[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 193 (Wednesday, November 3, 2021)]
[House]
[Pages H6145-H6146]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
NORMAN YOSHIO MINETA FEDERAL BUILDING
Mr. DeFAZIO. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 4679) to designate the Federal building located at 1200 New
Jersey Avenue Southeast in Washington, DC, as the ``Norman Yoshio
Mineta Federal Building''.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 4679
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. DESIGNATION.
The Federal building located at 1200 New Jersey Avenue
Southeast in Washington, DC, shall be known and designated as
the ``Norman Yoshio Mineta 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
referred to in section 1 shall be deemed to be a reference to
the ``Norman Yoshio Mineta Federal Building''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Oregon (Mr. DeFazio) and the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Guest)
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
[[Page H6146]]
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks
and include extraneous material on H.R. 4679.
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, H.R. 4679 names the Department of Transportation
headquarters building in Washington, D.C., after our former colleague
Norm Mineta. This recognition is long overdue.
Secretary Norm Mineta is a great American patriot. He, along with his
family, suffered the grave injustice of being forcibly relocated and
interned during World War II. But he was not bitter toward his country
or his government. Instead, he spent his career serving his country by
participating in and improving government.
For almost 30 years, Norm represented San Jose on the city council,
then as mayor, and then from 1975 to 1995 as a Member of Congress. Norm
served on the Committee on Transportation and Public Works throughout
his two decades in Congress, and we served together for 7 years. Norm
chaired the Subcommittee on Aviation, the Subcommittee on Surface
Transportation, and finally the full committee.
Norm was a primary author of the Intermodal Surface Transportation
Efficiency Act of 1991, ISTEA, which, as President George H.W. Bush
said during the signing ceremony, was ``the most important
transportation bill since President Eisenhower started the interstate
system 35 years ago.''
Norm was also a cofounder of the Congressional Asian Pacific American
Caucus and served as its first chair.
Norm's skills and accomplishments have been widely recognized by both
sides of the aisle. Norm was President Bill Clinton's Secretary of
Commerce and President George W. Bush's Secretary of Transportation,
where he was the longest-serving Secretary of Transportation in U.S.
history, January 2001 until July 2006. Norm was the first person of
Asian-Pacific descent to serve as Secretary of Commerce or Secretary of
Transportation, and he was the first DOT Secretary to have served in a
previous Cabinet position.
Following the terrorist acts of September 11, 2001, Secretary Mineta
worked closely with the then-chair of the Subcommittee on Aviation, Mr.
Mica, and myself as ranking member to create the Transportation
Security Administration.
Prior to that time, the security at airports was always provided by
the lowest bidder. In fact, one of the companies was owned by previous
felons. We professionalized aviation security in the TSA. That agency
was 65,000 employees, the largest mobilization of a new Federal agency
since World War II.
For his contributions to this institution, to our government, and to
the field of transportation, Secretary Mineta deserves this
recognition.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
{time} 1400
Mr. GUEST. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, H.R. 4679 designates the U.S. Department of
Transportation headquarters as the Norman Yoshio Mineta Federal
Building.
Norman Mineta served as both the chairman and ranking member of the
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and, later, as the
Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation. Both his work on
the committee and as DOT Secretary demonstrates his commitment to
public service.
Madam Speaker, I know that our colleagues in the Senate are also very
interested in this issue, and I hope that we can work together to find
a resolution that works for both Chambers.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. DeFAZIO. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GUEST. Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I am
prepared to close.
Madam Speaker, in closing, I want to again recognize Norman Mineta
for his service on both the committee and the U.S. Department of
Transportation.
Madam Speaker, I urge the adoption of this bill, and I yield back the
balance of my time.
Mr. DeFAZIO. Madam Speaker, I recommend this legislation to my
colleagues for this long-overdue honor for the longest-serving
Secretary of Transportation and the only one who ever served previously
as Secretary in another part of the administration.
Madam Speaker, 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, H.R. 4679.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. ROSENDALE. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 3(s) of House Resolution
8, the yeas and nays are ordered.
Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this motion
are postponed.
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