[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 76 (Wednesday, May 19, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H3609-H3610]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


         STEWART LEE UDALL DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR BUILDING

  Mr. TEAGUE. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 5128) to designate the Department of the Interior Building 
in Washington, District of Columbia, as the ``Stewart Lee Udall 
Department of the Interior Building,'' as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 5128

       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 Department of the Interior Building 
     located at 1849 C Street, Northwest, in Washington, District 
     of Columbia, shall be known and designated as the ``Stewart 
     Lee Udall Department of the Interior Building''.

     SEC. 2. REFERENCES.

       Any reference in a law, map, regulation, document, record, 
     or other paper of the United States to the building referred 
     to in section 1 shall be considered to be a reference to the 
     ``Stewart Lee Udall Department of the Interior Building''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
Mexico (Mr. Teague) and the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Cao) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Mexico.


                             General Leave

  Mr. TEAGUE. 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. 5128.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New Mexico?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. TEAGUE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may 
consume.
  H.R. 5128, as amended, is a bill introduced by Congressman Heinrich, 
Congressman Lujan, and myself to designate the Department of the 
Interior building in Washington, District of Columbia, as the Stewart 
Lee Udall Department of the Interior Building.
  Stewart Lee Udall was the consummate public servant, serving four 
terms in the United States Congress and 9 years as the Secretary of the 
Interior. Secretary Udall also enlisted in the Armed Forces during 
World War II, serving as a gunner in Europe with the 15th Air Force 
until 1944.
  After his service in World War II, Secretary Udall later returned to 
the University of Arizona and earned a law degree in 1948. He opened a 
law practice with his brother, former U.S. Congressman Morris Udall, 
and then ran for and won election as a Member of the House of 
Representatives from Arizona. During his time in the House of 
Representatives, Secretary Udall served on the Committee on the 
Interior and Insular Affairs and the Committee on Education and Labor.
  Secretary Udall's service in the House ended when he was appointed by 
John F. Kennedy as Secretary of the Interior in 1961. From this perch, 
Secretary Udall earned his reputation as a giant amongst men in the 
environmental community, authoring several major legislative acts that 
have served as the framework for modern environmental conservation.
  Secretary Udall served for 9 years as head of the Interior Department 
acting as the administration's primary advocate for preservation and 
responsible environmental stewardship. Among his other accomplishments, 
Secretary Udall presided over the expansion of several national parks 
and preserves, including the Redwood National Park, the Appalachian 
Scenic Trail, and the North Cascades National Park.
  After the Secretary's service in the Cabinets of President Kennedy 
and President Lyndon B. Johnson, he rejoined the private sector as a 
member of a law firm and focused on environmental advocacy by filing 
lawsuits on behalf of Native Americans impacted by nuclear pollution.
  Secretary Udall also went on to serve as adjunct professor at Yale 
University and authored several books on conservation and highlighting 
the national treasures of the United States of America.
  Former Interior Secretary Stewart Udall died on March 20, 2010, 
surrounded by his family and friends. He is survived by six children 
and eight grandchildren, including his son and his nephew, Mark and Tom 
Udall, who were both Members of the House of Representatives before 
being elected to the other body.
  Given his service to his country, it is fitting that we honor the 
memory of former Interior Secretary Stewart Lee Udall and designate the 
United States Department of the Interior building located at 1849 C 
Street, NW, in Washington, DC, as the Stewart Lee Udall Department of 
the Interior Building. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting 
this bill.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CAO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume.
  H.R. 5128 would designate the Department of the Interior Building in 
Washington, DC, as the Stewart Lee Udall Department of the Interior 
Building. Stewart Udall had a long history of service to our country. 
He served as a gunner in the Army Air Corps during World War II and 
later was elected to Congress as a Representative from Arizona.
  In 1961, he was appointed as Secretary of the Interior, serving 
during both the Kennedy and Johnson administrations. While Secretary of 
the Interior, he was a tireless advocate for the environment and the 
protection of National Park lands.
  Secretary Udall was the driving force behind the passage of the 
Wilderness Act, the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, the Land and Water 
Conservation Fund Act, and the expansion and protection of our National 
Park system. Stewart Udall demonstrated a strong commitment to public 
service. It is only fitting that the Interior building be named after 
someone who demonstrated such a commitment to our Nation's natural 
resources.
  As we honor Secretary Udall's service, we must be mindful of the 
threats that continue to menace our Nation's natural resources. Even as 
we speak, a rapidly spreading oil slick threatens hundreds of miles of 
coastline and thousands upon thousands of acres of wetlands in my home 
State, Louisiana, and throughout the gulf coast. The slick has already 
dealt a devastating blow to thousands of those whose livelihoods depend 
upon the protection of our natural resources.
  Throughout the gulf coast, fishermen and avid environmentalists are 
suffering and will continue to suffer for years to come. They have lost 
more than a few days of fishing. This affects their livelihoods and 
their way of life. Fishing fleets are idle. Fishermen are without work. 
Some, in their despair, have told me they've contemplated suicide.
  The extent of the damage will not be known for some time, but already 
I have seen the ravages of this economic and environmental disaster, 
the effects of which will linger for years.
  Secretary Udall understood, indeed, he foresaw, that we would need to 
manage our natural resources carefully to avert just this type of 
disaster. Here today in 2010 we are facing one of the worst 
environmental disasters in history, and we have to ensure that ongoing 
stewardship of all of our natural resources remains a priority.
  While the Coast Guard and countless volunteers burn, skim, and lay 
miles of boom to mitigate this disaster, we have a unique opportunity 
to revisit Mr. Udall's legacy of stewardship.
  I urge this Congress to go beyond honoring his memory today by paying 
tribute to what he stood for by taking a proactive approach to ensuring 
all our natural resources be safeguarded appropriately.
  Secretary Udall understood that our happiness and prosperity as a 
Nation depend upon our wise stewardship of our natural resources. His 
vision should serve as an example not only to his successors at the 
Department of the Interior but to all Americans. I support passage of 
this legislation and urge my colleagues to do the same.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. TEAGUE. Madam Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to 
the gentleman from New Mexico, Mr. Martin Heinrich.
  Mr. HEINRICH. Madam Speaker, earlier this year we lost a national 
treasure and a personal hero of mine, former Interior Secretary Stewart 
Udall. Though quiet and humble, his impact was that of a giant and his 
defense of

[[Page H3610]]

our Nation's wildlands will remain immeasurable.
  Secretary Udall's lifetime of achievement will continue to be felt by 
every American. Thanks to his work, our national parks and public lands 
belong to every American and will remain a treasured part of our 
Nation's spirit for generations to come.
  Throughout my life, I have drawn personal and professional 
inspiration from Mr. Udall's remarkable leadership. So I was proud to 
sponsor H.R. 5128, a bill that will designate the Department of the 
Interior building in Washington, DC, as the Stewart Lee Udall 
Department of the Interior Building. It is only fitting that we honor 
his legacy by naming the Interior building after Secretary Udall. I 
would urge all of my colleagues to support this legislation.
  Mr. CAO. I continue to reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. TEAGUE. Madam Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to 
the gentleman from New Mexico, Mr. Ben Ray Lujan.
  Mr. LUJAN. Thank you very much to my colleague from New Mexico (Mr. 
Teague).
  Secretary Udall, a great American, a great New Mexican, and it's an 
honor to sponsor this legislation to name the United States Department 
of the Interior in his name.
  Secretary Udall spent his later life in my district in Santa Fe, New 
Mexico, but his work is seen across the country from our pristine 
wilderness to our clean rivers. We lost a friend, a hero, a true 
champion this year, a gentleman who fought to protect resources that 
will serve us for years to come. He worked to protect our land, our 
water, and the air we breathe. And we are all better for Secretary 
Udall's service.
  But Secretary Udall's legacy goes beyond our beloved and critical 
resources. His legacy is about the people he impacted throughout his 
life--from those in Indian Country who suffered the effects of uranium 
mining, to inspiring young conservationists and acting as an example to 
all of us.
  In naming the Department of the Interior building after Secretary 
Udall, we honor not only his incredible professional contributions; we 
honor a wonderful, compassionate person who tirelessly fought for both 
our resources and for all of the people who loved him so very much.
  It's an honor to be here. I urge adoption of this important 
legislation.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 5128, 
as amended, a bill to designate the United States Department of the 
Interior Building located at 1849 C Street, Northwest, in Washington, 
District of Columbia, as the ``Stewart Lee Udall Department of the 
Interior Building''.
  I knew Stuart Udall personally, and I have great admiration for the 
man. He was a great conservationist and environmentalist, and as fine a 
champion of this country's natural and cultural resources as the nation 
has ever produced.
  Steward Udall served in the U.S. House of Representatives before 
President Kennedy appointed him Secretary of the Interior, a position 
he held from 1960 to 1969. In this role, he spearheaded the enactment 
of a broad range of groundbreaking conservation laws, including the 
Clean Air Act, the Water Quality and Clean Water Restoration Acts and 
Amendments, the Wilderness Act, the Endangered Species Act, the Solid 
Waste Disposal Act, the National Trail System Act and the Wild and 
Scenic Rivers Act.
  In the arena of historic preservation, Stewart Udall sought to make 
the Federal Government a partner--not an adversary--in the preservation 
of America's historic resources. He was instrumental in the passage of 
the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the most far-reaching 
preservation legislation ever enacted in the United States. Programs he 
helped shape include the National Register of Historic Places, the 
Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, and the Historic 
Preservation Fund. This framework supports nearly every aspect of 
historic preservation today.
  Stewart Udall was a naturalist, a conservationist, and an 
environmental activist: during the energy crisis of the 1970s, he 
advocated the use of solar energy as one means to remedy the country's 
growing dependence upon fossil fuels. As a member of the National 
Resources Defense Council, Udall defended the Environmental Protection 
Agency against closure due to budgetary cuts.
  In 2008, High Country News published ``A Message to Our Grand 
Children'' signed by Stewart Udall and his late wife. A few excerpts 
from that document are illustrative of Udall's views:

       ``Americans must finally cast aside our notion that we can 
     continue the wasteful consumption patterns of our past. We 
     must promote a consciousness attuned to a frugal, highly 
     efficient mode of living. . . . Foster a consciousness that 
     puts a premium on the common good and the protection of the 
     environment. . . . The lifetime crusade of your days must be 
     to develop a new energy ethic to sustain life on earth . . . 
     Go well, do well, my children. Cherish sunsets, wild 
     creatures and wild places. . . .''

  Given Stewart Udall's lifetime commitment to championing, conserving 
and appreciating the earth's natural resources and beauties, I find 
that it is entirely fitting and appropriate that we designate the main 
office building for the Department of Interior as the ``Stewart Lee 
Udall Department of the Interior Building''.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 5128.
  Mr. CAO. Madam Speaker, I yield back my time.
  Mr. TEAGUE. 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 New Mexico (Mr. Teague) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 5128, as amended.
  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. TEAGUE. Madam Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a 
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not 
present.
  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.
  The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.

                          ____________________