[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 193 (Wednesday, November 3, 2021)]
[House]
[Page H6145]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                     ODELL HORTON FEDERAL BUILDING

  Mr. PAPPAS. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 390) to redesignate the Federal building located at 167 
North Main Street in Memphis, Tennessee as the ``Odell Horton Federal 
Building''.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                H.R. 390

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

     SECTION 1. REDESIGNATION.

       The Federal building located at 167 North Main Street in 
     Memphis, Tennessee, commonly known as the ``Clifford Davis 
     and Odell Horton Federal Building'', shall be known and 
     designated as the ``Odell Horton 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 ``Odell Horton Federal Building''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
Hampshire (Mr. Pappas) and the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Guest) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Hampshire.


                             General Leave

  Mr. PAPPAS. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on H.R. 390.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New Hampshire?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. PAPPAS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, H.R. 390 designates the Federal building at 167 North 
Main Street in Memphis, Tennessee, as the Odell Horton Federal 
Building.
  The bill is sponsored by our colleague from Tennessee, Representative 
  Steve Cohen, and it is cosponsored by the entire Tennessee 
congressional delegation.
  Currently, the Federal building in downtown Memphis is named for 
Clifford Davis, a former Congressman who was a member of the KKK, and 
this legislation would rename the building in honor of Judge Odell 
Horton, the first Black Federal judge and assistant U.S. attorney in 
Tennessee since Reconstruction, who was nominated by President Jimmy 
Carter and confirmed by the U.S. Senate in 1980.
  The history of America is replete with acts of bigotry, oppression, 
and hatred. We can't erase it, but we can make sure we don't honor it. 
I support this legislation and urge my colleagues to do the same.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GUEST. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise in support of H.R. 390, which designates the Federal building 
located in Memphis, Tennessee, as the Odell Horton Federal Building.
  Judge Odell Horton served his community with great honor and great 
distinction.
  I thank Transportation Committee members Representatives Cohen and 
Burchett, along with members of the Tennessee delegation, for their 
leadership and bipartisan work on this bill.
  I also know that my colleagues in the Senate are 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 urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. PAPPAS. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Cohen).
  Mr. COHEN. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this bill, H.R. 
390, which would fully name the Federal building in Memphis for Odell 
Horton, a great jurist. Right now, it is the Clifford Davis-Odell 
Horton Federal Building, and this would remove Clifford Davis' name 
from the Memphis Federal building.
  In one of my first acts as a Congressman, the first bill I passed was 
a bill to add Judge Horton's name to the Federal building and to call 
it the Clifford Davis-Odell Horton Federal Building. I initially hoped 
to simply rename the building for Judge Horton, but the political will 
to do that was not present at that time.
  Now, here we are in 2021, and the political will is present, 
including the family of the late Clifford Davis, who we communicated 
with, and they suggested that it should be renamed. The family said: 
``We are proud of Cliff Davis' many contributions to Memphis, but his 
membership in the Klan and his support for Jim Crow cannot be 
excused.''
  I completely agree and believe it is time to ensure that all of 
Memphis can look with pride and respect at their Federal building and 
have a name for this great jurist who served in that Federal building.
  Judge Horton left a remarkable legacy as the first Black Federal 
judge appointed since Reconstruction. Judge Horton also served as chief 
judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of 
Tennessee. He served as an assistant U.S. attorney, the first African-
American member of Mayor Henry Loeb's city administration as the head 
of health and hospitals, and the president of LeMoyne-Owen College, a 
historic HBCU located in Memphis.
  Judge Horton was a man of honor who dedicated his life to public 
service for the betterment of west Tennessee. Judge Horton broke down 
racial barriers and served the judicial system well. Judge Horton is 
long deserved in this individual distinction.
  I thank the entire Tennessee delegation and Mr. Guest for joining in 
the movement to pass this bill and honor Judge Horton in this singular 
manner. I also thank Chairman DeFazio, Chairwoman Titus, and Ranking 
Members Graves and Webster for advancing this bill to the floor.
  I urge all of my colleagues to join me and vote ``yes'' on this bill.
  Mr. GUEST. Madam Speaker, in closing, it is appropriate to honor 
Judge Horton's service to our country by naming this building after 
him.
  Madam Speaker, I urge support of this legislation, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. PAPPAS. Madam Speaker, I thank Representative Cohen for his 
sponsorship of this legislation, for the bipartisan support that it 
enjoys.
  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to adopt this bill, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from New Hampshire (Mr. Pappas) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 390.
  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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