[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 14]
[House]
[Pages 19389-19391]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




              SANTIAGO E. CAMPOS UNITED STATES COURTHOUSE

  Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 5083) to designate the United States courthouse at South 
Federal Place in Santa Fe, New Mexico, as the ``Santiago E. Campos 
United States Courthouse''.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 5083

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

     SECTION 1. DESIGNATION.

       The United States courthouse at South Federal Place in 
     Santa Fe, New Mexico, shall be known and designated as the 
     ``Santiago E. Campos United States Courthouse''.

     SEC. 2. 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 section 1 shall be deemed to be a 
     reference to the ``Santiago E. Campos United States 
     Courthouse''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Ohio (Mr. LaTourette) and the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. DeFazio) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. LaTourette).
  Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5083, as the Clerk has indicated, designates the 
United States Courthouse at South Federal Place in Santa Fe, New 
Mexico, as the Santiago E. Campos United States Courthouse.
  A native of New Mexico, Judge Campos served in the United States Navy 
from 1944 to 1946. Upon his honorable discharge from the Navy, Judge 
Campos earned his undergraduate degree from the Central College in 
Fayette, Missouri, and his law degree from the University of New Mexico 
in 1953, where he graduated first in his class.

[[Page 19390]]

From 1954 to 1957, Judge Campos served as an Assistant State Attorney 
General and then as the First Assistant State Attorney General.
  After a period of time in private practice, Judge Campos was elected 
as a District Judge for the First Judicial District of the State of New 
Mexico until his appointment to the Federal bench.
  Judge Campos served on the Federal bench with distinction for over 22 
years, from his appointment in 1978 by President Carter until December 
of 2001, just one month before his death in January of this year.
  Judge Campos was the first Hispanic to serve as a Federal Judge in 
New Mexico and the first to serve as Chief Judge of the District Court 
in New Mexico. This bill has the support of the New Mexico State 
Legislature, which passed a joint memorial requesting the name of this 
courthouse, as well as the unanimous support of the judges making up 
the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals and the District Court of New 
Mexico.
  This is a fitting tribute to a dedicated public servant. I support 
the bill and urge my colleagues to do the same, and congratulate the 
gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Udall) for bringing this fine piece of 
legislation before us.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this legislation, and 
congratulate the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Udall) for his work to 
bring this bill quickly through committee to the floor of the House.
  Congressman Tom Udall has introduced H.R. 5083, a bill to designate 
the federal courthouse in Santa Fe, New Mexico as the Santiago E. 
Campos United States Courthouse.
  Judge Campos was the first Hispanic appointed to the Federal bench in 
New Mexico. He served as the Chief Judge from 1987 until 1989. 
President Jimmy Carter appointed him to the Federal bench in 1978. 
Prior to this appointment Judge Campos was elected to serve as the 
District Judge for the 1st Judicial District in 1971 and served in that 
capacity until 1978.
  Judge Campos was a life long resident of New Mexico and graduated 
first in his law class from the University of New Mexico. He served the 
people of New Mexico with honor and great distinction.
  Known for his compassion, quick wit, and inquisitive mind Judge 
Campos was a role model for students, fellow jurists, and professional 
colleagues.
  I support Congressman Udall and his efforts in behalf of this bill 
and urge my colleagues to join me in support of this bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he might consume to the gentleman 
from New Mexico (Mr. Udall).
  Mr. UDALL of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, I very much thank the 
distinguished gentleman from Oregon.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my support for H.R. 5083, a bill 
which I introduced which will name the United States Courthouse in 
Santa Fe, New Mexico, as the Santiago E. Campos United States 
Courthouse. I would like to thank the gentleman from Alaska (Chairman 
Young); the ranking member, the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. 
Oberstar); and the committee for favorably reporting this bill to the 
floor. I would also like to thank the eight members of the Hispanic 
Caucus who lent their names as original cosponsors of this bill.
  Born on Christmas of 1926 in Santa Rosa, New Mexico, Santiago Campos 
served in the United States Navy and eventually received his law degree 
from the University of New Mexico in 1953, graduating first in his 
class.
  From 1954 to 1957, Santiago worked as the Assistant and First 
Assistant Attorney General for the State of New Mexico. In 1978, 
Santiago Campos was appointed to the Federal Bench by President Jimmy 
Carter. He held the title of Chief U.S. District Judge from February 5, 
1987, to December 31, 1989, and took senior status December 26, 1992.
  Judge Campos stood as a pillar, both in the community and on the 
bench, and was the moving force in reviving the Federal Courthouse in 
Santa Fe. Judge Campos worked closely with the General Services 
Administration in Fort Worth, Texas, and with the Santa Fe Historical 
Preservation Office to transform the Santa Fe U.S. Courthouse into the 
beautiful, active place it is today.
  Judge Campos' dedication and fairness were widely recognized 
throughout the State of New Mexico. As the first Hispanic in New Mexico 
to be appointed to the Federal bench, Judge Campos broke barriers and 
became a role model to aspiring lawyers, especially Hispanic lawyers, 
throughout the State. His colleagues remember him as a supportive 
friend, a cheerful mentor and a first class judge.
  As a Federal prosecutor I argued cases before Judge Campos on a 
number of occasions. He was very active in his courtroom and often 
became more involved in his cases than other judges, while still 
allowing a lawyer to try his own case. Just as he balanced the scales 
of justice, he balanced the scales of life, never void of humor, 
courage, humility and respect.
  Even when Judge Campos was diagnosed with cancer, he continued to 
fight. He fought with reason and he fought with laughter. He remained 
resolute until his death in January 2001.
  To Judge Campos' daughters, Teresa, Tina, Miquela and Rebecca, I 
would like to say that your father's name will never be forgotten. To 
his wife, Patsy, your husband's legacy will live on through this 
courthouse bearing his name. To his grandchildren and great-
grandchildren, it is my hope that your generation will continue to 
uphold the ideals, standards and compassion of Judge Campos.
  Mr. Speaker, it was a great privilege and honor for me to introduce 
this legislation which received the unanimous endorsement of the Judges 
of the Tenth Circuit Court, District Judges of the District Court of 
New Mexico, and a bipartisan group of New Mexico State legislators.
  Like the clerks who served with him, the lawyers who argued cases in 
front of him, and his friends and family, I look forward to seeing the 
name of Judge Santiago E. Campos inscribed in the stone of the U.S. 
Courthouse in Santa Fe.
  I urge my friends and colleagues to support this bill.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 5083. 
H.R. 5083 honors Judge Santiago Campos by designating the United States 
Courthouse at South Federal Place in Santa Fe, New Mexico, the 
courthouse where Judge Campos served for more than 22 years, as the 
``Santiago E. Campos United States Courthouse.''
  Judge Campos was born on Christmas Day in 1926 in Santa Rosa, New 
Mexico. A life-long resident of New Mexico, he received his law degree 
from the University of New Mexico, graduating first in his class. His 
distinguished career in public service began in 1944, when he served in 
the U.S. Navy as a seaman first class. In 1954, he joined the New 
Mexico State Attorney General's Office as an Assistant Attorney General 
and, in 1971, became a state district court judge in New Mexico's First 
District. President Carter appointed him to the Federal bench in 1978. 
Upon his appointment, he became the first Hispanic to sit on the 
Federal district court in New Mexico.
  Judge Campos served as a U.S. District Court Judge from his 
appointment in 1978 until his death in 2001. He served as Chief Judge 
of the Court from 1987 through 1989.
  Throughout his career, Judge Campos was an outstanding role model and 
mentor of other jurists and lawyers. Well liked and admired for his 
sense of humor and outgoing manner, Judge Campo's dedication to public 
service served as an inspiration to his colleagues. Indeed, the naming 
of this courthouse after Judge Campos has received wide support from 
those who knew him. The New Mexico State Legislature passed a joint 
memorial declaration requesting that Congress name this Federal 
courthouse in Judge Campos's honor. In addition, the United States 
district and appellate judges who reside in New Mexico have expressed 
their unanimous support for this designation.
  This bill is a fitting tribute to Judge Campos. I urge my colleagues 
to support H.R. 5083.
  Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I urge support of the 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 Ohio (Mr.

[[Page 19391]]

LaTourette) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 
5083.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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