[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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