[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 8]
[House]
[Pages 11201-11203]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




        TONY HALL FEDERAL BUILDING AND UNITED STATES COURTHOUSE

  Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 281) to designate the Federal building and United States 
courthouse located at 200 West 2nd Street in Dayton, Ohio, as the 
``Tony Hall Federal Building and United States Courthouse.''
  The Clerk read as follows:

                                H.R. 281

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

     SECTION 1. DESIGNATION.

       The Federal building and United States courthouse located 
     at 200 West 2nd Street in Dayton, Ohio, shall be known and 
     designated as the ``Tony Hall Federal Building and United 
     States Courthouse''.

     SEC. 2. REFERENCES.

       Any reference in a law, map, regulation, document, paper, 
     or other record of the United States to the Federal building 
     and United States courthouse referred to in section 1 shall 
     be deemed to be a reference to the ``Tony Hall Federal 
     Building and United States Courthouse''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Burgess) and the gentleman from Maine (Mr. Michaud) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Burgess).
  Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to bring before the House H.R. 281, 
introduced by the gentleman from Springfield, Ohio (Mr. Hobson), which 
designates the Federal building and the United States Courthouse at 200 
West 2nd Street in Dayton, Ohio, as the ``Tony Hall Federal Building 
and United States Courthouse.''
  For nearly 40 years, Tony Hall has been an example of what it means 
to dedicate oneself to public service and service to others. He has 
been an exemplary citizen of both the State of Ohio and the United 
States. His history of public service and service to others began with 
the Peace Corps, where he taught English in Southeast Asia during 1966 
and 1967. When he returned to the United States, he served 4 years in 
the Ohio House of Representatives, and then for 6 years in the Ohio 
State Senate.
  In 1978, he was elected to this body where he served for 12 terms 
before resigning his seat to accept the nomination by President Bush to 
serve as the United States Ambassador to the United Nations Food and 
Agriculture Agencies.
  By all accounts during his tenure in this body, Tony Hall was a 
tireless and outspoken advocate for combating world hunger, protecting 
human rights, and promoting humanitarian causes, including basic 
education, adult literacy, immunization, and other child survival 
programs and sustainable agriculture in other countries.
  While in the House, Tony Hall served as chairman of the House Select 
Committee on Hunger and as the chairman and founding member of the 
Congressional Hunger Center. He also served ably on the Committee on 
Rules in addition to numerous other committee and caucus assignments.
  This is the second time this body has considered legislation making 
this designation. In the previous Congress, this body agreed to H.R. 
5335 by a voice vote on October 7, 2002, but it was never considered by 
the other body. I hope that the result of our consideration this year 
will be more positive.
  This is a fitting tribute to a dedicated public servant. I support 
the legislation and encourage my colleagues to do the same.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  H.R. 281 is a bill to designate the Federal building and courthouse 
in Dayton, Ohio, as the Tony Hall Federal Building and the United 
States Courthouse in honor of our former colleague from Ohio, Tony 
Hall. The bill has strong bipartisan support.
  Tony Hall is a true son of Ohio. He was born in Dayton in 1942. After 
attending local schools, he graduated from Denison University in 1964. 
He was accepted into the Peace Corps and served as a volunteer in 
Thailand from 1966 until 1968. Upon his return he was elected to the 
Ohio House of Representatives, and in 1972 he was elected to the Ohio 
Senate. In 1978, he was elected to the United States House of 
Representatives where he served for 12 terms.
  Tony Hall currently serves as United States Ambassador to the United 
Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture. Tony Hall was a founder and 
cochair of the Congressional Hunger Center, a nonprofit organization 
created to bring awareness to the growing persistent problem of world 
hunger. He also served as chairman of the House Select Committee on 
Hunger from 1989 until 1993. Congressman Hall sponsored legislation to 
help immunize the world's children against major diseases and to 
increase United States funding for Vitamin A and C.
  His passion for protecting and ensuring human rights and combating 
hunger brought Congressman Hall to such places as North Korea, Peru, 
Sudan, Bosnia, Rwanda, Somalia, Bangladesh, and Haiti. In 1994, he 
helped nominate Bishop Carlos Belo for the Nobel Peace Prize for the 
bishop's role in protecting civilians during armed conflict.
  Congressman Hall was an example to all with his steadfast commitment 
to promoting humanity and peace in a world stricken with poverty and 
war. This designation is a fitting tribute to his exceptional public 
service, and I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 281.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
Ohio (Mr. Hobson).
  Mr. HOBSON. Mr. Speaker, the legislation which I introduced which is 
now under consideration has been co-sponsored by every member of the 
Ohio congressional delegation. It would permanently name the Dayton, 
Ohio, Federal building in honor of our good friend, and colleague until 
very recently, Tony Hall. For years Tony Hall and I worked in a 
partnership for the benefit of the

[[Page 11202]]

citizens of the Miami Valley on numerous projects and initiatives. I am 
very happy that he can now work directly on hunger issues in the United 
Nations, but it was still a very sad day for this Congress and the 
Miami Valley to see him leave.
  Tony was an All-American when he was in college, Peace Corps 
volunteer, a noted traveler especially in checking on hunger, a devoted 
husband and father, and a dedicated public servant. Tony was the area's 
longest-serving Congressman and a three-time Nobel Peace Prize nominee 
known worldwide for his humanitarian work.
  In Congress Tony was always guided by faith and family. He spent 21 
years on the House Committee on Rules, was chairman of the House 
Democratic Caucus Task Force on Hunger, and was founder and chairman of 
the Congressional Hunger Center. We are all better people today because 
Tony Hall is in Congress, and the world is going to be a lot better off 
now that Tony Hall is working in the United Nations on all of our 
behalf and people of the world all over.
  This legislation is a lasting way to pay tribute to Tony's efforts 
over the years, and I urge all my colleagues to support this bill as we 
do honor to this great servant of this Nation.
  Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from 
American Samoa (Mr. Faleomavaega).

                              {time}  1430

  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. 
Hobson) for his sponsorship of this resolution, which is most fitting 
for one of our former colleagues, Tony Hall, from the State of Ohio.
  About 13 years ago it was my privilege to be a Member of the House 
Select Committee on Hunger, and if there are three names that stand out 
the most, in my humble opinion, and it is a matter of history, of our 
former colleagues, it is the late Congressman Mickey Leland from Texas, 
Bill Emerson from Missouri and Tony Hall from Ohio.
  I have known Tony for these past years, and I have never known a 
person who is so genuine in his dedication and commitment to provide 
for the needs of the hungry, the poor and the needy.
  I remember the time when we had left on a mission to Somalia with 
Bill Emerson, the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Lewis) and Tony Hall. It 
was upon our return from that trip in Somalia that we made a 
recommendation to President Bush that we definitely need humanitarian 
aid. If there ever was an experience in my life where I have ever seen 
the most degrading example of seeing how human beings could have 
survived in those circumstances in Somalia, Mr. Speaker, this was it. I 
sincerely hope that none of my colleagues or anybody would ever want to 
experience what I saw that day.
  Tony Hall was a dear friend. Not only did he serve as an outstanding 
member of the Committee on Rules, but he certainly made his mark as a 
true humanitarian and great leader, not only here in this body, but as 
an example for all of us, in his dedication and commitment to provide 
for the hungry, the poor and the needy.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend from Ohio for bringing this 
resolution, and I urge my colleagues to support it.
  Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from 
Ohio (Mr. Turner).
  Mr. TURNER of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I wish to recognize the work of 
Ambassador Tony Hall and support the naming of the Tony Hall Federal 
Building and United States Courthouse in Dayton, Ohio.
  Ambassador Tony Hall represented Ohio's Third Congressional District, 
which included the Dayton area, for over 24 years. Mr. Hall resigned 
from Congress on September 9, 2002, to accept an appointment to the 
United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture in Rome, Italy, where 
he oversees the World Food Program, the Food and Agriculture 
Organization and the International Fund for Agricultural Development.
  Mr. Speaker, many of his colleagues will long remember Tony Hall for 
his compassion and steadfast commitment to the causes that he 
championed. Perhaps he is most well known as a leading advocate for 
hunger relief programs and improving international human rights 
conditions around the world.
  As a man of faith, Tony Hall aggressively supported the President's 
faith-based initiative and coauthored legislation to make changes to 
the Tax Code which would promote faith-based charities. He also worked 
with his Ohio colleagues to support Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, 
built upon the Air Force Research Laboratory's success in research and 
development, and worked for the nuclear cleanup of the weapons lab 
facility at the Miamisburg Mound.
  Ambassador Hall was nominated three times for the Nobel Peace Prize 
for his humanitarian efforts and received numerous recognitions from 
the United Nations for his work on preventing hunger. In 1993, he 
raised public awareness in America and throughout the world by fasting 
for 22 days.
  Born in Kettering, Ohio, Mr. Hall attended Denison University, where 
he was an All-American tailback and named the Ohio Conference's most 
valuable player in 1963. He served as a Peace Corps volunteer in 
Thailand in 1966 and 1967, and served in both the Ohio statehouse and 
senate before being elected to Congress in 1978, where he served on the 
prestigious Committee on Rules for 22 years.
  The people of the Third District of Ohio are grateful for Tony Hall's 
commitment to public service.
  Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from New 
Jersey (Mr. Holt).
  Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend for yielding me time.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bill to recognize the 
contributions of Tony Hall, his contributions to his district, his 
contributions to this House, his contributions to this country, and his 
contributions to the world. It is fitting that a public building, for 
people to see day after day, should be named for Tony Hall.
  The gentleman from American Samoa (Mr. Faleomavaega) used the word 
``genuine'' in speaking about Tony Hall. It is, indeed, a fitting word.
  There is no one, I think, who has served in this body, certainly in 
recent times, whose works have done more to illuminate his faith than 
Tony Hall. Extraordinarily popular in his district, he did many things 
over a couple of decades for his district, for Wright-Patterson, for 
others, but it was really a transforming experience that he had on 
overseas congressional travel when he saw hunger face to face, when he 
saw people dying before his eyes, that he devoted himself primarily to 
eradicating hunger from the globe, and I would say in his district. I 
know in my own district in New Jersey he has inspired workers to 
redouble their efforts to fight hunger, just as he did back home, not 
just overseas, but through food banks and various programs, to 
eradicate hunger at his doorstep, as well as across the oceans.
  When the House, unfortunately, abolished the Select Committee on 
Hunger some years ago, he took to fasting, as has been noted, and all 
over America people saw his football player frame emaciated. He did not 
succeed in restoring that select committee, but he did draw attention 
to the problem.
  His faith, his deep religious faith, carried him to work even harder 
on the issue of hunger, and when he saw recently that he could do even 
more as America's representative in Rome to the international food and 
hunger organizations, he took that opportunity. It is a loss to the 
House of Representatives, but it certainly is a gain, a life-saving 
gain, to millions of people around the world.
  It certainly is fitting that we pay tribute to this man of faith, 
this genuine public servant, Tony Hall.
  Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from 
Virginia (Mr. Wolf).
  Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 281, to designate 
the Federal Building and United States Courthouse at West 2nd Street in 
Dayton, Ohio, as the ``Tony Hall Federal Building and United States 
Courthouse.''
  Our former colleague, Tony Hall, was nominated by President Bush to 
be the United States Ambassador to the United Nations food and 
agriculture

[[Page 11203]]

agencies located in Rome, Italy, and resigned his seat as the 
representative of the Third District of Ohio last September to take the 
post in Rome, where he has continued his passionate work as a leading 
advocate for ending hunger and promoting food security around the 
world.
  I want to especially thank the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Hobson). It 
was interesting to always watch the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Hobson) 
and Tony Hall together, a Republican and a Democrat, side by side, 
different voting districts, but very good friends. I want to thank the 
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Hobson) for introducing this and moving this 
so quickly, and also for the relationship they had, to honor Tony in 
his hometown in Dayton by attaching his name to the Federal building 
and courthouse. It is an appropriate recognition.
  I personally, as we all do, miss Tony very much, our colleague in the 
House, but I know he is absolutely the right person to serve as the 
United States representative to the World Food Program. No one else 
could do a better job.
  Tony Hall's name is synonymous, as the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. 
Holt) was saying, with the cause of alleviating hunger, both 
domestically and worldwide, as a result of his faith. He believes that 
food is the most basic of human needs, the most basic of human rights. 
He has passionately worked to convince others that the cause of hunger, 
which often gets lost in this legislative shuffle and pushed aside by 
more visible issues, deserved the prominent share of attention.
  He worked as a tireless advocate for the cause of human rights, and 
he actually led the effort in bringing to the attention of this 
Congress the conflict diamond trade in authoring legislation, which has 
since been passed, to certify that diamonds Americans buy are not 
tainted with the blood of the people of Sierra Leone and other African 
nations.
  Tony has never been deterred in his effort to help make positive 
differences in the lives of suffering people. In his years in Congress, 
he traveled to wherever the need arose and met with whomever he could 
to effect change.
  I believe Tony's life destiny was to be a servant. He is an 
inspiration to everyone fortunate enough to know him. He has had a 
wonderful combination of compassion and passion, filled with a 
spiritual purpose; compassion to see the suffering in the less 
fortunate in the world, and the passion to do something about it.
  I want to thank the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Hobson) again and all 
those who cosponsored this bill on both sides of the aisle, and look 
forward to seeing this building named with Tony Hall's name.
  Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Davis).
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I, too, want to join in 
supporting this legislation and also in paying tribute to Tony Hall. I 
knew Tony and knew of Tony long before I came to Congress. During the 
1970s, I used to spend a great deal of time in the Dayton-Cincinnati-
Columbus area, Xenia and all of those places, and got to hear of Tony 
Hall and the kind of person that he was, a man who would spend his time 
dealing with the issue of hunger, which is not necessarily one of the 
most popular issues that one can deal with in the House of 
Representatives. But Tony made it a hallmark, made it his business to 
continuously raise that issue while a Member, and now continues to do 
so as he goes to work with world hunger.
  I think it is a tremendous testament to him. I am pleased to join 
with my colleagues in support of this resolution and urge its passage.
  Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Ohio 
(Mr. Gillmor).
  Mr. GILLMOR. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time.
  Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to be here to speak on behalf of this 
legislation to honor Tony Hall. I have known Tony for probably 30 
years. I served with him for a long time in the State senate in Ohio 
and had the opportunity to serve with him in the United States 
Congress. Tony made a mark, both nationally and internationally, as a 
leader in the fight against hunger. I most recently had the opportunity 
to meet with him in his new position as Ambassador in Rome.
  This is an honor very well deserved, and I am pleased to speak in 
support of the bill.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 
281, designating the Federal Building and United States Courthouse, 
located at 200 West 2nd Street, in Dayton, OH, the ``Tony Hall Federal 
Building and United States Courthouse.''
  Born and raised in Dayton, OH, Congressman Hall attended the public 
schools of Dayton, graduating from Fairmont High School in 1960. He 
went on to attend Denison University in Granville, OH.
  While most Members know that Congressman Hall earned success in the 
classroom, what many don't know is that he also earned high honors for 
his work on the gridiron, being named a Little All American as a 
running back at Denison University.
  After graduation, he served in the Peace Corps in Thailand, upon his 
return he served in both the Ohio House of Representatives and the 
State Senate before being elected to honorably serve for 12 terms in 
this body.
  While in this body, and as the founder and chairman of the 
Congressional Hunger Caucus, Congressman Hall aggressively fought to 
ensure that no person, anywhere, went hungry.
  In 2002, Tony Hall accepted a Presidential appointment to the United 
Nations Food and Agriculture Programs, a post from which he can 
continue this important work. I join my colleagues in wishing Tony Hall 
the best of luck in his new position.
  I support the legislation, and encourage my colleagues to do the 
same.
  Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Stearns). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Burgess) that the House 
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 281.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of 
those present have voted in the affirmative.
  Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

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