[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 119 (Monday, July 16, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H6221-H6222]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 J. MARVIN JONES FEDERAL BUILDING AND MARY LOU ROBINSON UNITED STATES 
                               COURTHOUSE

  Mr. BARLETTA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 5772) to designate the J. Marvin Jones Federal Building and 
Courthouse in Amarillo, Texas, as the ``J. Marvin Jones Federal 
Building and Mary Lou Robinson United States Courthouse''.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 5772

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

     SECTION 1. DESIGNATION.

       The J. Marvin Jones Federal Building and Courthouse located 
     at 205 SE 5th Ave., Amarillo, Texas, shall be known and 
     designated as the ``J. Marvin Jones Federal Building and Mary 
     Lou Robinson United States Courthouse''.

     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 ``J. Marvin Jones Federal 
     Building and Mary Lou Robinson United States Courthouse''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Barletta) and the gentlewoman from Nevada (Ms. Titus) 
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. 5772.
  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.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5772 would designate the J. Marvin Jones Federal 
Building and Courthouse in Amarillo, Texas, as the J. Marvin Jones 
Federal Building and Mary Lou Robinson United States Courthouse.
  Judge Robinson was a legal pioneer, paving the way for women in what 
was once a male-dominated profession.
  In 1973, Judge Robinson was appointed justice of the Seventh Court of 
Appeals in Amarillo, Texas, making her the first female appellate judge 
in Texas. Four years later, she was appointed to chief justice of the 
same court. Five years later, President Carter appointed Robinson to a 
Federal judgeship as the second woman to serve as a United States 
district judge in Texas.
  For over 60 years, Judge Robinson was a pioneer, a scholar, and, 
above all, a judge of fairness and integrity. I support naming this 
Federal building and courthouse after her.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve 
the balance of my time.
  Ms. TITUS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I join the chairman in supporting H.R. 5772, which 
designates the J. Marvin Jones Federal Building and Courthouse in 
Amarillo, Texas, as the J. Marvin Jones Federal Building and Mary Lou 
Robinson United States Courthouse.
  The new designation is a well-deserved honor for Judge Mary Lou 
Robinson. You have heard some description of her outstanding career. 
Let me add a few more points.
  She has served as a judge in Amarillo, Texas, for more than 63 years, 
with 35 years on the Federal judiciary. When she took senior status as 
a Federal judge in 2016, she became the longest serving Federal judge 
in both the Northern District of Texas and the entire Fifth Circuit.
  Judge Robinson received numerous awards throughout her career for 
both her legal and her public service to the community. She was named 
one of the 100 Legal Legends by Texas Lawyer, the 2016 Jurist of the 
Year by the Texas Chapters of American Board of Trial Advocates, and 
the 1973 Texas Woman of the Year by the Texas Federation of Business 
and Professional Women, among other awards.
  Her colleagues reported that she had a reputation for running an 
orderly and efficient courtroom, and she treated celebrity trials the 
same way she treated mundane 2-day civil cases.
  Judge Robinson certainly served with distinction during her time on 
the Federal bench. She was deeply respected by the Amarillo legal 
community, and I am pleased to support this legislation which aptly 
names the facility in her honor.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BARLETTA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Thornberry).
  Mr. THORNBERRY. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania yielding and the support of the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania and the gentlewoman from Nevada for this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I introduced this legislation with a near unanimous 
request of the legal community and the broader leadership in the Texas 
Panhandle.
  Since 1980, the Federal building and courthouse in Amarillo, Texas, 
has been known as the J. Marvin Jones Federal Building. Judge Jones led 
a remarkable life. He served in this House from 1917 to 1940, including 
as chair of the Committee on Agriculture. He was then appointed to the 
court of claims, took a leave of absence to serve in the Roosevelt 
administration during World War II, and went back to the court of 
claims, where he was the chief judge there from 1947 until his 
retirement in 1964.
  As I said, it was a remarkable life, but there is another remarkable 
life that has made a lasting impact on the cause of justice in the 
Northern District of Texas, and it has also been an inspirational life.
  Judge Mary Lou Robinson has served as a judge, as Members have heard, 
for more than 60 years, more than 35 years of which has been as a 
Federal district judge in the Northern District of Texas.
  She is a pioneer:
  She attended and graduated law school at the University of Texas at a 
time when very few women applied or were admitted to the law school at 
all.
  When she went into private practice in Amarillo, she was one of two 
female attorneys practicing there.
  In 1955, Judge Robinson became the first woman in Amarillo history to 
serve as a judge higher than the justice of the peace level and was the 
first Potter County court at law judge. Up until that time in Texas, 
women could not serve on juries.
  She was elected State district court judge in 1960.
  As you have heard, in 1973, she became an associate justice of the 
Seventh State Court of Appeals, making

[[Page H6222]]

her the first female appellate judge in the entire State of Texas. She 
later became the chief justice of that court.
  In 1979, Judge Robinson was nominated and confirmed to the Federal 
bench, again being only the second woman to serve as a U.S. district 
judge in Texas.
  Then, day in and day out, for nearly 40 years, Judge Robinson 
presided over Federal and criminal cases with fairness and with high 
expectations fitting the American legal system. She took senior judge 
status in 2016.
  As Members have heard, she has been honored repeatedly, such as the 
Sandra Day O'Connor Award for Professional Excellence from the Texas 
Center for Legal Ethics and the Texas Lawyer magazine's one of 100 
Legal Legends in the State.

  But I will say, Mr. Speaker, that Judge Mary Lou Robinson's influence 
extends even further than the trailblazing and remarkable longevity 
that her legal career would indicate.
  Throughout it all, Judge Robinson has upheld the highest standards of 
legal ethics and professionalism, being a role model not only for those 
in the legal system, but for men and women throughout the region.
  She is fair, but she is tough. And here I can speak from a bit of 
personal experience that no lawyer wanted to go unprepared into her 
courtroom. With her razor-sharp intellect and knowledge of the law, she 
was always well prepared and probably knew more about the law of the 
case than the lawyers arguing it. No one ever doubted that all sides of 
the case would get a fair hearing.
  At the same time, those who know her off the bench know her to have a 
great sense of humor, compassion, and a warm human touch.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5772 would add Judge Mary Lou Robinson's name to 
the Federal building and courthouse in Amarillo, Texas, so that it 
would be known as the J. Marvin Jones Federal Building and Mary Lou 
Robinson United States Courthouse.
  Marvin Jones served in all three branches of our Federal Government. 
Judge Robinson has served in the judicial branch of the State and 
Federal Government for more than 60 years. This designation honors each 
of them in a way that is fitting to each of them.
  Adding Judge Robinson's name to that of Marvin Jones will not only 
honor the careers of two remarkable individuals, it will help inspire 
all of us to reach toward their high standards of integrity, 
professionalism, and service to our Nation.
  Mr. Speaker, I again thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania for 
yielding.
  Ms. TITUS. Mr. Speaker, I say again that we are most impressed by the 
two people whose names are on this Federal building, and I urge my 
colleagues to support the designation.
  Mr. Speaker, 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. 5772.
  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.

                          ____________________