[House Report 104-367]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



104th Congress                                                   Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 1st Session                                                    104-367
_______________________________________________________________________


 
                 JUDGE ISAAC C. PARKER FEDERAL BUILDING

                                _______


 November 28, 1995.--Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be 
                                printed

_______________________________________________________________________


 Mr. Shuster, from the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, 
                        submitted the following

                              R E P O R T

                        [To accompany H.R. 1804]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

    The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, to whom 
was referred the bill (H.R. 1804) to designate the United 
States Post Office-Courthouse located at South 6th and Rogers 
Avenue, Fort Smith, Arkansas, as the ``Judge Isaac C. Parker 
Federal Building'', having considered the same, report 
favorably thereon without amendment and recommend that the bill 
do pass.
    Judge Parker is a legendary figure in Arkansas and the 
surrounding states. As a soldier, a congressman, a lawyer, and 
a judge, his accomplishments were many.
    In 1875 after his retirement from Congress, President Grant 
appointed him as Chief Justice of the Utah territory. However, 
at the request of the President, Parker resigned to accept 
appointment as Judge of the United States Court for the Western 
District of Arkansas.
    The Western District Court had fallen into disrepute 
because of the actions of Parker's predecessor, Judge William 
Story. Under threat of impeachment, Story departed, and the 
President appointed Parker, asking him to ``stay a year or two 
in Fort Smith and get things straightened out.''
    Judge Parker's court had jurisdiction over the western half 
of the State of Arkansas and over what is now the entire State 
of Oklahoma--which was called the Indian territory.
    When he assumed office, Judge Parker dedicated himself to 
the reestablishment of the court as a power in the land. It was 
a court of no vacations except for Sundays and Christmas. 
Sessions often started at 7:30 in the morning, ran until noon, 
then from 1:30 until 6:00 and occasionally sessions ran far 
into the night.
    The court calendar tells the story--during his service the 
court disposed of a grant total of 13,500 cases, of which 
12,000 were criminal. Of the 12,000 criminal charges, 8,600 
resulted in convictions, either by jury trials or guilty pleas.
    However, Judge Parker is best known for his reputation as 
the ``hanging judge.'' Reportedly, he sentenced more men to the 
gallows than any other jurist in United States history. His 
nickname is particularly interesting in light of reports that 
Parker himself did not believe in capital punishment. But he 
did believe in the law, and is quoted as having said, ``I've 
never hanged a man. it is the law that has done it.''
    Off the bench, Judge Parker was known as a humorous and 
friendly man. His colleagues said of him that he was one of the 
finest men that ever lived, whose friendships were eternal, and 
whose character was truly noble. He was devoted to his family 
and respected by all as a man of incorruptible integrity. He 
gave freely to charity and was intensely interested in 
education, serving as president of the school board at Fort 
Smith for several years.
    The year that President Grant requested him to stay 
stretched out to twenty-one, until his death in November 1896. 
He had accomplished two goals of the President, as well as his 
own. These goals were to restore respect to the court and the 
law of the land, and to safeguard the citizens of his 
jurisdiction from the lawlessness that often pervaded the 
western frontier.
    Judge Parker is buried in the National Cemetery in Forth 
Smith, near the court that he had so faithfully served for over 
two decades.
    Perhaps nothing illustrates the legacy of Judge Parker more 
than the request of the citizens of Fort Smith, almost one 
hundred years later, to name the Federal building in their city 
in his honor.
    Naming the United States Post Office and Courthouse in Fort 
Smith, Arkansas would be a fitting tribute to this 
distinguished jurist.

                        compliance with rule xi

    With respect to the requirements of clause 2(l)(3) of rule 
XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives:
    (1) The Committee had held hearings on this legislation on 
June 15, 1995.
    (2) The requirements of section 308(a)(1) of the 
Congressional Budget Act of 1974 are not applicable to this 
legislation since it does not provide new budget authority or 
new or increased tax expenditures.
    (3) The Committee has received no report from the Committee 
on Government Reform and Oversight of oversight findings and 
recommendations arrived at under clause 4(C)(2) of rule X of 
the rules of the House of Representatives.
    (4) With respect to clause 2(l)(3)(C) of rule XI of the 
Rules of the House of Representatives and section 403 of the 
Congressional Budget Act of 1974, a cost estimate by the 
Congressional Budget Office was received by the Committee. The 
report follows:

                                     U.S. Congress,
                               Congressional Budget Office,
                                 Washington, DC, November 20, 1995.
Hon. Bud Shuster,
Chairman, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, House of 
        Representatives, Washington, DC.
    Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has 
reviewed H.R. 1804, a bill to designate the United States post 
office-courthouse located at South 6th and Rogers Avenue, Fort 
Smith, Arkansas, as the ``Judge Isaac C. Parker Federal 
Building.'' The bill was ordered reported by the House 
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on November 16, 
1995.
    We estimate that enacting this bill would result in no 
significant cost to the federal government and in no cost to 
state or local governments. The bill would not affect direct 
spending or receipts. Therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures would 
not apply.
    If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is John R. 
Righter.
            Sincerely,
                                              James L. Blum
                                   (For June E. O'Neill, Director).

                     inflationary impact statement

    Under (2)(l)(4) of rule XI of the Rules of the House of 
Representatives, the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure estimates that enactment of H.R. 1804 will have 
no significant inflationary impact on prices and costs in the 
operation of the national economy.

                          cost of legislation

    Clause 7(a) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of 
Representatives requires a statement of the estimated cost to 
the United States which will be incurred in carrying out H.R. 
1804, as reported, in fiscal year 1996, and each of the 
following 5 years. The implementation of this legislation is 
not expected to result in any increased costs to the United 
States.

                       committee action and vote

    In compliance with clause (2)(l)(2) (A) and (B) of rule XI 
of the Rules of the House of Representatives, at a meeting of 
the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on November 
16, 1995, a quorum being present, H.R. 1804 was unanimously 
approved by a voice vote and ordered reported.