[House Report 108-85]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



108th Congress                                                   Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 1st Session                                                     108-85
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  DESIGNATION OF JAMES L. WATSON UNITED STATES COURT OF INTERNATIONAL 
                             TRADE BUILDING

                                _______
                                

 May 1, 2003.--Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

     Mr. Young of Alaska, from the Committee on Transportation and 
                Infrastructure, submitted the following

                              R E P O R T

                        [To accompany H.R. 1018]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

    The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, to whom 
was referred 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'', having considered the same, report favorably 
thereon without amendment and recommend that the bill do pass.

                       PURPOSE OF THE LEGISLATION

    The purpose of H.R. 1018 is to designate the building at 1 
Federal Plaza in New York, New York as the ``James L. Watson 
United States Court of International Trade Building.''

                BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR THE LEGISLATION

    James L. Watson was born in Harlem, New York. He served 
with the Buffalo Soldiers in the 371st Infantry Regiment, 92nd 
Division in World War II. He was wounded in Italy and returned 
to the United States decorated with a Purple Heart and the 
Infantry Combat Badge.
    He graduated from New York University in 1947 and from 
Brooklyn Law School in 1951. Judge Watson was elected to the 
New York State Senate in 1954. In 1963, Judge Watson was 
elected to the New York City Civil Court.
    President Johnson appointed Judge Watson to what was known 
as the United States Customs Court and now known as the United 
States Court of International Trade in 1966. The nine members 
of the United States Customs Court could be assigned to sit in 
any Federal District Court in the nation. Because of his 
previous experience, in his first year on the Federal bench, 
Judge Watson was appointed to hear cases in California, Oregon, 
Washington, Atlanta, Tampa, Houston, El Paso, San Antonio and 
Dallas on civil and criminal matters. Judge Watson worked to 
help modernize his court under the Customs Court Act of 1970, 
and as Chairman of the Court's Rules and Practices Committee he 
reworked court rules and facilitated the modernization of the 
court with the introduction of computers.
    Judge Watson took senior status in 1991. He passed away in 
his home in Harlem in 2001.

            LEGISLATIVE HISTORY AND COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION

    On April 9, 2003, the Full Committee met in open session 
and ordered reported H.R. 1018, a bill designating the building 
located at 1 Federal Plaza in New York, New York as the ``James 
L. Watson United States Court of International Trade 
Building.'' A motion by Mr. LaTourette to order H.R. 1018 
favorably reported to the House was agreed to by the Full 
Committee unanimously, by voice vote with a quorum present. 
There were no recorded votes taken during Committee 
consideration of H.R. 1018.

                       SUMMARY OF THE LEGISLATION

Section 1. Designation

    This section designates the building located at 1 Federal 
Plaza in New York, New York as the ``James L. Watson United 
States Court of International Trade Building.''

Section 2. References

    This section requires that all references in law, maps, 
regulations, documents, papers or other record of the United 
States to the building located at 1 Federal Plaza in New York, 
New York be deemed a reference to the ``James L. Watson United 
States Court of International Trade Building.''

                             ROLLCALL VOTES

    Clause 3(b) of rule XIII of the House of Representatives 
requires each committee report to include the total number of 
votes cast for and against on each rollcall vote on a motion to 
report and on any amendment offered to the measure or matter, 
and the names of those members voting for and against. There 
were no rollcall votes taken in ordering H.R. 1018 favorably 
reported.

                      COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS

    With respect to the requirements of clause 3(c)(1) of rule 
XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the 
Committee's oversight findings and recommendations are 
reflected in this report.

                          COST OF LEGISLATION

    Clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of 
Representatives does not apply where a cost estimate and 
comparison prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget 
Office under section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 
1974 has been timely submitted prior to the filing of the 
report and is included in the report. Such a cost estimate is 
included in this report.

                    COMPLIANCE WITH HOUSE RULE XIII

    1. With respect to the requirement of clause 3(c)(2) of 
rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, and 
308(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee 
references the report of the Congressional Budget Office 
included below.
    2. With respect to the requirement of clause 3(c)(4) of 
rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the 
Committee advises that the bill contains no measure that 
authorizes funding, so no statement of general performance and 
objectives for which any measure that authorizes funding is 
required.
    3. With respect to the requirement of clause 3(c)(3) of 
rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives and 
section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the 
Committee has received the following cost estimate for H.R. 
1018 from the Director of the Congressional Budget Office.

                                     U.S. Congress,
                               Congressional Budget Office,
                                    Washington, DC, April 10, 2003.
Hon. Don Young,
Chairman, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
    Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has 
reviewed the following legislation, as ordered reported by the 
House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on April 
9, 2003:
           H.R. 1018, a bill 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''; and
           H.R. 281, a bill to designate the federal 
        building located at 200 West 2nd Street in Dayton, 
        Ohio, as the ``Tony Hall Federal Building and United 
        States Courthouse.''
    CBO estimates that their enactment would have no 
significant impact on the federal budget and would not affect 
direct spending or revenues. These bills contain no 
intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the 
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and would impose no costs on 
State, local, or tribal governments.
    If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Matthew 
Pickford.
            Sincerely,
                                          Barry B. Anderson
                               (For Douglas Holtz-Eakin, Director.)

                   CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY STATEMENT

    Pursuant to clause (3)(d)(1) of rule XIII of the Rules of 
the House of Representatives, committee reports on a bill or 
joint resolution of a public character shall include a 
statement citing the specific powers granted to the Congress in 
the Constitution to enact the measure. The Committee on 
Transportation and Infrastructure finds that Congress has the 
authority to enact this measure pursuant to its powers granted 
under article I, section 8 of the Constitution.

                       FEDERAL MANDATES STATEMENT

    The Committee adopts as its own the estimate of federal 
mandates prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget 
Office pursuant to section 423 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform 
Act. (Public Law 104-4).

                        PREEMPTION CLARIFICATION

    Section 423 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 
requires the report of any Committee on a bill or joint 
resolution to include a statement on the extent to which the 
bill or joint resolution is intended to preempt State, local or 
tribal law. The Committee states that H.R. 1018 does not 
preempt any state, local, or tribal law.

                      ADVISORY COMMITTEE STATEMENT

    No advisory committees within the meaning of section 5(b) 
of the Federal Advisory Committee Act are created by this 
legislation.

                APPLICABILITY TO THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

    The Committee finds that the legislation does not relate to 
the terms and conditions of employment or access to public 
services or accommodations within the meaning of section 
102(b)(3) of the Congressional Accountability Act. (Public Law 
104-1).

         CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW MADE BY THE BILL, AS REPORTED

    H.R. 1018 makes no changes in existing law.

                                
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