[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 4]
[House]
[Page 5669]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 R. JESS BROWN UNITED STATES COURTHOUSE

  Mr. BARLETTA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 172) to designate the United States courthouse located at 
501 East Court Street in Jackson, Mississippi, as the ``R. Jess Brown 
United States Courthouse''.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                H.R. 172

       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 located at 501 East Court 
     Street in Jackson, Mississippi, shall be known and designated 
     as the ``R. Jess Brown 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 ``R. Jess Brown United States Courthouse''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Barletta) and the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Carson) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania.


                             General Leave

  Mr. BARLETTA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on H.R. 172.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. BARLETTA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 172 designates the United States courthouse located 
at 501 East Court Street in Jackson, Mississippi, as the R. Jess Brown 
United States Courthouse.
  Mr. Brown was a civil rights attorney who worked against racial 
discrimination and was credited in the 1950s with filing the first 
civil rights lawsuit in Mississippi. A native of Oklahoma, Mr. Brown 
attended Illinois State University, Indiana University, and the Texas 
Southern University law school.
  In the 1960s, he was one of only four African American lawyers in 
Mississippi and one of three who took civil rights cases. In 1962, he 
worked on behalf of James Meredith, whose successful lawsuit allowed 
him to be the first African American student to enroll in the 
University of Mississippi.
  Later, Mr. Brown worked to fight against discrimination in 
transportation and other public accommodations. Given his dedication to 
the law and civil rights, it is appropriate to name this courthouse 
after him.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CARSON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 172, a bill to designate the 
Federal courthouse in Jackson, Mississippi, as the R. Jess Brown United 
States Courthouse.
  Attorney R. Jess Brown was a towering champion during critical 
moments in the civil rights movement in the South and especially in 
Mississippi.
  Jess Brown received his law degree from Texas Southern University and 
practiced law in Mississippi throughout the 1960s and the 1970s.
  As an associate counsel for the NAACP, he filed the first civil 
rights suit in Mississippi in the 1950s. In 1961, he represented James 
Meredith in his suit to be allowed to enter the University of 
Mississippi.
  His victory in this case opened doors that the University of 
Mississippi citizens had to walk through quite boldly, and I think that 
he doesn't get the credit that he deserves, Mr. Speaker.
  It is important to note that, while with the NAACP's Legal Defense 
and Educational Fund, he played a major role in fighting racial 
discrimination in the areas of transportation and other public 
accommodations.
  I support this legislation, Mr. Speaker. I urge my colleagues to help 
me pass H.R. 172.
  I yield back the balance of my time, Mr. Speaker.
  Mr. BARLETTA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, Mr. Brown was a courageous American who stood and fought 
for what was right. He is deserving to have this courthouse named after 
him.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Barletta) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 172.
  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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