[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 56 (Wednesday, March 30, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H3993-H3994]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                SYLVIA H. RAMBO UNITED STATES COURTHOUSE

  Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules 
and pass the bill (S. 1226) to designate the United States courthouse 
located at 1501 North 6th Street in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, as the 
``Sylvia H. Rambo United States Courthouse'', and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                S. 1226

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

     SECTION 1. SYLVIA H. RAMBO UNITED STATES COURTHOUSE.

       (a) Designation.--The United States courthouse located at 
     1501 North 6th Street in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, shall be 
     known and designated as the ``Sylvia H. Rambo 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 ``Sylvia H. Rambo United 
     States Courthouse''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Georgia (Ms. Williams) and the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Webster) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Georgia.


                             General Leave

  Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia. 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. 1226.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Georgia?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise in support of this bill, S. 1226, which names 
the United States courthouse in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, after Judge 
Sylvia H. Rambo.
  S. 1226 was introduced by Pennsylvania Senators Casey and Toomey, and 
a House companion was introduced by Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure member, Representative Scott Perry, and cosponsored by 
several members of the Pennsylvania delegation.
  Upon introduction of the bill, Senator Casey said: ``Judge Rambo's 
trailblazing career serves as an ongoing inspiration to countless young 
women across the Commonwealth, the Third Circuit, and the entire 
Nation. Her dedication to the judiciary is unparalleled, and there is 
no better way to honor her service to our Nation than by naming the new 
Federal courthouse in Harrisburg after her.''
  Senator Toomey said: ``As the first woman to serve on both the 
Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas for Cumberland County and on the 
bench of the Middle District of Pennsylvania, Judge Rambo is a 
trailblazer. During her time on the bench, Judge Rambo has served 
Pennsylvania with great integrity and distinction. I am proud to 
introduce this legislation honoring a Pennsylvania public servant with 
Senator Casey.''
  The courthouse is currently under construction. Upon completion, it 
will contain a total of 8 courtrooms and 11 chambers. Tenants for this 
new courthouse are the U.S. Courts, U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. 
Attorneys, U.S. Trustees, Homeland Security, and Federal Public 
Defender.
  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in advancing this 
legislation naming the United States Courthouse in Harrisburg, 
Pennsylvania, after Judge Sylvia H. Rambo.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. WEBSTER of Florida. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise in support of S. 1226, which designates the 
United States courthouse located in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, as the 
Sylvia H. Rambo United States Courthouse.
  Judge Rambo was appointed to the United States District Court for the 
Middle District of Pennsylvania in 1979 by President Jimmy Carter and 
assumed senior status in 2001.
  I thank Judge Rambo for her many years of service.
  Madam Speaker, I support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. WEBSTER of Florida. Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Perry).
  Mr. PERRY. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Florida for 
yielding.
  Madam Speaker, I certainly rise in support of this bill to name the 
new Federal courthouse in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, as the Sylvia H. 
Rambo United States Courthouse and Federal Building.
  As the sponsor of the House companion to this bill, I am absolutely 
proud of our bicameral, bipartisan work with Senator Casey to bring 
this bill to the floor.
  Judge Rambo's trailblazing career is filled with historic moments--to 
include opening the door for women to participate fully in our Nation's 
judicial system. Her legacy of service to the citizens of Pennsylvania 
is indeed exceptional.

                              {time}  1300

  Shortly after earning her Juris Doctorate from the Dickinson School 
of Law--also a place I am proud to represent--Judge Rambo served as a 
public defender for Cumberland County, rising to the position of chief 
public defender in 1976, at which time she became the first woman judge 
to serve on the Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas for Cumberland 
County.
  In 1979, President Jimmy Carter appointed Judge Rambo to the Middle 
District Court of Pennsylvania, where she became the first woman judge 
to serve on this court. She also became the first woman to serve as the 
chief judge of the court from 1992 to 1999.
  As chief judge, Judge Rambo has been a tireless advocate of the 
decades-long pursuit of a new courthouse in Harrisburg. Since the 
attack on 9/11, we have been seeking this new courthouse because the 
current one didn't fit the parameters for security. But as you all know 
around this place, it is tough to get these things done. These are big 
projects and there are a lot of these projects to do around the 
country, and the resources aren't always available.
  Judge Rambo never quit. Quite honestly, our delegation never quit 
either. It is a long time in coming, and it culminated in the 
groundbreaking on the building in 2018 where she was there. As her 
efforts on this initiative near completion, the building is almost 
done, it is absolutely fitting that the building be named in her honor.
  As a reflection and a testament of Judge Rambo's historic legacy, her 
colleagues at the Middle District Court of Pennsylvania unanimously 
support this legislation to name the Federal Courthouse after her.
  Madam Speaker, I certainly urge my colleagues to support this 
legislation. It is one of the few times that both sides finally can get 
together, both Chambers can get together to get something done and do 
something great for our community, and we should all be happy about 
that.
  Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. WEBSTER of Florida. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Madam Speaker, in closing, I again want to commend Judge Rambo for 
the many years of service to her community and her distinguished legal 
career.
  Madam Speaker, I urge support of this, and I yield back the balance 
of my time.
  Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to 
support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from Georgia (Ms. Williams) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, S. 1226.
  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.

[[Page H3994]]

  Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this motion 
are postponed.

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