[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 52 (Wednesday, April 14, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H2516-H2517]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     JOHN C. GODBOLD UNITED STATES JUDICIAL ADMINISTRATION BUILDING

  Mr. CUMMINGS. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 4275) to designate the annex building under construction for 
the Elbert P. Tuttle United States Court of Appeals Building in 
Atlanta, Georgia, as the ``John C. Godbold United States Judicial 
Administration Building'', as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 4275

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

     SECTION 1. DESIGNATION.

       The annex building under construction for the United States 
     courthouse located at 56 Forsyth Street in Atlanta, Georgia, 
     known as the Elbert P. Tuttle United States Court of Appeals 
     Building, shall be known and designated as the ``John C. 
     Godbold Federal Building''.

     SEC. 2. REFERENCES.

       Any reference in a law, map, regulation, document, paper, 
     or other record of the United States to the annex building 
     referred to in section 1 shall be deemed to be a reference to 
     the ``John C. Godbold Federal Building''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Maryland (Mr. Cummings) and the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mario Diaz-
Balart) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Maryland.


                             General Leave

  Mr. CUMMINGS. Madam 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. 4275.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Maryland?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. CUMMINGS. Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the distinguished 
gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Lewis).
  Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I want to thank my colleague and 
my friend Mr. Cummings for yielding. I will not take the 5 minutes.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of this resolution to name the 
annex building at the United States Courthouse on Forsyth Street in 
downtown Atlanta, Georgia, as the ``John C. Godbold Federal Building.''
  Judge John C. Godbold was born in 1920 in Coy, Alabama, about 100 
miles to the west of my hometown of Troy.
  In 1966, President Lyndon Johnson appointed Judge Godbold to the 
United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, a key post due to 
the many civil rights cases before the circuit during the fifties, the 
sixties and seventies.
  Judge Godbold holds the distinction of being the only judge in the 
history of the United States to be the chief judge of two separate 
judicial circuits, the Fifth, and then later the 11th Circuit in 
Atlanta. It is with this legislation that we recognize the significant 
achievement of Judge Godbold and thank him for his many years of 
service to this country.
  Madam Speaker, I would especially like to express my sympathy to 
Judge Godbold's family, friends, and colleagues on the judge's recent 
passing in December 2009.
  Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Madam Speaker, I'd like to yield 
myself such time as I may consume.
  The gentleman from Georgia, I think, just did a great job explaining 
why we are here today. I'm not going to go through, again, this 
distinguished American's extensive record of public service. I do want 
to, though, as the gentleman from Georgia just mentioned, highlight 
what he just said, that this is the first person to serve as chief 
judge in two different Federal circuits, which is really a remarkable 
achievement.
  Also, prior to his appointment to the bench, Judge Godbold was in 
private practice, but he also served in the U.S. Army. I always like to 
highlight when we're here on the floor and we're doing something like 
naming a building, if, in fact, someone has also served in the U.S. 
military, which I think is the most noble way to serve our country. I 
think it's important to highlight.
  So again, I want to thank the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Lewis) for 
bringing this bill. I understand that the entire Georgia delegation is 
not only supporting this legislation but are cosponsors with him. 
Again, this is an individual who has an extensive record of public 
service.
  Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. CUMMINGS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, I just want to associate myself with the words of both 
of my colleagues and urge the Members of this body to support this 
resolution.
  Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to express my 
strong support for H.R. 4275 to designate the annex building under 
construction for the Elbert P. Tuttle United States Court of Appeals 
Building in Atlanta, Georgia, as the ``John C. Godbold United States 
Judicial Administration Building.'' I would also like to commend John 
Lewis, the sponsor of this resolution, for his commitment to preserving 
the accomplishments of John C. Godbold.
  The recognition of the accomplishments of Judge John C. Godbold is 
well overdue. John C. Godbold, born in Coy, Alabama, attended Auburn 
University and graduated in 1940. Shortly thereafter, he attended 
Harvard Law School. His studies were interrupted however,

[[Page H2517]]

by World War II. He put his studies on hold and joined the Army, where 
he served as a Major in Europe. After the war, he went back to Harvard 
Law School to achieve his Juris Doctor degree. Upon graduation, Godbold 
went into private practice with Richard T. Rives. In 1966, Godbold was 
appointed to serve as a judge on the Fifth Circuit by President Lyndon 
Johnson.
  After numerous attempts to divide the Fifth Circuit, in 1980 the 
politics finally gave way to the urgency of doing something about the 
immense workload of the Fifth Circuit. After receiving petitions signed 
by every district and circuit judge and every bar association within 
the circuit, Congress conducted formal hearings and approved on October 
14, 1980, the division of the court into two circuits. A new smaller 
Fifth Circuit Court would stay in New Orleans and exercise appellate 
jurisdiction over cases originating in Louisiana, Texas, and 
Mississippi, and a brand new Eleventh Circuit would be located in 
Atlanta and hear cases coming from Georgia, Florida, and Alabama. The 
split became official on October 1, 1981, and the twelve judges living 
in the Eleventh Circuit states all elected to join that circuit, while 
the 14 judges living within the new fifth chose to stay with that 
Circuit. Atlanta was now home to the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, 
and Judge John C. Godbold, who had been chief judge of the old Fifth, 
became chief of the new Eleventh.
  This made Judge Godbold the only person in United States history to 
serve as the Chief Judge on two separate judicial circuits. In 1987, 
Judge Godbold became the Director of the Federal Judicial Center in 
Washington, D.C., for a three-year term, after which he returned as a 
senior judge. The center is the research and training facility of the 
Federal Judiciary. In 1990, Judge Godbold was honored by being named 
the Leslie S. Wright Distinguished Professor at the Cumberland Law 
School in Birmingham. He was also honored with the Edward J. Devitt 
Distinguished Service to Justice Award in 1996 and inducted into the 
Alabama Academy of Honor in 2002. The Honorable Judge John C. Godbold 
died on December 22, 2009, leaving behind a legacy that will continue 
to resonate in history.
  As a member of the Judiciary, Subcommittee Chairman on Courts and 
Competition Policy, and a former judge myself, I cannot express enough 
how important this man's life was. He symbolized the epitome of what 
lawyers and judges strive to be, the character that all of us should 
strive to show. Please join me and support this resolution to honor 
Judge John C. Godbold.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4275, 
as amended, introduced by the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Lewis), to 
designate the annex building under construction for the Elbert P. 
Tuttle United States Court of Appeals Building in Atlanta, Georgia, as 
the ``John C. Godbold Federal Building''.
  Judge Godbold was a graduate of Auburn University and of Harvard Law 
School. He was the first person to ever serve as Chief Judge of two 
different Federal Circuit courts, Judge Godbold assumed senior status 
in 1987 and served as Director of the Federal Judicial Center from 1987 
to 1990. In addition, he was a professor of law at the Cumberland 
School of Law of Sanford University.
  Judge Godbold was also instrumental in devising a process of 
certifying issues of first impression in Federal court based on state 
law interpretations, and inviting the state Supreme Court to identify 
the state law issues and rule on them. Judge Godbold implemented this 
new procedure in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit and now 
more than 40 states have procedures for the certification of state law 
issues. Judge Godbold was also a well-respected leader in training 
Federal jurists and authored several publications that addressed 
responsible advocacy and the role of the rule of law in our lives.
  Judge Godbold died late last year on December 22, 2009. He was a man 
of immense character, and conducted his court proceedings based on 
fairness and courtesy. He was a courageous judge and dedicated public 
servant. It is both fitting and proper that we honor his public service 
with this designation.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 4275.
  Mr. CUMMINGS. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cummings) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 4275, 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 of the bill was amended so as to read: ``A bill to 
designate the annex building under construction for the Elbert P. 
Tuttle United States Court of Appeals Building in Atlanta, Georgia, as 
the `John C. Godbold Federal Building'.''.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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