[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 62 (Tuesday, April 28, 2015)]
[House]
[Pages H2483-H2484]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
JOSEPH F. WEIS JR. UNITED STATES COURTHOUSE
Mr. BARLETTA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 1690) to designate the United
[[Page H2484]]
States courthouse located at 700 Grant Street in Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania, as the ``Joseph F. Weis Jr. United States Courthouse''.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 1690
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 courthouse located at 700 Grant Street in
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, shall be known and designated as
the ``Joseph F. Weis Jr. United States Courthouse''.
SEC. 2. 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 section 1 shall be deemed to be a
reference to the ``Joseph F. Weis Jr. United States
Courthouse''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the Pennsylvania (Mr.
Barletta) and the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Carson) each will control
20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania.
General Leave
Mr. BARLETTA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks
and include extraneous material on H.R. 1690.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Pennsylvania?
There was no objection.
Mr. BARLETTA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
H.R. 1690 designates the United States courthouse located at 700
Grant Street in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, as the Joseph F. Weis Jr.
United States Courthouse.
Joseph F. Weis, Jr., served as a Federal judge on the United States
Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit from 1973 until assuming senior
status in 1988. He served in that capacity until his death last year.
Prior to his appointment to the United States Court of Appeals, Judge
Weis was appointed to the United States District Court for the Western
District of Pennsylvania.
Prior to his appointment to the Federal bench, he served as a judge
on the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County and was in the private
practice of law.
Judge Weis served our country during the Second World War as a
captain in the United States Army and is buried in Arlington National
Cemetery.
Given Judge Weis' service and dedication to our country, it is
fitting to name this courthouse after him.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. CARSON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1690 names the U.S. Federal courthouse in
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for Judge Joseph Weis, a distinguished jurist
who made significant contributions to the surrounding community.
Judge Weis was a World War II veteran who received the Bronze Star
and the Purple Heart with oak leaf clusters for his service in the
Army. Judge Weis went on to graduate from Duquesne University and the
University of Pittsburgh Law School. In 1970, he was appointed to the
Western District Court of Pennsylvania. Three years later, he was
appointed to the Third Circuit Court of Appeals and went on to serve 44
years as a distinguished Federal judge.
Judge Weis won numerous awards while on the bench, including the
DeVitt Award, considered the highest award for a Federal judge; the
Pitt Distinguished Alumni Award; and he served as an adjunct faculty
member at the Pitt School of Law.
Because of Judge Weis' dedicated service to the legal community and
his exemplary time as a jurist in Pittsburgh, it is fitting to name
this courthouse in his honor.
I encourage my colleagues to support this legislation.
Mr. BARLETTA. I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. CARSON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may
consume to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Michael F. Doyle), my
very distinguished colleague.
Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania. I thank my good friend for
yielding me time. I want to thank him as well for his support for this
legislation in committee and here today on the floor.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1690, legislation to
designate the Federal courthouse in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, as the
Joseph F. Weis Jr. United States Courthouse.
I have the honor and privilege of representing the city of Pittsburgh
in the House of Representatives. Joseph F. Weis, Jr., was a well known
and respected individual in western Pennsylvania who served his country
both as a soldier and as a judge.
Naming the Federal courthouse in Pittsburgh would be fitting
recognition for an individual with such a long and distinguished record
of service to his country.
Joe Weis left college and enlisted in the U.S. Army during World War
II. Later in life, he described that decision simply as ``the thing to
do. The country was at war, and I felt I should be out there doing my
share.'' And he clearly did. He was wounded twice fighting in France
with the 4th Armored Division. He was awarded the Bronze Star for Valor
and a Purple Heart with an oak leaf cluster for his action in combat.
After the war, Joe Weis completed his undergraduate degree at
Duquesne University and then pursued a legal career, joining his
father's practice after graduating from the University of Pittsburgh
Law School in 1950. After a number of years in private practice, he was
elected to the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas in 1968 as the
first choice on both the Democratic and Republican ballots. As a judge,
he rapidly earned a reputation for dedication, integrity, and hard
work. Two years later, Judge Weis was appointed to the Federal bench,
and in 1973, he was appointed to the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for
the Third Circuit, one step below the Supreme Court.
{time} 1630
He served on that court for 40 years, retiring just 2 years ago when
he was 90 years old.
He worked tirelessly to improve the judicial system, advocating for
innovative courtroom technologies and enforcement of judicial ethics.
He was recognized for his outstanding service on the bench with the
Devitt Award, the highest honor given to Federal judges.
Amidst this impressive list of accomplishments, he was known most of
all for the strength of his character. Joe Weis was beloved by his
colleagues and his law clerks, who to this day call themselves ``Weis
guys.''
Joseph F. Weis, Jr.'s life is a model all public servants should
aspire to emulate. Naming this Federal courthouse in his honor is a
fitting way to honor this long, faithful, and capable service to our
country and to hold him up as an example of a true public servant.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this
legislation to name the Federal courthouse in Pittsburgh in his honor.
Mr. BARLETTA. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. CARSON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague, Mr.
Doyle, from Pennsylvania.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. BARLETTA. 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 Pennsylvania (Mr. Barletta) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1690.
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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