[House Report 110-209]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



110th Congress                                                   Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 1st Session                                                    110-209

======================================================================
 
    GEORGE HOWARD, JR. FEDERAL BUILDING AND UNITED STATES COURTHOUSE

                                _______
                                

   June 25, 2007.--Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be 
                                printed

                                _______
                                

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

                              R E P O R T

                        [To accompany H.R. 2011]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

    The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, to whom 
was referred the bill (H.R. 2011) to designate the Federal 
building and United States courthouse located at 100 East 8th 
Avenue in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, as the ``George Howard, Jr. 
Federal Building and United States Courthouse'', having 
considered the same, report favorably thereon without amendment 
and recommend that the bill do pass.

                       PURPOSE OF THE LEGISLATION

    H.R. 2011 designates the Federal building and United States 
courthouse located at 100 East 8th Avenue in Pine Bluff, 
Arkansas, as the ``George Howard, Jr. Federal Building and 
United States Courthouse''.

                  BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

    Judge George Howard, Jr. was born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, 
on May 13, 1924. He began his service to our nation at the age 
of 18 when he was drafted into military service during World 
War II. Judge Howard served with distinction in the United 
States Navy with the Construction Battalion--or the 
``Seabees''--in the South Pacific.
    After completing his military service, Judge George Howard 
Jr. returned to Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and re-enrolled in high 
school to complete his high school education. Upon graduating 
from high school, Judge Howard attended the pre-law program at 
Lincoln University in Missouri and graduated with honors. Judge 
Howard subsequently attended the University of Arkansas School 
of Law. He was the first African American student to live on 
campus in the newly desegregated campus dormitories. He earned 
his law degree in 1954.
    After graduating from law school, Judge Howard began a 
long, illustrious, and trailblazing legal career in his home 
state of Arkansas. In the 1950s, Judge Howard started a private 
law practice and devoted his energies to representing those 
whose voices would not otherwise be heard. He subsequently 
served on the Arkansas State Claims Commission, the Arkansas 
Court of Appeals, and the Arkansas Supreme Court. In 1980, 
President Carter appointed Judge Howard to the U.S. District 
Court, Eastern and Western Districts of Arkansas. Judge Howard 
was Arkansas' first African American Federal judge. During his 
tenure, he presided over the lengthy ``Whitewater'' trials 
regarding a failed Arkansas land deal.
    During Judge Howard's career, he received several awards 
and distinctions from the legal community. He received the 
Outstanding Trial Judge Award from the Arkansas Trial Lawyers 
Association, the Distinguished Jurist Award from the National 
Bar Association, and the Keepers of the Spirit-Community 
Service Award from University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.
    Through his pursuit of legal and racial equality, and his 
exemplary career in public service, Judge Howard helped to pave 
the way for other African-Americans to pursue careers in law 
and public service. From his time as a private attorney, to his 
service as President of the State Council of Branches of the 
National Association of Colored People (NAACP), Judge Brown's 
judicial ideals were grounded in the fundamental belief of 
justice for all.
    Judge Howard passed away on April 21, 2007, in Pine Bluff, 
Arkansas, at the age of 82. In honor of Judge George Howard, 
Jr.'s outstanding contributions to the state of Arkansas, the 
Federal judiciary, and his distinguished legal career, it is 
both fitting and proper to designate the courthouse located at 
100 East 8th Avenue in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, as the ``George 
Howard, Jr. Federal Building and United States Courthouse''.

                       SUMMARY OF THE LEGISLATION

Section 1. Designation

    Section 1 designates the Federal building and United States 
courthouse located at 100 East 8th Avenue in Pine Bluff, 
Arkansas as the ``George Howard, Jr. Federal Building and 
United States Courthouse''.

Section 2. References

    Section 2 declares any reference in 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 ``George 
Howard, Jr. Federal Building and United States Courthouse''.

            LEGISLATIVE HISTORY AND COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION

    On May 23, 2007, the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure met in open session, and ordered the bill 
reported favorably to the House by voice vote.

                              RECORD 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 record 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 recorded votes taken in connection with ordering H.R. 
2011 reported. A motion to order H.R. 2011 reported favorably 
to the House was agreed to by voice vote with a quorum present.

                      COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS

    With respect to the requirements of clause 3(c)(I) 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 in the report.
    2. With respect to the requirement of clause 3(c)(4) of 
rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the 
performance goals and objective of this legislation are to 
designate the Federal Building and United States Courthouse 
located at 100 East 8th Avenue in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, as the 
George Howard, Jr. Federal Building and United States 
Courthouse.
    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 enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 2011 
from the Director of the Congressional Budget Office:

                                     U.S. Congress,
                               Congressional Budget Office,
                                      Washington, DC, May 24, 2007.
Hon. James L. Oberstar,
Chairman, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
    Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has 
reviewed H.R. 2011, a bill to designate the federal building 
and United States courthouse located at 100 East 8th Avenue in 
Pine Bluff, Arkansas, as the ``George Howard, Jr. Federal 
Building and United States Courthouse,'' as ordered reported by 
the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on May 
23, 2007.
    CBO estimates that enactment of this legislation would have 
no significant impact on the federal budget and would not 
affect direct spending or revenues. The bill contains 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,
                                         Peter R. Orszag, Director.

                     COMPLIANCE WITH HOUSE RULE XXI

    Pursuant to clause 9 of rule XXI of the Rules of the House 
of Representatives, H.R. 2011, does not contain any 
congressional earmarks, limited tax benefits, or limited tariff 
benefits as defined in clause 9(d), 9(e), or 9(f) of rule XXI 
of the Rules of the House of Representatives.

                   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. 2011 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. 2011 makes no changes in existing law.

                                  
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