[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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