[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 43 (Tuesday, March 13, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H2459-H2460]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         CONRAD DUBERSTEIN UNITED STATES BANKRUPTCY COURTHOUSE

  Mr. BOSWELL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 430) to designate the United States bankruptcy courthouse 
located at 271 Cadman Plaza East, Brooklyn, New York, as the ``Conrad 
Duberstein United States Bankruptcy Courthouse,'' as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                                H.R. 430

       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 bankruptcy courthouse located at 271 
     Cadman Plaza East in Brooklyn, New York, shall be known and 
     designated as the ``Conrad B. Duberstein United States 
     Bankruptcy Courthouse''.

     SEC. 2. REFERENCES.

       Any reference in a law, map, regulation, document, paper, 
     or other record of the United States to the United States 
     bankruptcy courthouse referred to in section 1 shall be 
     deemed to be a reference to the ``Conrad B. Duberstein United 
     States Bankruptcy 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 include extraneous material on H.R. 430.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Iowa?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. BOSWELL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, a quote from Chief Justice John Marshall was recently 
used at St. John's Law School, Judge Duberstein's alma mater, to 
describe Judge Duberstein: ``Once in a while a man mounts the bench 
with the salt of like, the spice of wisdom, and the sweetness of humor 
blended in him so subtly and yet so successfully that those who are 
quite unlearned in the law glimpse some of its beauties.'' This quote 
so aptly describes Judge Duberstein.
  Judge Duberstein was a proud product of New York. He attended school 
in the Bronx, college in Brooklyn, and received his law degree from St. 
John's University Law School. His high school alma mater is also the 
alma mater of former Secretary of State Colin Powell.
  The words wisdom, fairness, beloved mentor, humor, humility, and 
humanity are used not only to describe his life but also reflects the 
principles he brought to his law practice. He was a judge guided by a 
sense of fairness and perpetual desire for nothing but justice for all 
who were in his courts. His accomplishments were without bounds. Judge 
Duberstein practiced bankruptcy law for over six decades, and when he 
died in his 90s, he was the oldest surviving bankruptcy judge in the 
country.
  Designating the courthouse in his honor is a most fitting tribute to 
the extraordinary life and work of Judge Conrad B. Duberstein.
  I support H.R. 430 and urge its passage.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GRAVES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, in addition to what the gentleman from Iowa pointed out, 
Judge Duberstein's tremendous contributions in law, I might also add to 
that, Judge Duberstein served in the United States Army. We have 
actually named a few courthouses over the last couple of months after 
individuals who are World War II veterans, and they are all just 
outstanding individuals.
  Judge Duberstein did serve in the Army during World War II, and he 
was awarded the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star, and the Combat Infantry 
Badge. After the war he engaged in the private practice of law, where, 
again, his prominence as a bankruptcy attorney grew large.
  The gentleman from Iowa pointed out his many contributions to law and 
obviously to the State of New York. This is another bill, Mr. Speaker, 
where I think it is a fitting tribute, to say the least, and I 
wholeheartedly support this bill and urge my colleagues to do the same.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. BOSWELL. Mr. Speaker, I urge the passage of H.R. 430 to a person 
very deserving.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 430, a 
bill introduced by the gentleman from Brooklyn, New York (Mr. Towns), 
to designate the United States Bankruptcy Courthouse located at 271 
Cadman Plaza in Brooklyn, New York, as the ``Conrad B. Duberstein 
United States Bankruptcy Courthouse''.
  This bill has the unanimous support of the judges of the United 
States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of New York. At the 
time of his death, on November 18, 2005, at the age of 90, Judge 
Duberstein was the oldest serving Chief Bankruptcy Judge in the 
country.
  Judge Duberstein is a native New Yorker, born in the Bronx in 1915. 
He was 17 years old when his father died. As a result, he dropped out 
of school to support his mother and two sisters. In 1934, he received 
his high school diploma from the Morris Evening High School. In 1938, 
he graduated from Brooklyn College and, in 1942, he received his law 
degree from St. John's University Law School. While a law student, he 
served on the St. John's University Law Review.
  Judge Duberstein was admitted to the New York State Bar in 1942. In 
the same year, he took the oath for admission to practice before the 
United States District Court for the Eastern District in the very 
building which today we designate in his honor.
  Judge Duberstein was drafted and served with distinction in World War 
II from 1943 until 1946. He was stationed in Northern Italy, where he 
was wounded. He was awarded the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star, and the 
Combat Infantry Badge. While in Italy, he had the honor of being 
granted an audience with Pope Pius XII.

[[Page H2460]]

  In 1981, he was appointed to the Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern 
District in New York. In 1984, the Board of Judges appointed him as the 
Chief Judge. His work was noted for its thoroughness, extensive 
analysis, and scholarly approach. He was a person known by his humility 
and humanity. He worked tirelessly to enable persons of every faith, 
race, and origin to achieve a ``fresh start,'' consistent with 
bankruptcy laws. He was beloved and revered by his colleagues. It is 
both fitting and proper that the bankruptcy courthouse in Brooklyn, New 
York, be designated in his honor.
  I support the bill 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. 430, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  The title was amended so as to read: ``A bill to designate the United 
States bankruptcy courthouse located at 271 Cadman Plaza East in 
Brooklyn, New York, as the `Conrad B. Duberstein United States 
Bankruptcy Courthouse'.''.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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