[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 57 (Monday, May 2, 2011)]
[House]
[Pages H2922-H2923]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   GEORGE H. W. BUSH AND GEORGE W. BUSH UNITED STATES COURTHOUSE AND 
                     GEORGE MAHON FEDERAL BUILDING

  Mr. HULTGREN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 362) to redesignate the Federal building and United States 
Courthouse located at 200 East Wall Street in Midland, Texas, as the 
``George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush United States Courthouse and 
George Mahon Federal Building''.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                H.R. 362

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

     SECTION 1. REDESIGNATION.

       The Federal building and United States Courthouse located 
     at 200 East Wall Street in Midland, Texas, known as the 
     George Mahon Federal Building, shall be known and designated 
     as the ``George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush United States 
     Courthouse and George Mahon Federal Building''.

     SEC. 2. REFERENCES.

       Any reference in a law, map, regulation, document, paper, 
     or other record of the United States to the Federal building 
     and United States Courthouse referred to in section 1 shall 
     be deemed to be a reference to the ``George H. W. Bush and 
     George W. Bush United States Courthouse and George Mahon 
     Federal Building''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Hultgren) and the gentlewoman from the District of 
Columbia (Ms. Norton) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Illinois.


                             General Leave

  Mr. HULTGREN. 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. 362.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Illinois?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. HULTGREN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  H.R. 362 would redesignate the Federal Building and Courthouse at 200 
East Wall Street in Midland, Texas, as the George H.W. Bush and George 
W. Bush United States Courthouse and George Mahon Federal Building.
  I would like to take this opportunity to thank the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Conaway) for introducing this legislation. I also want to 
thank the bill's 25 cosponsors, who all represent various districts 
throughout the State of Texas.
  The former Presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush have 
honorably served this Nation for many decades.
  President George H.W. Bush dedicated his life to public service. His 
public service began when he was just 18 and enlisted in the Armed 
Forces. He became the youngest pilot in the Navy when he earned his 
wings and flew 58 combat missions, receiving the Distinguished Flying 
Cross for bravery in action after getting shot down by antiaircraft 
fire.
  Later, he was elected to Congress as a representative from the State 
of Texas and served in this Chamber for two terms. Subsequently, he 
served in various other public service positions critical to our 
Nation, including as ambassador to the United Nations, as chief of the 
U.S. Liaison Office to China, and as Director of the Central 
Intelligence Agency. He was elected Vice President in 1980 and stood by 
President Ronald Reagan's side for 8 years, contributing to the 
policies that brought the Cold War to an end, and in 1988 was elected 
as the 41st President of the United States.
  During his term in office, he skillfully navigated the diplomacy with 
new nations created following the breakup of the Soviet Union, and 
helped to overthrow and bring to justice the corrupt Manuel Noriega 
regime in Panama.
  A few months ago, in February, President George H.W. Bush was awarded 
the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Obama. This award is the 
highest civilian honor given for an especially meritorious contribution 
to the security of the national interests of the United States, world 
peace, cultural, or other significant public or private endeavors.
  In 2000, his son, George W. Bush, followed in his footsteps when he 
was elected the 43rd President of the United

[[Page H2923]]

States, after serving 6 years as the Governor of Texas. President 
George W. Bush led our Nation in response to the worst terrorist attack 
on our soil. He helped to unite the Nation after the 9/11 terrorist 
attacks and, under his leadership, led the reforms of our intelligence 
and securities capabilities to better counter this unconventional 
threat.
  During his two terms, he effectuated the overthrow of a dictator in 
Iraq and removed the Taliban from power in Afghanistan, upsetting a key 
staging ground for al Qaeda and bringing democracy to an oppressed 
country. And, yesterday, this groundwork led to our Nation bringing 
justice to Osama bin Laden when, during a raid by one of our Special 
Operations teams, he was killed in a compound in Pakistan. And I want 
to recognize the work of our Special Operations teams and our 
intelligence community, including the CIA, which were critical in 
locating Osama bin Laden and executing this mission.

                              {time}  1820

  With the help of intelligence that was gathered from detainees from 
Guantanamo Bay, our intelligence community was able to gather the key 
information needed to locate Osama bin Laden. With these events comes a 
sense of closure. However, we must remain vigilant in protecting our 
Nation from the threat of terrorism.
  President George W. Bush helped to realign our intelligence and 
military capabilities to set the framework for our Nation to better 
respond to this new threat. I think that it is appropriate for us to 
honor their service to our Nation by naming this courthouse after them, 
as both former Presidents have lived in Texas for some time and George 
W. Bush calls Midland his hometown.
  I support passage of this legislation and urge my colleagues to do 
the same.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. NORTON. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 362, a bill that honors the 
41st and 43rd Presidents of the United States, President George H.W. 
Bush and President George W. Bush, by naming a United States courthouse 
located in Midland, Texas, after both of them. This honor is highly 
fitting, given their devotion to public service and their unique status 
as only the second father and son pair to serve in our Nation's highest 
office.
  Former President George Herbert Walker Bush was the 41st President of 
the United States. He served our country in many capacities, first as 
the youngest naval aviator at the time in the United States Navy, and 
later as a Member of Congress representing the Seventh Congressional 
District of Texas. After leaving Congress, President Bush served in 
many prominent public service positions, including ambassador to the 
United Nations, Chief of the U.S. Liaison Office of the People's 
Republic of China and Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. In 
1980, President Bush was elected Vice President of the United States 
under President Ronald Reagan. He was reelected Vice President in 1984. 
President Bush was then elected President of the United States in 1988.
  Former President George Walker Bush was the 43rd President of the 
United States. President George W. Bush was a graduate of Yale 
University. After his service in the Texas Air National Guard, he 
graduated from Harvard Business School and began a career in the oil 
industry. President Bush became the principal owner of the Texas 
Rangers, a Major League Baseball team. In 1994, he was elected Governor 
of Texas, a position to which he was reelected in 1998. He was elected 
President of the United States in 2000 and again in 2004.
  Upon passage of this legislation, what is now known as the George 
Mahon Federal Building will be renamed the George H.W. Bush and George 
W. Bush United States Courthouse and George Mahon Federal Building.
  I urge my colleagues to support the passage of H.R. 362.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HULTGREN. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Conaway).
  Mr. CONAWAY. I thank the gentleman for allowing me the time.
  I rise, Mr. Speaker, to pay tribute to the renaming of this 
courthouse for two of west Texas's favorite sons, President George 
Herbert Walker Bush and his son, George W. Bush. The community I call 
home could not be prouder of our two most famous residents. We are 
grateful for their faithful service and stewardship of the powers 
entrusted to them and their legacy in advancing freedom, human dignity 
and the rule of law across the globe.
  Texas ought to be rightly proud of our neighbors who rose to lead our 
Nation. These two men, bound by blood, but bonded by an unshakeable 
commitment to human liberty, shared a vision for America and the world 
that was mined in Philadelphia and forged at the Alamo. It is a vision 
that is rooted first and foremost in liberty and all her attendants--
individual rights, free markets, and fair elections.
  Both Presidents understood that America's wealth and power are not 
what make us an exceptional Nation. It is those faded words written 
large across four sheets of parchment over 200 years ago that form the 
soul of this Nation. In those words, the rights that we cherish are 
forever set apart from the machinations of man. In those words, we 
became a Nation of laws, of discourse, and of reason.
  It is fitting that we are choosing to name a courthouse in their 
honor today because it is fidelity to the law, above all else, that 
secures the blessings of liberty these men worked so hard to promote. 
This courthouse will be a symbol of the triumph of law over violence, 
the triumph of free minds over the iron wills of dictators.
  From the dissolution of the Soviet Union to the liberation of Kuwait, 
and from the first shoots of democratic order in Afghanistan to the 
parliamentary elections in Iraq, both father and son have helped to 
lift the crushing burdens of tyranny from millions of people. In each 
effort, the nations liberated have embarked on the difficult path of 
making laws and holding one another accountable. These are not easy 
steps; but in the end, with the continued support of the United States, 
these efforts will prove to be an enduring and lasting legacy for both 
these men and our Nation.
  Mr. Speaker, in my life I have had the privilege to work alongside 
the Bush family, both in Texas and in Washington; and today I am 
humbled and grateful for the opportunity to work here in Congress and 
to represent the people of west Texas. On behalf of the people of 
District 11, I would like to extend my humblest gratitude to President 
George Herbert Walker Bush and President George W. Bush for their 
service to their community, our State and our Nation. We are a better 
Nation for their service.
  I would also like to acknowledge the role that Federal District Judge 
Rob Junell played in getting this courthouse renamed in honor of these 
two fine gentlemen.
  I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.
  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. HULTGREN. 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 Illinois (Mr. Hultgren) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 362.
  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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