[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 193 (Tuesday, December 13, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H9723-H9724]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 PAUL D. WELLSTONE BUILDING ACT OF 2022

  Mr. STANTON. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (S. 5060) to redesignate the Federal building located at 212 Third 
Avenue South in Minneapolis, Minnesota, as the ``Paul D. Wellstone 
Federal Building'', and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                S. 5060

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

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Paul D. Wellstone Building 
     Act of 2022''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress finds that--
       (1) Paul David Wellstone was born on July 21, 1944, in 
     Washington, DC, and raised in Arlington, Virginia, as the 
     second child of Ukrainian Jewish immigrants Leon and Minnie 
     Wellstone;
       (2) Wellstone graduated from the University of North 
     Carolina at Chapel Hill--
       (A) in 1965, with a bachelor's degree in political science; 
     and
       (B) in 1969, with a Ph.D. in political science;
       (3) after earning his Ph.D., Wellstone moved to Minnesota 
     to teach political science at Carleton College in Northfield, 
     Minnesota, during which he became an advocate for 
     marginalized communities and fought for improved healthcare, 
     education, housing, and labor and human rights;
       (4) as an activist, Wellstone helped to bring attention to 
     issues important to the people by protesting in favor of 
     peace, civil rights, and social justice, including by 
     standing by farmers and working families in their struggles;
       (5) in 1990, Wellstone extended his community activism 
     during his first run for the Senate;
       (6) as an underdog, Wellstone was the only candidate to 
     unseat an incumbent Senator in the 1990 election;
       (7) the grassroots campaign that was run by Wellstone 
     became well-known for the green bus that he used to travel 
     across Minnesota;
       (8) Senator Wellstone continued his commitment to activism 
     throughout his time in the Senate, including by pushing for 
     legislation that--
       (A) expanded support for mental health care coverage;
       (B) increased the Federal minimum wage; and
       (C) offered greater funding and protections for workers, 
     seniors, schools, and ``atomic'' veterans;
       (9) in 1997, Senator Wellstone traveled across the country 
     on ``The Children's Tour'' to hear from disadvantaged 
     communities across the United States;
       (10) on October 25, 2002, at the age of 57, Senator 
     Wellstone was killed in a plane crash in Minnesota along with 
     his wife, daughter, and several campaign staff; and
       (11) the loss of Senator Wellstone was mourned across the 
     United States, but his legacy of advocacy and candor will 
     always be remembered.

     SEC. 3. PAUL D. WELLSTONE FEDERAL BUILDING.

       (a) Redesignation.--The Federal building located at 212 
     Third Avenue South in Minneapolis, Minnesota, shall be known 
     and designated as the ``Paul D. Wellstone Federal Building''.
       (b) References.--Any reference in a law, map, regulation, 
     document, paper, or other record of the United States to the 
     Federal building referred to in subsection (a) shall be 
     deemed to be a reference to the ``Paul D. Wellstone Federal 
     Building''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Arizona (Mr. Stanton) and the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Crawford) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arizona.


                             General Leave

  Mr. STANTON. 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 S. 5060.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Arizona?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. STANTON. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I rise in support of S. 5060, a bill to designate the Federal 
building located at 212 Third Avenue South in Minneapolis, Minnesota, 
as the ``Paul D. Wellstone Federal Building''.
  S. 5060 was introduced on October 25, 2022, 20 years to the day that 
Senator Wellstone; his wife, Sheila; his daughter, Marcia; his staff 
members, Todd Lapic, Mary McEvoy, and Will McLaughlin; and pilots, 
Richard Conry and Michael Guess, were killed in a plane crash near 
Eveleth, Minnesota.
  Paul Wellstone was born in Washington, D.C., on July 21, 1944; 
attended Arlington, Virginia, public schools; received his BA from the 
University of North Carolina in 1965; earned a Ph.D. from the 
University of North Carolina in 1969; taught political science at 
Carleton College in Minnesota for 21 years; served as a director of the 
Minnesota Community Energy Program; was elected to represent Minnesota 
in the United States Senate in 1990, was reelected in 1996, and served 
from January 3, 1991, until his death in a plane crash on October 25, 
2002.
  Paul Wellstone was a champion college wrestler and a member of the 
National Wrestling Hall of Fame, a college professor for 21 years, a 
prolific legislator who sponsored 608 bills during his time in the U.S. 
Senate, and a mentor to generations of future public servants and 
advocates.
  Upon introduction of S. 5060, Senator Klobuchar said, ``During his 
time as an educator, an activist, and a United States Senator, Paul 
Wellstone touched the lives of people throughout Minnesota and across 
the country. That is because he stood up for people, persistently 
fighting against injustices, small and large. From his passionate 
advocacy for better care and services for those suffering from mental 
illness to his leadership on civil rights and campaign finance reform, 
Paul showed how getting involved in public service can make a real 
difference in improving people's lives.''
  Madam Speaker, I support S. 5060, and I urge my colleagues to join 
me.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CRAWFORD. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise in support of S. 5060, which designates the 
Federal building located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, as the Paul D. 
Wellstone Federal Building.
  Paul Wellstone served two full terms in the Senate before his life, 
as well as the lives of his wife, daughter, several campaign staff, and 
pilots were taken in a tragic plane crash in Minnesota.
  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. STANTON. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
Minnesota (Ms. Omar).
  Ms. OMAR. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 5060, to 
rename the Federal building in my district as the ``Paul D. Wellstone 
Federal Building''.
  I am proud to honor and celebrate the legacy of the late Senator Paul 
Wellstone as an activist, academic, author, and proud Senator from 
Minnesota.
  Son of Ukrainian Jewish immigrants, Senator Wellstone was born in 
Washington, D.C., and grew up in Northern Virginia. He received his 
bachelor, masters, and Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina at 
Chapel Hill, and in 1969 went on to be hired as a professor in 
Northfield, Minnesota, where he taught until his election to the Senate 
in 1990.

                              {time}  1500

  While in the U.S. Senate, Wellstone was a proud, progressive in 
support of environmental protection, public housing, free school meals, 
labor groups, and healthcare reform.
  He served in the Senate from 1991 until 2002, when he was tragically 
killed in a plane crash with his wife and daughter on board.
  Paul Wellstone is a personal hero of mine. He was an organizer to his 
core. He showed what it meant to fight unapologetically for working 
people. And he showed that it is possible to stay true to your 
progressive values and lead a life of public service.
  He always said, ``We all do better when we all do better.'' I am 
honored to have the Federal building in my district, the same building 
where in May

[[Page H9724]]

1970, he was arrested for civil disobedience while protesting the 
Vietnam war named after the late Senator from Minnesota.
  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring his life 
and legacy by passing this bipartisan bill.
  Mr. CRAWFORD. Madam Speaker, this bill recognizes Senator Wellstone's 
service to our country and dedication to the people of Minnesota.
  Madam Speaker, I urge the support of this bill, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. STANTON. Madam Speaker, in closing, this bill honors the life of 
a dedicated public servant, a United States Senator, Paul Wellstone.
  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 
gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Stanton) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, S. 5060.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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