[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 123 (Wednesday, September 27, 2006)]
[House]
[Pages H7628-H7630]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CLYDE S. CAHILL MEMORIAL PARK
Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 1556) to designate a parcel of land located on the site of
the Thomas F.
[[Page H7629]]
Eagleton United States Courthouse in St. Louis, Missouri, as the
``Clyde S. Cahill Memorial Park''.
The Clerk read as follows:
H.R. 1556
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. DESIGNATION.
The parcel of land described in section 3, and located on
the site of the Thomas F. Eagleton United States Courthouse
in St. Louis, Missouri, shall be known and designated as the
``Clyde S. Cahill Memorial Park''.
SEC. 2. REFERENCES.
Any reference in a law, map, regulation, document, paper,
or other record of the United States to the parcel of land
described in section 3 shall be deemed to be a reference to
the ``Clyde S. Cahill Memorial Park''.
SEC. 3. PROPERTY DESCRIPTION.
The parcel of land designated under section 1 is the parcel
bounded by South 10th Street, Clark Avenue, South 9th Street,
and Walnut Street in St. Louis, Missouri.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Pennsylvania (Mr. Shuster) and the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms.
Corrine Brown) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania.
Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
H.R. 1556, introduced by Representative Lacy Clay, designates a
parcel of land located on the site of the Thomas F. Eagleton United
States Courthouse in St. Louis, Missouri as the Clyde S. Cahill
Memorial Park. The bill honors Judge Clyde S. Cahill, who was the first
African American to be appointed to the U.S. District Court of the
Eastern District of Missouri.
After serving in the U.S. Air Force during World War II and acquiring
a law degree from St. Louis University Law School, Judge Clyde S.
Cahill engaged in the private practice of law in 1951. From 1958
through 1968, he served as chief legal adviser to the Missouri NAACP.
While with the NAACP, he filed the first lawsuit in Missouri to
implement the Supreme Court's decision in Brown v. Board of Education,
helping to end school segregation in Missouri.
Judge Cahill was appointed to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern
District of Missouri in 1980. Judge Cahill had a reputation for being
courteous and compassionate. He passed away on August 18, 2004, at age
81.
I support this legislation and encourage my colleagues to do the
same.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time
as I may consume.
H.R. 1556 is a bill to designate the land located in the site of the
Thomas F. Eagleton United States Courthouse in St. Louis, Missouri as
the Clyde S. Cahill Memorial Park. This parcel of land is bounded by
South Tenth St., Clark Avenue, South Ninth Street, and Walnut Avenue in
St. Louis.
Judge Cahill was the first African American Federal district judge to
serve in the eighth circuit. A native Missourian, he was born in 1923.
He attended local elementary and high schools. After graduating from
high school, he joined the U.S. Air Force and served in World War II
from 1942 until 1946.
When he returned from the war, he continued his education at the
University of St. Louis. He graduated from St. Louis University Law
School in 1951 and began private practice. In 1954 he joined the Office
of the Circuit Attorney for the City of St. Louis. In 1972, he became
the executive director and general counsel for the Legal Aid Society of
St. Louis. From 1975 until 1980, he served as circuit court judge of
the Twenty-Second Judicial Circuit of the State of Missouri in St.
Louis.
He was appointed by President Carter on May 23, 1980 to the Federal
court. Judge Cahill became the first African American to be appointed
to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of
Missouri.
He was known for being both compassionate and courteous. However, he
frequently challenged the flaws in the judiciary system and was
critical of Federal sentencing guidelines which he believed were
sometimes inappropriately severe. He served as a role model for many
young lawyers and civil servants.
Judge Cahill died in 2004. Due to his lifetime of judicial
excellence, it is both fitting and just that the park area located in
the Thomas Eagleton U.S. Courthouse be designated in his honor.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my
time.
Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. I yield such time as he may consume to
the sponsor of the bill, Mr. Clay.
Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Florida, as well
as my friend and chairman, Chairman Shuster of Pennsylvania. I thank
them both for their support of this bill.
I rise in support of H.R. 1556, a bill to designate a park in the
City of St. Louis in honor of the late Judge Clyde S. Cahill.
Judge Cahill served on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern
District of Missouri for more than two decades, appointed by President
Jimmy Carter in 1980. Judge Cahill was the first African American to
serve in the eighth circuit court.
The Honorable Clyde S. Cahill, Jr., was a native St. Louisian. He
graduated from Vashon High School and served in the U.S. Air Force
during World War II. He went on to graduate from St. Louis University
and St. Louis University School of Law.
Early in his legal career, Mr. Cahill served as chief legal adviser
to the Missouri office of the NAACP and filed the first lawsuit in the
State of Missouri calling for enforcement of the landmark Supreme Court
ruling in Brown v. The Board of Education.
Throughout his career, Clyde Cahill demonstrated a deep commitment to
improving the quality of life in the African American community. He was
a leader in the struggle for civil rights, and he was active in many
domestic programs to help the poor and disadvantaged.
In 1966, he joined the U.S. Office of Economic Opportunity, and later
he went to work for the St. Louis Human Development Corporation. He
also served as executive director and general counsel for the Legal
Society of St. Louis, where he played a pivotal role in expanding legal
aid services throughout eastern Missouri. Judge Cahill was truly a
dedicated public servant who spent his life pursuing justice and
equality for others.
Today, throughout St. Louis, Judge Cahill is fondly remembered for
his courteous style and his compassionate heart. He was a hardworking
man with a generous spirit who helped to improve the lives of countless
citizens, some who knew him well and others who never even met him.
Judge Cahill's contributions will benefit generations, and St.
Louisians will forever cherish his memory.
I also want to add, Mr. Speaker, that I grew up knowing Judge Cahill
going to school with his children. We are friends to this day. I ask my
colleagues to support H.R. 1556, a bill to designate a site at the
Thomas F. Eagleton United States Courthouse as the Clyde S. Cahill
Memorial Park.
Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1556, a bill to
designate the land located on the site of the Thomas F. Eagleton United
States Courthouse in St. Louis, MO, as the Clyde S. Cahill Memorial
Park. This parcel of land is bounded by South 10th Street, Clark
Avenue, South 9th Street, and Walnut Avenue in St. Louis.
Judge Cahill, a native Missourian, was born in St. Louis in April
1923. He attended local elementary schools and Vashon High School.
After graduating from high school, he joined the U.S. Army Air Corps
and served in World War II from 1942 until 1946.
When he returned from the war he continued his education at the
University of St. Louis. He graduated from St. Louis University Law
School in 1951. After graduation, Judge Cahill engaged in private
practice until 1954 when he joined the staff of the circuit attorney of
the city of St. Louis. From 1958 to 1965, he served as the chief legal
advisor to the Missouri NAACP and filed the first lawsuit in Missouri
to implement the Supreme Court's decision in Brown v. Board of
Education.
From 1975 until 1980, Judge Cahill served as a circuit judge on the
22nd Judicial Circuit of the State of Missouri in St. Louis. With his
appointment to the Federal court by President Carter on May 23, 1980,
Judge Cahill became the first African-American to be appointed to the
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri.
Judge Cahill was known for being both compassionate and courteous.
However, he frequently challenged the flaws in the judicial system and
was critical of Federal sentencing guidelines, which he believed were
sometimes inappropriately severe. He served as a role
[[Page H7630]]
model for many young lawyers and civil servants.
Judge Cahill died peacefully in 2004. Due to his lifetime of judicial
excellence, it is both fitting and just that the park area located at
the Thomas Eagleton U.S. Courthouse be designated in his honor.
I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 1556.
Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. I yield back the balance of my time,
Mr. Speaker.
Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. 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. 1556.
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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