[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 43 (Wednesday, April 13, 2005)]
[House]
[Pages H1907-H1910]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
ROBERT T. MATSUI UNITED STATES COURTHOUSE
Mr. SHUSTER. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 787) to designate the United States courthouse located at
501 I Street in Sacramento, California, as the ``Robert T. Matsui
United States Courthouse''.
The Clerk read as follows:
H.R. 787
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. DESIGNATION.
The United States courthouse located at 501 I Street in
Sacramento, California, shall be known and designated as the
``Robert T. Matsui United States Courthouse''.
SEC. 2. REFERENCES.
Any reference in a law, map, regulation, document, paper,
or other record of the United States to the United States
courthouse referred to in section 1 shall be deemed to be a
reference to the ``Robert T. Matsui United States
Courthouse''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Pennsylvania (Mr. Shuster) and the gentleman from California (Mr.
Honda) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Shuster).
Mr. SHUSTER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Madam Speaker, H.R. 787 introduced by the gentleman from California
(Mr. Thompson), honors the late Bob Matsui, a distinguished and well-
liked Member of this body.
A well-respected attorney and former city councilman, Bob Matsui
served in this body for 26 years before his passing away on New Year's
Day of this year.
Since his passing, much has been said about our late colleague by
Members that knew him better than I, many of whom are here today. So I
will leave it to them to speak of his many and varied talents and
abilities.
This naming is a fitting tribute to an exceptionally fine person, a
dedicated public servant, and a respected colleague.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. HONDA. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 787, a bill to name
the courthouse in Sacramento in honor of our former colleague, Robert
T. Matsui. This bill has broad bipartisan support from both his
California colleagues and all of us who had the distinct privilege of
serving with him.
Congressman Matsui's legislative interests and accomplishments are
legendary here in the House. Health care, welfare reform, tax issues,
the environment, immigrant issues, and of course Social Security are
just a few of the issues that Bob made his own.
Bob was only 6 months old when, just months after the attack on Pearl
Harbor, he and his family were interned at Tule Lake camp in
California. His childhood experience in the internment camp shaped his
future actions on behalf of those fighting for fairness. Bob understood
the injustice of the internment and sympathized with other loyal
Americans who suffered at the hands of the government in which they
never lost faith.
He embraced his heritage and channeled his energy into making
positive changes for all Americans. From the time he worked as a member
of the Sacramento City Council to serving as the vice mayor of
Sacramento and finally as a U.S. Representative starting in 1978, Bob
Matsui served as a constant reminder of what integrity and dedication
can accomplish in public office.
{time} 1100
Bob Matsui should ultimately be remembered for his civility, his
dignity and his service to others. He was a selfless role model whose
footprint will forever be imprinted on our Nation's history.
Bob Matsui was intelligent and principled. As a skilled, respected
politician and willing to reach across the aisle, his voice elevated
any debate. His leadership style and his character served as a model
for all of us.
It is certainly fitting that the House honor his exceptional life,
his public service with this very appropriate courthouse designation. I
thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Lewis) and the gentleman from
California (Mr. Thompson) for bringing up this measure in such an
expeditious manner.
Again, I strongly support H.R. 778 and urge my colleagues to join me
in support of this bill.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. SHUSTER. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Wisconsin (Mr. Ryan).
Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Madam Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman
yielding me time.
I just wanted to come and pay tribute to this legislation and speak
in favor of this tribute to Bob Matsui, and it is very fitting
legislation to designate this courthouse.
I wanted to speak personally as a member of the Committee on Ways and
Means, as a younger member of the Committee on Ways and Means, who had
the opportunity to serve with Bob Matsui for 4 years. I have not served
with Bob for the decades that many have in the past, but the Bob Matsui
that I got to know in the Committee on Ways and Means was a very
special man and person.
Bob Matsui was intellectually on the top of his game and was one of
the best intellectual debaters and sparring partners we had, especially
when it came to the issue of Social Security.
My favorite kind of people in the world and in this body are those
who are passionate about their beliefs, whether or not we agree on
those beliefs, and Bob Matsui had a great lesson for those of us
younger Members and it was that you can be as strong and tough in
debate when the microphone's on, but when it is turned off, you can be
good human beings to one another.
Bob Matsui was a very kind gentleman. I was half his age, about the
age of his kids, and I always just felt that he gave me sort of a
mentoring-ship kind of relationship and role. Because every time I had
a conversation with Bob Matsui, he had this nice glint in his eye, and
he was always a person offering a kind word of advice or a kind word of
friendship. That is something that I do not think we have enough of in
this institution. It is something that I thought was a great lesson on
how to conduct yourself among your colleagues, especially across the
aisle.
[[Page H1908]]
So I am really sad to see Bob leave us here, but I think this is an
extremely fitting tribute. I wish that more of us conducted ourselves
in the way that he did, and I just want to lend my word of support to
this fine legislation for just an outstanding and fine man who taught
us a lot on how we can be civil with one another.
Mr. HONDA. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman for his kind
words.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr.
Thompson), my friend and colleague and the author.
(Mr. THOMPSON of California asked and was given permission to revise
and extend his remarks.)
Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Speaker, we are here today to honor a
colleague who honorably served in the House for 26 years, our good
friend, the late Robert T. Matsui.
This bill to rename the U.S. courthouse in Sacramento after Bob is a
small tribute to our friend who always rose above petty, partisan
politics to do what was good and what was right for his district and
for our country.
Bob provided more than a voice for those who could not speak for
themselves. He provided monumental victories and results, not by being
the loudest but by always being the smartest and the most informed
person in any debate.
Bob's legacy of legislative victories directly improved the lives of
millions of Americans spanning several generations. His victories
included protection for single mothers with infants, stronger civil
rights laws and protection of our Nation's most vulnerable seniors.
He also played a key role in crafting fiscal policy for the past 26
years, and before his very untimely death he was leading the effort to
protect Social Security benefits for America's seniors.
Bob left an indelible mark on national policy, but he never forgot
the needs of his district. His district and the greater Sacramento
region were always his number one priority.
Today, we will vote to rename the U.S. courthouse in Sacramento after
Bob Matsui. This courthouse is a symbol of Bob's commitment to his
district. Here in Congress, he was able to secure $142 million that was
used and needed to build that courthouse.
The courthouse not only created 1,200 new jobs in the Sacramento
area, but it was the anchor for redevelopment and revitalization of
downtown Sacramento, California.
It is more than fitting that we name this important building in honor
of a very important figure in our history and our friend, Bob Matsui. I
urge everyone to cast a vote for this bill.
Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from
Connecticut (Mrs. Johnson).
Mrs. JOHNSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for
the time.
I rise to recognize the life and work of Bob Matsui and to support
this legislation which will name the courthouse after him.
Bob was truly a remarkable individual, intellectually very smart but,
more importantly, humanly, deeply in touch with the challenges that
America has faced over his many years of service here. He focused on
the fundamentals. Often they were not sexy, often they did not attract
a great deal of attention in the press, but, for example, he spent many
years working with me and others on trying to build the R&D tax credit
into our Tax Code in a way that would recognize the dependence of
American companies on invention to maintain their position in an
intensely competitive global economy.
He understood the big issues and he understood the small steps that
had to be taken for us to be successful in the macro arenas, whether
the macro arena of economics, the macro arena of strengthening and
supporting families struggling through difficult matters, the security
of our retirees. On so many fronts, Bob Matsui was a thoughtful voice,
profoundly in touch with the challenges our society faces today and
over the many years of his long service.
I salute him and I thank the gentleman for bringing forward this
legislation to name a courthouse after him in his home base.
Mr. HONDA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
California (Mr. Stark), the dean of the delegation.
(Mr. STARK asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. STARK. Mr. Speaker, I rise just to comment. My colleagues will
hear a lot of people talking about our friend Bob Matsui and his
legislative accomplishments. I want to remind everybody that his name
on this Federal courthouse will remind people that it was 6099 that
interned Japanese Americans in the 1940s in violation of what we then
thought were human and civil rights. As we proceed to violate people's
human and civil rights under the PATRIOT Act, I think it will be
appropriate that the Matsui courthouse will be the place where,
hopefully, these rights will be corrected and restored to the American
citizens and residents who deserve them.
I think it is most fitting that this building is named for Robert
Matsui.
Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, we have no speakers at this time, and I
continue to reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. HONDA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New
York (Mr. Rangel), my friend.
(Mr. RANGEL asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this legislation, and I
thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Thompson) and those others who
thought about doing this for our friend Bob Matsui.
So often we read about outstanding Americans who make great
contributions to the country, and yet some of us have never heard of
them. So I feel indeed so privileged and so honored of having served
with one of those people. Notwithstanding how his country treated him,
he decided to make his country treat other people so much better.
Here is a person that served on the Committee on Ways and Means,
which is a privilege to serve, but he enjoyed each and every minute of
it. He was involved in every debate, whether it was fairness in taxes,
Medicare, Social Security, providing assistance to those people who
have less than most people in this country. His compassion was always
mixed with a lot of humor, to make certain that people would take time
out to listen to him when he was serious and at the same time to know
that he was not a politician but was someone who was a patriot who
loved this country.
I really think that he has set an example for so many people who have
reasons to be bitter but certainly can make a better contribution to
life as Bob Matsui has made to his country, to his Congress and to his
family.
I thank God that I had the privilege to know and to be his friend.
Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from
Texas (Mr. Brady).
Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I had the privilege of serving with
Bob Matsui on the Subcommittee on Social Security, and it was a real
privilege.
You always hope that we will send to Congress men and women of just
great decency, who love their country, love their community, love their
family so dearly and are willing to give back to all that and do it in
such a good, positive way. That is what Bob Matsui stood for and still
stands for in my mind.
There is a saying that you make a living by what you get; you make a
life by what you give. By that measure, Bob Matsui had a very rich life
because he gave back so much to this body. He gave back so much in his
example to other Members like myself, and he truly gave back to his
family and his Nation, and I consider it a privilege to have served
with him.
Mr. HONDA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Michigan (Mr. Levin).
(Mr. LEVIN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, Bob Matsui was a pillar of his beloved
Sacramento. He was a pillar of the congressional community. So it is
truly fitting that the courthouse in his beloved city be named after
him.
I think today we should pause and ask what would be the best monument
to Bob Matsui here in Washington, and I think it is clear and that is
that we join together with his wife Doris, who is now a colleague, to
try to carry out
[[Page H1909]]
his hopes, to fulfill his dream that everybody in this country counts,
and when it comes to our work here, everybody should count equally.
So I am pleased to join with my colleagues and this is another moment
of emotion. We very much remember Bob.
Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. HONDA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from
Washington (Mr. McDermott).
Mr. McDERMOTT. Mr. Speaker, I had the opportunity in Seattle to help
bring about the renaming of a courthouse there for a man who won the
Congressional Medal of Honor, a Japanese American. He served in the
422nd and died, and it is very fitting on the West Coast that we find
another courthouse, and we put Bob Matsui's name up.
He was also a hero. He was a Congressional Medal of Honor winner in
the civilian society because he stood for the principle that we are all
in this together, and we are not going to let the past stand in our way
of moving forward.
He was one who was reluctant to come forward on the whole issue of
repayment to Japanese who suffered losses. He felt that once the war
was over it was his job to help the community move forward and be one
Nation, where we all stand together and look after everybody.
The monument to Bob Matsui will be what we do with the PATRIOT Act in
this House in a few weeks. It will be a statement about whether we
learned the message that guys like Bob Matsui tried to teach us.
Mr. HONDA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from
Georgia (Mr. Lewis).
{time} 1115
Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in support of
H.R. 787, to designate the United States Courthouse located in
Sacramento, California, as the Robert T. Matsui United States
Courthouse.
It is so fitting and appropriate that we honor Bob Matsui. In spite
of what the American Government did to him and his family, this good
and decent man never lost faith in America. He loved America. He loved
the people of his district. He was a wonderful human being. Every day
he tried to do his best to bring America together, to create one
America, one family, one House, the American House.
Mr. Speaker, with this legislation I think we are doing the right
thing by honoring Bob Matsui.
Mr. HONDA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Ohio
(Mrs. Jones).
Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I say to the gentlewoman from
California (Ms. Matsui), it gives me great pleasure to speak on the
floor this morning with regard to Bob Matsui. As a former judge, I do
not believe a better name could be placed upon a courthouse for someone
who stood for justice and integrity and looking out for the little
people.
I am pleased to have an opportunity to be here this morning to
support the legislation, and I bring something no other Member has
brought to the gentleman from California yet: my sister and her husband
are moving to Sacramento and are building a house. I am bringing the
gentlewoman two more votes, and I will introduce them to the
gentlewoman when I have an opportunity.
Mr. HONDA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from
Illinois (Mr. Emanuel).
Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bill to name this
courthouse the Robert Matsui Courthouse. I cannot think of anything
more fitting, as others have said, the notion of a courthouse where
justice is weighed and issued for a person who had injustice done to
him and never lost his sense of right and justice. It would have been
easy for Bob to be angry, but he always sought fairness both personally
and professionally.
I think it is quite fitting and it has a sense of poetic justice that
we are naming a courthouse for a gentleman who was not treated fairly
at one time by his country, but who always sought fairness and justice
and equality throughout his life. It is fitting to remember him this
way, someone who will always be part of our family here; and I thank
the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Matsui) for allowing us to be part
of his family.
Mr. HONDA. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Matsui), the wife of Bob Matsui.
Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this
time.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to thank, first of
all, the gentleman from California (Mr. Doolittle) and the gentleman
from California (Mr. Thompson) for sponsoring this legislation. I know
that Bob would have been so proud to know how much effort his two
colleagues have put in to bring this bill to the floor to honor him.
This courthouse, which symbolizes equal justice for all, was a major
accomplishment for Bob personally, but also for the city of Sacramento.
It is such an appropriate way to honor him and his many years in public
service, for the city he loved, Sacramento, and the country he
absolutely adored.
I would also like to thank his other colleagues here, now my
colleagues, for honoring him by speaking here today. I would like to
thank all Members very much and on behalf of Brian, Amy, and my
granddaughter, Anna, for this wonderful honor.
Mr. HONDA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to
close.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the leadership for this opportunity to honor Bob
Matsui, who sought to make this country a more perfect place, and urge
passage of the bill.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, it was an honor for me to manage this bill and to serve
with Bob Matsui. I know my father and my entire family's thoughts and
prayers go out to the Matsui family. As I said, he is a respected
colleague, a fine gentleman, and this is a very fitting tribute. I urge
my colleagues to support this bill.
Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I'm pleased to rise today in support of H.R.
787 and to say a few words for our late colleague, the Honorable Robert
T. Matsui. When Bob passed away on January 1, 2005, we lost a friend,
his constituents lost their most ardent supporter and America, as a
whole, lost a dedicated statesman.
Bob was well respected on both sides of the aisle. A brilliant man
and an honest and fair politician, his leadership on the House Ways and
Means Committee and his expertise and knowledge of Social Security will
be sorely missed in the House for many years to come.
Naming the federal courthouse in Sacramento is a fitting tribute for
a man who did so much for that city. A member of the Sacramento City
Council, Vice-Mayor and eventual Representative of the city in
Congress, Bob served the city of Sacramento in every capacity he could.
In Congress, Bob's efforts in securing funding for Sacramento were
crucial in the revitalization of that city. Among the projects he was
responsible for were the expansion of the city's light rail public
transit system, and the courthouse that will soon bear his name. Both
projects were crucial in creating new jobs and opportunities for the
people of Sacramento.
His passing is a great loss for all of us and I thank my colleagues
on both sides of the aisle for their work in getting this legislation
before the House so quickly, so that we can honor a man we all loved
and respected. I urge all my colleagues to support this resolution.
Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 787, a bill to
designate the new United States courthouse located at 501 I Street in
Sacramento, California in honor of our friend, my dear and treasured
friend and colleague, Congressman Bob Matsui.
Congressman Matsui's death this past January deprived this House of
one of its most astute, most admired statesman. The headline in the
``Sacramento Bee'' newspaper said it well: ``A Good and Decent Man.'' A
lifelong Californian, Bob Matsui served the people of California's 5th
District with dedication, commitment and compassion.
I was able to witness Bob Matsui's commitment to his constituents
first hand when he and I worked together to address flood control
issues for his beloved Sacramento area.
No other major metropolitan area faces as severe a flood risk as
Sacramento. Congressman Matsui believed, as do I, that the capital city
of the world's fifth largest economy deserved to know that it would not
face severe threats from flooding.
Following the high flows of 1986, when the levees almost failed,
Congressman Matsui worked tirelessly to improve flood protection.
[[Page H1910]]
He examined every option. He worked to forge agreement to complete a
dam at Auburn, California. It was to be a multipurpose dam, then a dry
dam, and then ultimately, no dam, but assurance of adequate water
supply for up-country users represented by Congressman John Doolittle.
Because of Bob Matsui's persistence, original thinking, flexibility and
collegiality, we were able to develop a comprehensive proposal that
strengthens levees, makes use of the existing Folsom Dam, and preserves
the beautiful American River Canyon.
As this project comes to completion over the next few years, every
Spring, when the snows melt and rains come, and the State Capitol in
Sacramento stays dry, the people of California and the Nation will owe
a debt of gratitude to Bob Matsui for his persistence and wisdom on
behalf of flood control.
Flood control is just one example of Bob Matsui's dedication and
effectiveness. There are countless other examples.
In his first congressional race in 1978, Congressman Matsui
campaigned as an underdog who vowed to bring new statesmanship to
public office. His campaign was enriched by literally hundreds of
volunteers that helped him achieve victory. Bob Matsui did not
disappoint his constituents. He brought not only statesmanship, but
also dedication, competence, innovation, and integrity to public
service.
Elected to 14 consecutive terms in the House, Bob Matsui rose through
the ranks to be a member of the Leadership team. Under his quiet
demeanor lay a man of keen intellect who was a trusted friend and a
formidable competitor.
As a senior member of the Committee on Ways and Means, Congressman
Matsui was substantially involved with all the complex policy issues
placed before the Committee including international trade, health care,
welfare reform, and tax issues.
Congressman Matsui helped create the Research and Development Tax
Credit in 1981 to fuel innovation in the American economy. In 1986, he
spearheaded efforts that resulted in extensive reform of the tax code.
His work on the Earned Income Tax Credit helped extend the tax credit
for working poor families.
Most recently, Congressman Matsui was preparing to lead the
discussions regarding the future of social security and his desire to
preserve social security for future generations. Bob Matsui truly
understood the varied complexities of the social security program, and
he was determined that any reform of social security would provide for
its long-term solvency without compromising its fundamental purposes.
Bob Matsui was intellectually curious and honest. He was fair minded
and even handed. His legacy is one of compassion, commitment to do the
right thing, hard work, and wisdom.
Congressman Matsui is ably succeeded by his wife Doris Matsui. She
has already done an admirable job of representing the people of
California's 5th District and I am confident that she will continue to
do so.
It is most fitting and proper that the career of this truly
outstanding member be honored with the designation of the new
courthouse in his hometown of Sacramento, California as the ``Robert T.
Matsui United States Courthouse.'' I urge the bill's passage.
Mr. THOMAS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today as a cosponsor of this
legislation, which will name the Federal courthouse in Sacramento after
our former colleague and friend, the late Representative Bob Matsui.
As many of you know, we both arrived in Washington in 1979 as newly
elected Congressmen from opposite ends of California's vast Central
Valley. For more than 20 years, we worked together on issues of
importance to California, such as securing funding to combat drug
trafficking and to gain a better understanding of the challenges posed
by California's air quality. Through these efforts, as well as through
his work on the Committee on Ways and Means, I saw first-hand Bob's
commitment to, and strong advocacy of, his principles and how he served
his constituents with honor and distinction.
Naming a Federal courthouse, where our Nation's laws and constitution
are used to dispense justice, is a fitting way to remember Bob.
Notwithstanding his service as a Member of the U.S. Congress, he was
one of the more than 120,000 persons of Japanese ancestry who, pursuant
to Executive Order 9066, were forcibly removed from their homes by our
government and detained during World War II. Undoubtedly, this
experience had a profound impact upon his life and career.
Accordingly, I now ask my colleagues to pass this legislation in
honor Bob's service to his constituents and Nation.
Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Simpson). The question is on the motion
offered by the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Shuster) that the House
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 787.
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. HONDA. 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.
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