[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 141 (Monday, September 8, 2008)]
[House]
[Pages H7816-H7817]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1430
              THEODORE ROOSEVELT UNITED STATES COURTHOUSE

  Mr. CARNEY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
Senate bill (S. 2837) to designate the United States courthouse located 
at 225 Cadman Plaza East, Brooklyn, New York, as the ``Theodore 
Roosevelt United States Courthouse''.
  The Clerk read the title of the Senate bill.
  The text of the Senate bill is as follows:

                                S. 2837

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. THEODORE ROOSEVELT UNITED STATES COURTHOUSE.

       (a) Designation.--The United States courthouse located at 
     225 Cadman Plaza East, Brooklyn, New York, shall be known and 
     designated as the ``Theodore Roosevelt United States 
     Courthouse''.
       (b) 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 subsection (a) shall 
     be deemed to be a reference to the ``Theodore Roosevelt 
     United States Courthouse''.

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


                             General Leave

  Mr. CARNEY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
to include extraneous material on S. 2837.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. CARNEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 2837, a bill which designates 
the courthouse located at 225 Cadman Plaza East, Brooklyn, New York, as 
the Theodore Roosevelt United States Courthouse.
  As we all know, President Roosevelt was the 26th President of the 
United States. He led an extraordinary life. He steered the United 
States into world politics and was a polished and accomplished public 
servant and indeed was a Nobel Peace Prize winner.
  Theodore Roosevelt was born in New York City on October 27, 1858, and 
died in Oyster Bay, New York, in 1919. He served as the 26th President 
of the United States. During his youth, he struggled with ill health 
and later dedicated his life to strenuous outdoor activities and 
Spartan living. He served during the Spanish American War, leading the 
Rough Rider Regiment, which became famous during the battle of San Juan 
Hill.
  He was elected Governor of New York in 1898. Upon the assassination 
of President McKinley in 1901, he became President, and served until 
1909. He believed the government should serve as an equal and fair 
arbiter between great economic forces such as labor and management.
  Roosevelt's life was rich with varied experiences. He served as 
Police Commissioner of New York City, Governor of New York, and was an 
avid outdoorsman and naturalist, an ardent conservationist, and the 
author of 26 books. As I mentioned before, he was awarded the Nobel 
Peace Prize in 1905. He died peacefully in his sleep in 1919.
  I support this bill, and I urge my colleagues to join me in 
supporting it.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. KING of Iowa. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  S. 2837 designates the United States Courthouse in Brooklyn, New 
York, as the Theodore Roosevelt United States Courthouse.
  Theodore Roosevelt, one of our most famous Presidents and a true 
American icon, was born in New York City in 1858. In many ways, Teddy 
Roosevelt defies easy description. Over the course of his amazing life 
he was an historian, explorer, a hunter, a frontiersman, a 
conservationist, an author, a soldier, a political reformer, a 
Governor, and he was our Nation's youngest President.
  After graduating from Harvard in 1880, he was elected to the New York 
Assembly, where he was a prolific Republican activist.
  In 1884, after the tragic loss of his first wife and his mother, he 
struck out for the Western Frontier. In the Dakotas, Roosevelt became 
an avid hunter and rancher. As a deputy sheriff, he chased down horse 
thieves and criminals. The tough cowboy persona Roosevelt developed on 
the frontier would stay with him for the rest of his life.
  Roosevelt made his mark as a political reformer when he became 
President of the New York City Police Commissioners and took on the 
corrupt practices of the time.
  When the Spanish American War broke out in 1898, Roosevelt resigned 
his position as Assistant Secretary of the Navy to organize and lead a 
volunteer cavalry brigade, known as the Rough Riders. Roosevelt and the 
Rough Riders became famous for their assault on San Juan Hill.
  After Roosevelt's success on the battlefield, he was elected the 
Governor of New York, as a Republican. Roosevelt's reputation as a 
political reformer grew as he took on the State's machine politics and 
corruption.
  His reputation as a reformer helped put him on the McKinley 
Presidential ticket. Roosevelt was a powerful campaign asset and helped 
lead the landslide Republican victory in the 1900 election. Roosevelt 
became the youngest American President ever, at age 42, when President 
McKinley was tragically assassinated. The year then was 1901.
  Teddy Roosevelt was a strong political reformer, a conservationist, 
which I identify with, and the President that elevated the United 
States to a world power. Roosevelt busted up monopolies and trusts. He 
created the National Park Service, the Forest Service, he built the 
Panama Canal, and he expanded the United States Navy into a fleet 
capable of projecting U.S. power

[[Page H7817]]

into every corner of the globe. Roosevelt's foreign policy can be 
summed up in one sentence: ``Speak softly and carry a big stick.''
  President Roosevelt will be forever known as an American icon and one 
of our best Presidents. It is fitting that this courthouse in Brooklyn 
will bear his name. I look forward to the inspiration that will be 
given from that courthouse to especially the young people who walk into 
those doors in Brooklyn. I urge that my colleagues support this bill.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of S. 2837, a 
bill to designate the U.S. courthouse located at 225 Cadman Plaza East, 
Brooklyn, New York, as the ``Theodore Roosevelt United States 
Courthouse''. This bill honors former President Theodore Roosevelt, who 
at various times served as a member of the United States Civil Service 
Commission, President of the New York Board of Police Commissioners, 
Assistant Secretary of the Navy, and as a Colonel of a voluntary 
cavalry regiment of the United States Army during the Spanish-American 
War, which became known as ``Roosevelt's Rough Riders''.
  President Roosevelt also has the distinction of becoming, at the age 
of 42 in 1901, the youngest serving president at that time. During his 
two terms in office, President Roosevelt's list of achievements include 
facilitating and ensuring the construction of the Panama Canal, 
establishing the Department of Commerce and the Department of Labor, 
signing the Elkins Anti-Rebate Act for railroads, and greatly advancing 
environmental conservation efforts by providing Federal protection for 
close to 230 million acres of land. He was also awarded the Nobel Peace 
Prize in 1906, for his work in ending the Russo-Japanese War.
  Becaue of his honorable and distinguished service it is appropriate 
to name the U.S. courthouse in Brooklyn, New York, as the ``Theodore 
Roosevelt United States Courthouse''.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in support of S. 2837.
  Mr. KING of Iowa. I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. CARNEY. I yield back as well.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Carney) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the Senate bill, S. 2837.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. CARNEY. 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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