[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 207 (Tuesday, December 8, 2020)]
[House]
[Pages H6987-H6988]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
ORRIN G. HATCH UNITED STATES COURTHOUSE
Mr. DeFAZIO. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (S. 4902) to designate the United States courthouse located at 351
South West Temple in Salt Lake City, Utah, as the ``Orrin G. Hatch
United States Courthouse''.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
S. 4902
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. ORRIN G. HATCH UNITED STATES COURTHOUSE.
(a) Designation.--The United States courthouse located at
351 South West Temple in Salt Lake City, Utah, shall be known
and designated as the ``Orrin G. Hatch United States
Courthouse''.
(b) 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 subsection (a) shall
be deemed to be a reference to the ``Orrin G. Hatch United
States Courthouse''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Oregon (Mr. DeFazio) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Katko) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Oregon.
General Leave
Mr. DeFAZIO. Madam 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 S. 4902.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Oregon?
There was no objection.
Mr. DeFAZIO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise in support of S. 4902, a bill introduced by
Senator Lee to designate the United States Courthouse located at 351
South West Temple in Salt Lake City, Utah, as the Orrin G. Hatch United
States Courthouse.
Orrin Hatch was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He
received his law degree from the University of Pittsburgh and worked as
an attorney in Pittsburgh until he moved to Utah in 1969, where he
continued to practice law.
In 1976, he was elected to the United States Senate for his first run
for public office. Senator Hatch is the longest-serving Republican U.S.
Senator in history and the longest-serving U.S. Senator from Utah.
Senator Hatch is one of the only Senators to have served as chairman
of three Senate committees: Health, Education, Labor and Pensions from
1981 to 1987; the Judiciary Committee from 1995 to 2001 and from 2003
to 2005; and the Finance Committee from 2015 to 2019. In total, Senator
Hatch spent 32 of his 42 years in the Senate as either chairman or
ranking member of a major committee.
In 2015, Senator Hatch was sworn in as President pro tempore of the
Senate, a position he held until his retirement in 2019.
Senator Hatch credits his family as the key to his success. He and
his wife, Elaine, have been married for over 60 years. They are the
proud parents of 6 children and 23 grandchildren.
I support this legislation honoring the accomplishments and service
of Senator Hatch and I would ask my colleagues to do the same.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. KATKO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
S. 4902 would designate the U.S. courthouse in Salt Lake City, Utah,
as the Orrin G. Hatch United States Courthouse.
Senator Hatch served the citizens of Utah and our Nation for many
years. First elected to the U.S. Senate in 1976, Senator Hatch served
in the other body for 42 years during seven different Presidential
administrations.
Prior to his retirement, Senator Hatch served as President pro
tempore and was third in line for Presidential succession from 2015 to
2019.
Senator Hatch has a longstanding record of bipartisanship, having
cosponsored or sponsored more than 750 bills that became law.
His leadership as chairman of three major Senate committees helped
pave the way for critical financial, judicial, and health legislation.
I think it is fitting to honor the dedication and service of Senator
Hatch by naming this courthouse after him. I say that as a Federal
prosecutor of 20 years.
Madam Speaker, I urge support of this legislation, and I reserve the
balance of my time.
Mr. DeFAZIO. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Utah (Mr. McAdams).
Mr. McADAMS. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 4902, which
is legislation renaming Utah's Federal courthouse in honor of Senator
Orrin G. Hatch.
Madam Speaker, I met Senator Hatch many years ago and have worked
with him since my time in the Utah State Senate and subsequently as the
mayor of Salt Lake County. I have always admired the service he
provided for his constituents and colleagues in the Senate alike.
Senator Hatch's accomplishments on behalf of Utah and our country are
a remarkable reminder of the bipartisanship we need to return to.
Senator Hatch worked with his longtime friend, Senator Ted Kennedy,
to pass the Children's Health Insurance Program, or CHIP. He also
worked across the aisle to pass the Radiation Exposure Compensation
Act, which compensated Utahans who suffered radiation exposure because
of their proximity to the Nevada Nuclear Test Site.
Madam Speaker, Senator Hatch has been an exemplary public figure. For
over 40 years, Senator Hatch showed what it is like to work with folks
from all walks of life and all ends of the political spectrum. He
respected a difference of opinion. He welcomed a healthy debate, and he
knew that at the end of the day we are all trying to make our State and
our country a better place.
Senator Hatch cared deeply about the rule of law and the integrity of
the courts. Putting his name on the Federal courthouse in Utah is a
well-deserved and hard-earned honor marking his many contributions to
the judiciary, to his State, and to our country.
Madam Speaker, I urge passage of this bill.
Mr. KATKO. Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from
Utah (Mr. Stewart).
Mr. STEWART. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
I rise in support of this bill to rename the new Federal courthouse
in Utah after my good friend, Senator Orrin G. Hatch. He is my friend.
He was, in many ways, my mentor. He has been a friend of my family.
At the risk of repeating some information that has already been said,
I think it is worth just highlighting some of his really incredible and
notable achievements.
[[Page H6988]]
In the first place, just serving his Nation for 42 years in the U.S.
Senate; again, the longest-serving Republican Senator in all of U.S.
history. He rose to the position of President pro tempore, serving
under seven Presidents and nine Senate majority leaders.
I love this fact; it is remarkable: He has passed more legislation
than any other Senator who is alive today, more than 750 bills, which I
think reflects on not only his long career, but on his ability to work
with others because he could not have done that by himself. He could
not have done that just with his own party. He had to do that in a
bicameral and a bipartisan fashion, and he certainly did, and he is
known for that.
Again, the numerous leadership positions, chairman of three major
committees, which have already been mentioned here.
I think it is fair, as well, and appropriate that we mention not only
him, but his wife, Elaine. As good as Orrin is, Elaine is every bit as
good and in some cases better. And their 6 children and 23
grandchildren, the result of 60 years of marriage.
Of final note, Senator Hatch was particularly active and impactful in
the judiciary. I think that every sitting U.S. District Court Judge in
Utah, including, by the way, my brother, owes, to some degree, their
position because of the support of Senator Hatch. He had an
unparalleled career. He had an unparalleled impact on the judiciary,
and it is perfectly appropriate that we name the new courthouse in Salt
Lake City after this distinguished gentleman, and I absolutely support
and endorse this effort.
Mr. KATKO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
In closing, Senator Hatch was one of the longest-serving members of
the U.S. Senate, often working on a bipartisan basis to get the work of
the American people done.
This bill will honor and recognize his dedication and decades of
service to this great Nation.
Madam Speaker, I urge support of this legislation, and I yield back
the balance of my time.
Mr. DeFAZIO. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and
I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Oregon (Mr. DeFazio) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, S. 4902.
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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