[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 43 (Tuesday, March 13, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H2457-H2458]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        SCOTT REED FEDERAL BUILDING AND UNITED STATES COURTHOUSE

  Mr. BOSWELL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 478) to designate the Federal building and United States 
courthouse located at 101 Barr Street in Lexington, Kentucky, as the 
``Scott Reed Federal Building and United States Courthouse''.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                                H.R. 478

       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 101 Barr Street in Lexington, Kentucky, shall be known and 
     designated as the ``Scott Reed 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 ``Scott Reed Federal 
     Building and United States Courthouse''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Iowa (Mr. Boswell) and the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Graves) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Iowa.


                             General Leave

  Mr. BOSWELL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their 
remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 478.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Iowa?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. BOSWELL. Mr. Speaker, I would yield myself such time as I may 
consume and will be yielding to the gentleman from Kentucky very 
shortly.
  I would appreciate very much, if this has been designated, to be 
recognized, and would recognize the gentleman from Missouri.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GRAVES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, it is great that I got the opportunity today to work 
with the gentleman from Iowa. We have worked on several things, and I 
think this is a very fitting bill.
  H.R. 478 designates the Federal building and the United States 
courthouse located at 101 Barr Street in Lexington, Kentucky as the 
Scott Reed Federal Building and United States Courthouse. The bill 
recognizes Judge Reed's service to the legal profession.
  Judge Scott Reed graduated from the University of Kentucky College of 
Law where he received many honors. Judge Reed's career as a jurist 
began in 1964, when he became Fayette Circuit Court judge. Five years 
later, he was elected to the Kentucky Court of Appeals, where he sat 
for over 7 years. During the mid 1970s, Judge Reed played an 
instrumental role in the recognition of Kentucky's judicial system, 
which created the Kentucky Supreme Court. Judge Reed was elected to 
serve as the first Chief Justice of Kentucky in 1976. His opinions from 
the Supreme Court of Kentucky have received national acclaim for their 
content.

                              {time}  1345

  In 1979 he was named U.S. district judge for the Eastern District of 
Kentucky, and he served as U.S. district judge until he retired in 
1990.
  Mr. Speaker, I support this legislation, and I encourage my 
colleagues to do the same. This is a very fitting individual and a 
fitting tribute to him.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BOSWELL. Mr. Speaker, at this time I would like to yield such 
time as he may consume to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Chandler).
  Mr. CHANDLER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Iowa for his 
help on this legislation, something that is near and dear to my heart. 
I also thank the gentleman from Missouri for his nice words.
  This courthouse and the naming of this courthouse is very special to 
many people in Kentucky because Scott Reed was a special man.
  H.R. 478 is a bill to designate the Federal building and United 
States courthouse located at 101 Barr Street in Lexington, Kentucky as 
the ``Scott Reed Federal Building and United States Courthouse.'' I can 
think of no other individual more deserving, no other public servant 
more worthy, and no other action more appropriate than naming the 
Federal courthouse in Lexington after the Honorable Scott Reed.
  Prominent central Kentucky attorney, first Chief Justice of the 
Kentucky Supreme Court, and Federal judge, Scott Reed exemplifies the 
definition of honor and integrity.
  Born in Lexington, Kentucky, on July 3, 1921, Scott Reed graduated 
with distinction from the University of Kentucky. While in college, he 
was editor-in-chief of the Kentucky Law Journal and awarded the order 
of the Coif, the highest academic award that can be given to a law 
graduate. He was also a member of the Phi Delta Phi Fraternity.
  He achieved many honors at the University of Kentucky, culminating 
upon graduation as the recipient of the Algernon Sydney Sullivan 
Medallion, a prestigious award recognizing outstanding character and 
humanitarian service.
  Prior to his time on the bench, Scott Reed was County Attorney. He 
was retained as counsel for the Fayette County School Board and 
distinguished himself as a trial lawyer of great integrity. He served 
from 1948 through 1956 as an associate professor at the University of 
Kentucky College of Law. From 1964 until 1969, he was judge of the 
First Division of the Fayette Circuit Court, the top trial court in 
Kentucky's second largest county. He then was elected to the Kentucky 
Court of Appeals, at that time the highest court in the Commonwealth.

[[Page H2458]]

  As Chief Judge of the Kentucky Court of Appeals, Judge Reed oversaw 
the passage of a constitutional amendment that unified and modernized 
Kentucky's court system. As part of the modernization, the Court of 
Appeals became the Kentucky Supreme Court. Reed was elected by his 
fellow justices at that time to be the first Chief Justice of the 
Commonwealth of Kentucky. As Chief Justice, he oversaw the 
implementation of a constitutional amendment that led to Kentucky's 
having one of the most efficient court systems in the country. The 
Chief Justice of the Commonwealth holds equal rank with the Governor, 
the latter being the head of the Executive Branch and Chief Justice 
serving as the head of the Judiciary and its myriad of administrative 
offices throughout the State. Judge Reed was elected as a Fellow in the 
National College of the Judiciary in 1965 and was a voting member of 
the American Law Institute, a body of scholarly people who shape the 
laws of our Nation.
  The opinions written by Scott Reed during his time on the Supreme 
Court of Kentucky have received national acclaim. Judge Reed was a 
frequent lecturer to the National College of Trial Judges and has 
achieved the highest honors that can be bestowed on a member of his 
profession.
  In 1979 he was appointed by President Jimmy Carter to be U.S. 
district judge for the Eastern District of Kentucky. He served as a 
U.S. district judge until he retired in 1990, rounding out his judicial 
career having served on the local, State, and Federal benches. Scott 
Reed was named to the University of Kentucky College of Law Hall of 
Distinguished Alumni on April 11, 1980.
  Judge Reed passed away on February 17, 1994, but his legacy will 
always be a part of Kentucky's rich history. He richly deserves this 
honor, one that is indeed long overdue.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague Mr. Rogers of Kentucky for being a 
cosponsor of this legislation. Again, I thank my colleagues from Iowa 
and Missouri for their help on bringing this to the floor, and I urge 
its passage.
  Mr. GRAVES. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. BOSWELL. Mr. Speaker, I would associate myself with the remarks 
Mr. Chandler made. I appreciate that. Judge Reed was truly an 
outstanding individual in many respects and served with great 
distinction.
  Mr. Speaker, I support H.R. 478 and urge its passage.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 478, a 
bill to designate the Federal building located at 101 Barr Street in 
Lexington, Kentucky, as the ``Scott Reed Federal Building and United 
States Courthouse''. The bill was introduced by the gentleman from 
Kentucky (Mr. Chandler) and his colleague from Kentucky (Mr. Rogers).
  Scott Reed was born in Lexington, Kentucky, in 1921. He attended 
local schools and graduated from the University of Kentucky College of 
Law in 1945. While at the University, Reed received many awards and 
honors, including the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Medallion for 
excellence.
  The first years of Judge Reed's career were spent in private practice 
during which he distinguished himself as a trial lawyer of great 
integrity. During this time, he also taught at the University of 
Kentucky College of Law.
  From 1964 to 1969, Judge Reed was judge of the First Division of the 
Fayette Circuit Court. From 1969 until 1976, he served on the Court of 
Appeals, 5th Appellate District. In 1976, Judge Reed became the Chief 
Justice of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, a position which holds equal 
rank with the Governor. His opinions from the Supreme Court of Kentucky 
have received national attention for their scholarly content and 
careful judicial reasoning.
  In August, 1979, Judge Reed was nominated by President Carter to the 
federal bench. He was confirmed later that year and served until his 
death in 1994. During his confirmation hearing, Judge Reed was 
characterized as possessing a great sense of fairness and objectivity, 
practical legal experience, and great respect for the law and its 
responsibility to our Nation's citizens. Both Senator Huddleston and 
Senator Ford participated in Judge Reed's confirmation hearing.
  Judge Reed enjoyed a rich and rewarding career. His contributions to 
the American judicial system are exceptional. It is fitting that the 
United States Courthouse located in Lexington, Kentucky, bear his name 
to honor his distinguished career and enduring legacy.
  I support H.R. 478 and urge its passage.
  Mr. BOSWELL. 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 Iowa (Mr. Boswell) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the bill, H.R. 478.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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