[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 9]
[House]
[Pages 12112-12113]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  JAMES L. WATSON UNITED STATES COURT OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE BUILDING

  Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 1018) to designate the building located at 1 Federal Plaza 
in New York, New York, as the ``James L. Watson United States Court of 
International Trade Building''.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 1018

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

     SECTION 1. DESIGNATION.

       The building located at 1 Federal Plaza in New York, New 
     York, shall be known and designated as the ``James L. Watson 
     United States Court of International Trade Building''.

     SEC. 2. REFERENCES.

       Any reference in a law, map, regulation, document, paper, 
     or other record of the United States to the building referred 
     to in section 1 shall be deemed to be a reference to the 
     ``James L. Watson United States Court of International Trade 
     Building''.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Ohio (Mr. LaTourette) and the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia 
(Ms. Norton) 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. 1018, introduced by the gentleman from New York 
(Mr. Rangel) designates the building located at 1 Federal Plaza in New 
York City, New York, as the James L. Watson Court of International 
Trade Building.
  Judge Watson was born in Harlem, New York, the son of Jamaican 
immigrants in 1922.
  During the Second World War, Judge Watson served with the famous 
Buffalo Soldiers Regiment in Italy where he was wounded and returned to 
the United States decorated with a Purple Heart and the Combat Infantry 
Badge.
  He graduated from New York University in 1947 and the Brooklyn Law 
School in 1951. In 1954, Judge Watson was elected to the New York State 
Senate.
  In 1963, Judge Watson was elected to New York City Civil Court, a 
position he held until President Johnson appointed him to what was then 
known as the United States Customs Court and is now known as the United 
States Court of International Trade.
  During his 25-year tenure on the bench, Judge Watson heard cases in 
California, Oregon, Washington, Atlanta, Tampa, Houston, El Paso, San 
Antonio, and Dallas on civil and criminal matters.
  Judge Watson also worked to help modernize his court under the 
Customs Court Act of 1970. As chairman of the court's Rules and 
Practices Committee, he reworked the rules and facilitated the 
modernization of the court with the introduction of computers. He took 
senior status in 1991, and passed away in 2001.
  I would like to note that the House passed by a voice vote similar 
legislation during the previous Congress. However, due to technical 
differences with the version in the Senate, it was never enacted. I 
trust our consideration this year will result in a more favorable 
outcome. I support the legislation, and encourage my colleagues to do 
the same.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

                              {time}  1415

  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1018 is a bill to honor Judge James Watson, the 
Nation's most senior African American judge. He served on the United 
States Court of International Trade, a lifetime appointment by 
President Lyndon Johnson. Judge Watson was also a former New York 
Senator and civil court judge.
  I knew Judge Watson when I lived in New York City. I saw him make 
history there. He was from a family of African American achievers and 
path breakers. His career spanned 36 years, and he set a record of 70 
appearances serving as a visiting judge in districts around the 
country. On several occasions, he was the first African American to 
held court in parts of the deep south, the Virgin Islands and Puerto 
Rico. Compassion and evenhandedness were hallmarks of his judicial 
behavior.
  In World War II, he served as an infantryman with the legendary all-
black 92nd Buffalo Soldiers Division and was seriously wounded in 
combat in Italy. He received the Purple Heart, the Battle Star, the 
Combat Infantry Badge and a U.S. Army commendation.
  After the war and his recuperation, he attended New York University 
and Brooklyn Law School. Upon graduation, he established a private 
practice with retired Judge Bruce Wright, Lisle Carter, former 
Assistant Secretary at the Department of Health and Human Services, and 
Jacob Smith. Judge Watson was elected in 1954 to the State Senate and 
to the Civil Court in 1963. Judge Watson hired as one of his first law 
clerks a young attorney named Charles Rangel.
  In March, 1966, President Johnson named him to the U.S. Customs 
Court, which was later renamed the Court of

[[Page 12113]]

International Trade. During his years on the International Court, Judge 
Watson helped develop a modern court system, rewrote many of the 
court's rules, and introduced computers into the court.
  He was noted for a judicial style that was fair and balanced. His 
personal ability to settle many cases out of court helped avoid costly 
expenses and the unpredictability of an often-long trial.
  He was a lifelong resident of Harlem, a sought-after public speaker, 
and an insightful adviser to local public officials. His cousins 
include Bruce Llewellyn, chairman of CocaCola, Secretary of State Colin 
Powell, and Dorothy Llewellyn Cropper, a New York Supreme Court 
justice.
  Judge Watson's life was full of success and friendship. He was 
blessed with a devoted family and loving wife. It is fitting and proper 
to honor the distinguished Judge Watson with this designation, and I 
urge support for the bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise with great enthusiasm in support of 
H.R. 1018, the bill designating the building located at 1 Federal Plaza 
in New York City as the ``James L. Watson United States Court of 
International Trade Building.''
  I first introduced this bill in the 107th Congress when it was passed 
in the House but failed to be brought up in the hectic closing days of 
the Senate. I commend Chairman Young and Ranking Member Oberstar for 
their commitment to this initiative and willingness to move the 
legislation early in the 108th Congress. I look forward to speedy 
action in the Senate to ensure enactment of this legislation that 
honors one of this nation's greatest jurists.
  This bill will attach Judge Watson's name to the courthouse housing 
the U.S. Court of International Trade where he served for 36 years 
until his death, having achieved senior status in 1991. He was 
appointed to what was then the United States Customs Court in 1966 by 
President Lyndon B. Johnson. Reorganized and renamed by Congress in 
1980, the court deals primarily with matters involving trade, including 
the classification and valuation of imported goods, tariffs, customs 
and duties and charges of unfair practices by U.S. trading partners.
  Judge James L. Watson, who died at the age of 79 in the fall of 2001, 
was a fine man, a distinguished jurist and a pillar of the Harlem 
community where he was born. I was honored to have served as one of his 
law clerks soon after my graduation from law school.
  Judge Watson was the nation's most senior African American federal 
judge, and was the first Black Customs Court judge in modern times 
assigned to cases in the deep South. As was the practice in the Customs 
Court, he was also assigned to preside over various criminal and civil 
matters in Federal District Courts across the country.
  The scion of an accomplished family of lawyers, public servants and 
business people with roots in Jamaica, West Indies, Judge Watson had a 
distinguished career in New York, prior to his service on the Court of 
International Trade. After his service in the U.S. Army in WWII, he 
graduated from New York University and Brooklyn Law School. Moving from 
the private practice of law into the political arena, he was elected to 
the New York State Senate, where he served from 1954 to 1963, when he 
was elected to the Civil Court.
  Long before this legislation, Judge Watson had placed his stamp on 
the functioning of the Court of International Trade. In 1970, he helped 
modernize the court, bringing it more in line with the rest of the 
federal judiciary and, as chairman of its committee on rules and 
practices, was instrumental in rewriting its rules and communications 
systems.
  Judge Watson was a trailblazer in government and the law, with a 
reputation for fairness, good judgment, and the common touch with 
people. I will never be able to thank him enough for his service to our 
community and to our nation. More personally, I will be forever 
grateful for the opportunity he provided me as a young lawyer and the 
wisdom he instilled, which guides me to this day.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1018, a bill to 
designate the court of international trade building at 1 Federal Plaza 
in New York City as the ``James L. Watson United States Court of 
International Trade Building.'' The House passed legislation regarding 
this designation in the 107th Congress, unfortunately, the other body 
never acted. I am glad that the House is acting on this bill early in 
the session so that there will be ample opportunity for the other body 
to complete action on it during this Congress.
  Judge Watson, a native New Yorker, was born in Harlem in 1922 and 
lived and worked his entire life in New York. During World War II, he 
served with the legendary Buffalo Soldiers Division in the 371st 
Infantry Regiment, 92nd Division in World War II. After being wounded 
during service in Italy, he was decorated with a Purple Heart, the 
Battle Star, the Combat Infantry Badge, and a U.S. Army Commendation.
  After the war, Judge Watson graduated from New York University in 
1947 and from Brooklyn Law School in 1951. He was elected to the New 
York State Senate in 1954. In 1962, President Kennedy selected him to 
accompany then Vice-President Johnson to the Jamaican Independence 
celebration. In 1963, he was appointed to the Civil Court of New York 
and hired our colleague Charlie Rangel as one of his staff attorneys. 
Congressman Rangel has said: ``Judge Watson was my friend and 
constituent for many years; he was the Judge for whom I clerked after 
completing law school; and the man who contributed with all of his 
heart to his family, his community and our Nation.''
  President Johnson appointed Judge Watson in 1966 to what was then 
known as the United States Customs Court, now known as the United 
States Court of International Trade. During his years on the Court of 
International Trade, he worked to help modernize the Court and 
facilitated the introduction of computers into the courtroom. After 36 
years on the bench, Judge Watson took senior status in 1991. He passed 
away at his home in Harlem in 2001.
  Mr. Speaker, Judge Watson was the Nation's most senior ranking 
African-American Federal judge and enjoyed a national reputation for 
handing out fair and just sentences. He was a sought-after public 
speaker, who served on both the Board of Visitors of Fordham University 
and the board of the Harlem YMCA. Judge Watson's life serves as a model 
of diligence, hard work, and fairness. Many, many people, including 
colleagues, politicians, and other lawyers, sought the wise advice and 
sage counsel of Judge Watson.
  I urge all Members to support H.R. 1081 and honor Judge Watson by 
naming the building in which he served with distinction for over three 
decades in his honor.
  Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, 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. LaTourette) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 1018.
  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. LaTOURETTE. 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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