[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 193 (Tuesday, December 13, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H9724-H9725]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 JAMES D. TODD UNITED STATES COURTHOUSE

  Mr. STANTON. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (S. 4017) to designate the United States courthouse located at 111 
South Highland Avenue in Jackson, Tennessee, as the ``James D. Todd 
United States Courthouse'', and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                S. 4017

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

     SECTION 1. JAMES D. TODD UNITED STATES COURTHOUSE.

       (a) Designation.--The United States courthouse located at 
     111 South Highland Avenue in Jackson, Tennessee, shall be 
     known and designated as the ``James D. Todd 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 ``James D. Todd United 
     States Courthouse''.

  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 to include extraneous material on S. 4017.
  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.
  Madam Speaker, I support the passage of S. 4017, a bill to name the 
United States Courthouse located at 111 South Highland Avenue in 
Jackson, Tennessee, the James D. Todd United States Courthouse.
  Judge James Todd was born in Scotts Hill, Tennessee, in 1943. He 
received a bachelor of science from Lambuth College in 1965 and his 
juris doctorate from Memphis State University, now the University of 
Memphis, Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law in 1972.
  He was in private practice in Jackson, Tennessee, from 1972 to 1983, 
and served as a judge on Tennessee's Circuit Court from 1983 to 1985.
  In 1985, Judge Todd was nominated and confirmed to the U.S. District 
Court for the Western District of Tennessee where he served as chief 
judge from 2001 to 2007. Judge Todd assumed senior status in 2008.
  Madam Speaker, I support S. 4017 to name a courthouse after the 
Honorable Judge Todd, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CRAWFORD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the bill, S. 4017, which 
designates the United States Courthouse located in Jackson, Tennessee, 
as the James D. Todd United States Courthouse.
  I thank my colleague Representative Kustoff for introducing the House 
version of this legislation, which has the support of the entire 
Tennessee delegation.
  Judge Todd was first nominated to the United States District Court 
for the Western District of Tennessee in 1985 by President Reagan.
  Judge Todd served in the District Court as chief judge from 2001 to 
2007. After 36 years of public service for the judiciary, Judge Todd 
assumed inactive senior status in September 2021.
  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. STANTON. Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. CRAWFORD. Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from 
Tennessee (Mr. Kustoff), the sponsor of the House companion to this 
legislation.
  Mr. KUSTOFF. Madam Speaker, I thank my friend from Arkansas for 
yielding time.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of legislation to name the 
courthouse in honor of a good friend and a good man, the James D. Todd 
United States Courthouse located at 111 South Highland Avenue in 
Jackson, Tennessee.
  As a native Tennessean, Judge Todd has dedicated his entire life to 
his community, to his State, and to this Nation.
  A graduate of Lexington High School and Lambuth College, Judge Todd 
received his master's in combined sciences from the University of 
Mississippi in 1968.
  He then went on to receive his law degree from the University of 
Memphis, the Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law in 1972.
  From there, Judge Todd practiced law with the firm of Waldrop, 
Farmer, Todd and Breen for 9 years before being elected as a State 
circuit court judge where he served for 2 years.
  Judge Todd was then nominated by President Ronald Reagan in June of 
1985 to serve as a judge on the United States District Court for the 
Western District of Tennessee, and Judge Todd was confirmed by the 
United States Senate on July 10, 1985, with no objection.
  For almost four decades, Judge Todd worked tirelessly for the people 
of Jackson and for West Tennessee and, really, for our entire State.
  I will note as a point of personal privilege that Judge Todd 
administered my oath as the United States attorney for the Western 
District of Tennessee in 2006, a moment that I will never forget.
  In addition to Judge Todd's time on the bench, he has been involved 
in the Tennessee Boys Club, was the Jackson Senior League baseball 
coach, served as the Lambuth College Alumni Association president, and 
was also chairman for the Goals of Jackson Committee.
  Judge Todd has been a respected member of the judiciary in our 
community in West Tennessee. Judge Todd retired and took inactive 
status last year. I was proud to join our entire West Tennessee 
community congratulating him on his years of great work and dedicated 
service.

  If I can for a moment, former Madison County Mayor Jimmy Harris, who 
retired earlier this year from Jackson, Tennessee, who is a friend of 
Judge Todd, commented when Judge Todd stepped down. This is what Mayor 
Harris said: ``Respect and talent. There is law enforcement, judges, 
lawyers, the district attorney--you name it. They all have a healthy 
respect for Jim Todd. But he is the epitome of what a Federal judge 
ought to be. He makes decisions based on the law and the Constitution. 
That is all you can ask for.''
  In my opinion, Mayor Harris, his comments are spot on; and for all 
these reasons, I am proud to have introduced this legislation that 
honors Judge Todd. I think Chief Judge Tom Anderson of the Western 
District of Tennessee said it best when he said, ``This is a historic 
and momentous event for West Tennessee to recognize one of our own and 
name this outstanding facility after Judge Todd.''
  Lastly, if I could, I thank every member of the Tennessee delegation, 
Senators Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty, and all of my Tennessee 
colleagues for supporting this legislation.

[[Page H9725]]

  As such, I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support 
the legislation to honor the life and the legacy of Judge James D. 
Todd.
  Mr. STANTON. Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. CRAWFORD. Madam Speaker, in closing, this bill honors Judge James 
Todd for his many years of service to the United States Judiciary and 
the State of Tennessee.
  Madam Speaker, I urge its support, and I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. STANTON. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this 
important 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. 4017.
  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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