[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 52 (Monday, March 26, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H3022-H3023]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        RAFAEL MARTINEZ NADAL UNITED STATES CUSTOMHOUSE BUILDING

  Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 1019) to designate the United States Customhouse Building located 
at 31 Gonzalez Clemente Avenue in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, as the 
``Rafael Martinez Nadal United States Customhouse Building''.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 1019

       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 customhouse building located at 31 
     Gonzalez Clemente Avenue in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, shall be 
     known and designated as the ``Rafael Martinez Nadal United 
     States Customhouse Building''.

     SEC. 2. REFERENCES.

       Any reference in a law, map, regulation, document, paper, 
     or other record of the United States to the United States 
     customhouse building referred to in section 1 shall be deemed 
     to be a reference to the ``Rafael Martinez Nadal United 
     States Customhouse Building''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Tennessee (Mr. Cohen) and the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. LaTourette) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Tennessee.


                             General Leave

  Mr. COHEN. 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. 1019.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Tennessee?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1019 is a bill to designate the United States 
Customhouse Building located at 31 Gonzalez Clemente Avenue in 
Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, as the Rafael Martinez Nadal United States 
Customhouse Building.
  Although Don Rafael Martinez Nadal was born in the city of Mayaguez 
on April 22, 1877, he resided and passed away in Guaynabo. He received 
his college degree in philosophy and letters from the Provincial 
Institute of Secondary Education in San Juan. At 16, he was sent to 
Barcelona, Spain, to study law.
  In August, 1904, he returned to Mayaguez and began to study coffee 
growing agriculture. Simultaneously, he began his first successful 
attempts in the media and politics with the Puerto Rican Republican 
Party. In 1908, he founded the political newspaper El Combate. In 1912, 
he obtained his law degree and became one of the most

[[Page H3023]]

prominent men in the Puerto Rican political arena. He was considered 
one of the most famous criminal lawyers of the time.
  In 1914, he was elected as a member of the Chamber of Delegates for 
the city of Ponce by the Puerto Rican Republican Party. In 1920, he was 
chosen by the same party to serve in the Senate and was re-elected in 
the next five general elections. When the alliance of the Union of 
Puerto Rico Party and the Puerto Rican Republican Party formed in 1924, 
Nadal left the Republican Party and initiated a political movement 
called the Pure Republican Party, which registered officially as the 
Historical Constitutional Party.
  Later, he founded the Republican Union, working to advance the ideal 
of statehood for Puerto Rico. In coalition with the Socialist Party, 
the Republican Union triumphed in the general elections of 1932 and 
1936. In both terms, Nadal presided over the Senate. Before the 
election of 1940, because of a serious illness, he returned to his 
Guaynabo residence. He died there on July 6, 1941.
  In honor of Rafael Martinez Nadal's outstanding contributions to the 
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and his exemplary professional writing 
career, it is both fitting and proper to designate the courthouse 
located at 31 Gonzalez Clemente Avenue in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, as the 
``Rafael Martinez Nadal United States Customhouse Building.''
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1019, introduced by my friend and colleague, 
Congressman Fortuno of Puerto Rico, designates the United States 
Customhouse Building located at 31 Gonzalez Clemente Avenue in 
Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, as the ``Rafael Martinez Nadal United States 
Customhouse Building.'' This bill honors Rafael Martinez Nadal's 
contributions to the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
  Rafael Martinez Nadal was born in the city of Mayaguez on April 22, 
1877. In 1912, he became a lawyer and entered the Puerto Rican 
political arena. He was considered one of the most famous criminal 
lawyers in Puerto Rico at that time.
  In 1914, Rafael Martinez Nadal was elected to Puerto Rico's House of 
Representatives for the District of Ponce. In 1920, he was elected to 
Puerto Rico's Senate, where he served as its President from 1932 to 
1940.
  Rafael Martinez Nadal was a strong defender of statehood in Puerto 
Rico and has been described as a political leader, a writer, a 
successful businessman, a brilliant orator and a distinguished lawyer. 
He passed away in July of 1941.
  I support this legislation, congratulate my friend Congressman 
Fortuno, and urge our colleagues to do the same.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1019, a 
bill to designate the United States customhouse building located at 31 
Gonzalez Clemente Avenue in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, as the ``Rafael 
Martinez Nadal United States Customhouse Building''.
  Don Rafael Martinez Nadal was born in the city of Mayaguez on April 
22, 1877. He received his college degree in Philosophy and Letters from 
the Provincial Institute of Secondary Education in San Juan.
  He pursued studies in Barcelona, Spain, and Paris, France. He 
returned to Mayaguez in 1904 and began studying the cultivation of 
coffee. Simultaneously, he pursued his interest in media and politics 
and joined the Puerto Rican Republican Party. In 1908, he founded the 
political newspaper El Combate. In 1912, he obtained his law degree, 
and became one of the most prominent men of the Puerto Rican political 
arena. He was considered one of the most famous criminal lawyers in 
Puerto Rico of his time.
  In 1914, he was elected as a member of the Chamber of Delegates for 
the city of Ponce by the Puerto Rican Republican Party. In 1920, he was 
chosen by the same party to serve in the Senate and was re-elected in 
the next five general elections. Nadal left the Puerto Rican Republican 
Party and launched a political movement that became known as the 
Historical Constitutional Party. Later, he founded the Republican 
Union, working to advance the cause of Puerto Rican statehood. In 
coalition with the Socialist Party, the Republican Union triumphed in 
the general elections of 1932 and 1936. In both terms, Martinez Nadal 
presided over the Senate. Before the election of 1940, because of a 
serious illness, he returned to his Guaynabo residence. He died on July 
6, 1941.
  In honor of Rafael Martinez Nadal's outstanding contributions to the 
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, it is both fitting and proper to designate 
the courthouse located at 31 Gonzalez Clemente Avenue in Mayaguez, 
Puerto Rico, as the ``Rafael Martinez Nadal United States Customhouse 
Building''.
  I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
  Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, if the majority has no additional 
speakers, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to be here on this bipartisan 
Federal customs building, and I yield back my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Cohen) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 1019.
  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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