to do
is change the date and name and it could be used for the 2004
elections.
Senator Bayh's distinguished career goes beyond the Beltway. He was
the founding partner in the Washington DC law firm of Bayh, Connaughton
& Malone. He also served as the chairman of the Institute Against
Prejudice and Violence from 1984 to 1994.
Senator Bayh is currently working for the Washington, DC law firm of
Venable, Baetjer, Howard & Civilette as a member of the Government
Division's Legislative.
Also, Senator Bayh was appointed to the J. William Fulbright Foreign
Scholarship Board by former President Clinton on July 20, 1995 and was
reappointed in 1997 and 2000 for a term expiring September 22, 2003.
Senator Bayh's accomplishments are a source of pride for my home
state of Indiana. I wish him congratulations on this designation.
[From a Birch Bayh for President 1976 Campaign Brochure]
Senator Birch Bayh--The Democratic Candidate for President With a Plan
for Economic Recovery . . .
``We need a President who is less concerned that too many
jobs will cause inflation, and more concerned that too few
jobs will cause human suffering.''
Two Republican Administrations following a deliberate
policy of planned unemployment, have led us through two
recessions and record inflation. Only a genius for ineptitude
could have produced recession and inflation together. Only a
totally insensitive Republican Administration could have
tolerated both.
Despite some evidence that the current recession has hit
bottom, the American economy is still a long way from
recovery. Economic recovery will not come naturally. Economic
recovery cannot be sustained by doing nothing. Only positive
government action now can produce and sustain an economic
recovery broad enough to put America back to work. That is
the number one priority for a President today . . . and
tomorrow . . .
With unemployment at 8.6 percent and American industry
operating at two thirds of capacity, the President's concern
that too strong a recovery will reignite an inflationary
spiral is misplaced. We need a President who is less
concerned that too many jobs will cause inflation, and more
concerned that too few jobs will cause human suffering.
Nearly 8 million Americans are still unemployed, while
millions more are either underemployed or have given up
looking for employment. We are losing $200 billion a year in
our gross national product--that's more than $3,000 for each
American family and yet inflation continues because
Republican economics is blind to the cost of oil monopolies
and grain deals.
Unemployment cannot cure our current inflation--not only is
it morally wrong, it is bad economics. Inflation is a serious
problem, but the record of the last 5 years is clear--
increasing unemployment does not reduce the monopolistic
price of energy; increasing unemployment does not drive down
the price of food. It only adds to the welfare rolls and
increases unemployment insurance costs.
jobs . . .
I believe that putting Americans back to work is the single
most important task facing the President. A President
committed to putting Americans back to work can do just that
by:
Proposing a major tax cut for low and middle income
families. We need to restore consumer confidence and
stimulate consumer spending. That is the surest way to expand
production and provide jobs. We need a tax cut plain and
simple, without any political gimmicks about budget-cutting.
The President's proposal to balance a tax cut with a budget
cut is unacceptable economic policy. It will not produce and
sustain economic recovery.
Pressuring the Federal Reserve to expand the money supply
substantially and hold interest rates down. We can't afford
to have the Federal Reserve working against an expansionary
fiscal policy. A restrictive monetary policy and higher
interest rates will short-circuit economic recovery before it
is even underway. In order to avoid repeating the mistakes of
monetary policy, we need to curb the independence of the
Federal Reserve. That requires a Federal Reserve Board
responsive to the public interest--shorter terms for members
and publicly arrived at targets for monetary expansion are
necessary ingredients in reforming the Fed.
Proposing a public service jobs program. We can find useful
employment for the innocent victims of Republican engineered
recessions. For example, I was successful in obtaining funds
for a railroad track rehabilitation program that will put
thousands of unemployed railroad workers back on the job--a
job that needs to be done.
Preventing a New York City default by developing a national
guarantee program that will enable state governments to
assist their hard pressed cities. We will never have economic
recovery if New York City defaults and the municipal bond
market collapses. Our recovery is much too fragile to absorb
the shock of default--to say nothing of the disastrous
consequences of the increased cost of borrowing for every
state and local jurisdiction in the nation.
Proposing an anti-recessionary revenue sharing program that
is triggered on and off by the unemployment rate. We need to
temporarily compensate state and local governments for the
increased costs of welfare and for the fall off in revenues
that both result from a failure of national economic policy.
inflation . . .
Despite a major recession, inflation is still a serious
problem? Why? Because of:
A failure in energy policy;
A failure in food policy; and
The monopoly market power of a few firms.
Energy--Oil and gas prices must be regulated. As long as
OPEC maintains its solidarity and the major domestic oil
companies are permitted to follow their non-competitive
practices, there will be no free market in energy. Decontrol
of oil and deregulation of natural gas prices will force all
prices upward, increasing the Consumer Price Index by four
percent. That is clearly inflationary.
Food--Food prices are subject to wide fluctuations in world
demand, and weather conditions that affect production. We
can't control world demand nor the weather, but we can
insulate food prices from these forces by establishing a
strategic grain reserve to achieve a better balance between
supply and demand. A strategic reserve would have to include
safeguards against dumping for political ends--but properly
administered it could mean adequate supplies with price
stability and that is in the long-term interests of family
farmers and consumers alike.
Monopoly Pricing--When 20 oil companies control more than
75 percent of all oil production, refining and marketing in
the U.S., and more than 90 percent of the oil pipeline
capacity, it is clear they have the ability to set prices
without regard to competition or market forces. And that is
exactly what the oil companies are doing. Instead of letting
the oil and other monopolistic forces repeal the law of
supply and demand, we must take decisive action. That is why
I have introduced and held hearings on legislation to break
up the major domestic oil companies. We have a serious
problem. We need a firm response.
Our economy is at a crucial turning point. The problems of
skyrocketing energy and food costs and the inability of the
free market to function effectively have led me to conclude
that recent policy failures are the result of an outdated
view of the American economy. Therefore, I am proposing the
establishment of a Temporary National Economic Committee--
similar to the Committee established by President Roosevelt
in 1938--to publicly investigate the concentration of
economic power in America today.
If economic power is too heavily concentrated in the hands
of a few, then we need stronger anti-trust action. I want the
free enterprise system to work.
Announcement by the Speaker Pro Tempore
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair reminds Members that remarks in
debate may not characterize a sitting Senator even on favorable terms.
Ms. CARSON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from
Indiana (Mr. Burton) for those kind remarks, and I know the Chair would
not admonish him as much as it would me.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
[[Page H4809]]
Mr. Speaker, I simply want to say, I will not choose to characterize
a sitting Member of the United States Senate favorably or unfavorably.
I would note historically that Senator Bayh did vote in favor of the
tax package which has been discussed here today.
Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Speaker, I first got to know Senator Birch Bayh
through my father, John Visclosky, the former Mayor of Gary, Indiana,
following his election to the United States Senate in 1962. My father
has always had a deep respect and strong feelings towards Senator Bayh.
As a Member of Congress, I have always considered Senator Birch Bayh
a friend and a mentor. As a citizen, I am grateful that he chose a life
of public service, paying constant attention to the needs of working
people and those who were not given a fair chance in life. Senator Bayh
fought hard for those who wanted an honest days work at a living wage
in order to support their families. For instance, he fought hard and
was successful in obtaining crucial funding for a railroad track
rehabilitation program that put thousands of unemployed workers back on
the job.
While I am proud that we are naming a federal building after Senator
Bayh today, we will forever be served by him through the two changes he
authored to the Constitution. I have always believed that the
Constitution is one of the two greatest documents ever written by man.
To think of Birch Bayh improving it not once but twice is not only
breathtaking, but expected from such a unique person. The structure of
the Constitution had not been so impacted by a single lawmaker since
its creation by the founding fathers.
Senator Bayh is a person who developed the talents that God gave him
to serve others and a person of deep compassion and caring. A person
who never lost his perspective, is fun to be with, and who can always
make you laugh. My father would describe Senator Bayh as a ``100
percent guy.'' I would too, and I congratulate him on this great honor.
Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
{time} 1315
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Terry). The question is on the motion
offered by the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. LaTourette) that the House
suspend the rules and pass the Senate bill, S. 763.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of
those present have voted in the affirmative.
Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be
postponed.
____________________