[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 98 (Thursday, July 15, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1380]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page E1380]]
           HONORING THE LEGACY OF CHIEF JUSTICE JOHN MARSHALL

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                          HON. JOHN B. LARSON

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 14, 2004

  Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. I rise today in strong support of the 
resolution to honor the United States' fourth Supreme Court Chief 
Justice John Marshall by issuing 400,000 commemorative coins for the 
250th anniversary of his birth. Chief Justice Marshall served in each 
of the three branches of government and, as the fourth Supreme Court 
Justice, was one of the most influential forces in building the federal 
government as we know it today.
  John Marshall began his service to our country as a member of the 
Continental Army under George Washington. He fought alongside 
Washington in battles in New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania and 
endured the harsh winter at Valley Forge. After the war Mr. Marshall 
became a lawyer and began his political career. He was elected to the 
Virginia House of Delegates and then to the U.S. Congress as the 
Representative from the Richmond District in Virginia. His superior 
understanding of the law earned him the position of Secretary of State 
under the Adams' Administration. It was from here where he rose to 
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
  It was in the Supreme Court that John Marshall made the greatest 
contributions to American history. Having served for 34 years, Chief 
Justice Marshall remains the longest serving Chief Justice. He has 
offered over 500 opinions and presided over such landmark cases as 
McCulloch v. Maryland and Marbury v. Madison, which established the 
power of judicial review and was the first decision to declare an Act 
of Congress unconstitutional. The opinions delivered from the Marshall 
Court have shaped the basic fundamentals of the legislative, executive, 
and judicial branches of government.
  I believe that Chief Justice John Marshall's life-long legacy should 
be recognized. Therefore, I urge my fellow Members to vote with me in 
support of H.R. 2768 and honor Justice Marshal as one of the most 
influential figures in American history.

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