[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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