[House Report 111-241]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


111th Congress                                                   Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 1st Session                                                    111-241

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            ALBERT ARMENDARIZ, SR., UNITED STATES COURTHOUSE

                                _______
                                

   July 31, 2009.--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. 2053]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

  The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, to whom 
was referred the bill (H.R. 2053) to designate the United 
States courthouse located at 525 Magoffin Avenue in El Paso, 
Texas, as the ``Albert Armendariz, Sr., 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. 2053 designates the United States courthouse located 
at 525 Magoffin Avenue in El Paso, Texas, as the ``Albert 
Armendariz, Sr., United States Courthouse''.

                  BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

    Judge Albert Armendariz, Sr., had a long and distinguished 
career of public service. Albert Armendariz was born on August 
11, 1919, in El Paso, Texas. After graduating from high school 
in 1934, Judge Armendariz joined the United States Army and 
served in World War II. After he left the U.S. Army, Armendariz 
used the GI Bill to continue his education. He later graduated 
from the University of Texas at El Paso and then the University 
of Southern California (USC) Law School, where he was the only 
Mexican-American in attendance. After graduating from the USC 
law school in 1950, Judge Armendariz returned to El Paso, 
Texas.
    Early in his career Judge Armendariz tackled discrimination 
head on while serving on the El Paso Civil Service Commission, 
pushing the agency to end discrimination against Latino 
applicants for civil service positions. Perhaps his most 
lasting legacy will be his work on Hernandez v. The State of 
Texas, which established Latinos as a class entitled to 
protection under the 14th amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
    From 1976 to 1985, he was an immigration judge (special 
inquiry officer) with the U.S. Department of Justice and was 
appointed to, and served on, the Texas Court of Appeals from 
July 2, 1986, until November 30, 1986.
    In addition to his service in government, Judge Armendariz 
also found time to serve in leadership positions in influential 
civic organizations. Judge Armendariz served as National 
President of the League of United Latin American Citizens 
during the 1950s and fought school segregation and 
discrimination. Judge Armendariz also helped to form the 
influential Mexican American Legal Defense & Education Fund in 
1968. Judge Armendariz had a never-ending passion for service 
to his community, and practiced law until his death at age 88 
on October 4, 2007.
    Given his extraordinary service, it is fitting and proper 
to honor Judge Armendariz by designating the United States 
courthouse located at 525 Magoffin Avenue in El Paso, Texas, as 
the ``Albert Armendariz, Sr., United States Courthouse''.

                       SUMMARY OF THE LEGISLATION

Section 1. Designation
    Section 1 designates the United States courthouse located 
at 525 Magoffin Avenue in El Paso, Texas, as the ``Albert 
Armendariz, Sr., United States Courthouse''.
Sec. 2. References
    Section 2 indicates that any reference in a law, map, 
regulation, document, paper, or other record of the United 
States to the Federal building referred to in section 1 shall 
be deemed to be a reference to the ``Albert Armendariz, Sr., 
United States Courthouse''.

            LEGISLATIVE HISTORY AND COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION

    On April 22, 2009, Representative Sylvester Reyes 
introduced H.R. 2053. This bill has not been introduced in a 
previous Congress. On June 4, 2009, the Committee on 
Transportation and Infrastructure met in open session, and 
ordered the bill reported favorably to the House by voice vote 
with a quorum present.

                              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 consideration 
of H.R. 2053 or ordering the bill reported. A motion to order 
H.R. 2053 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)(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 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 goal and objective of this legislation are to 
designate the United States courthouse located at 525 Magoffin 
Avenue in El Paso, Texas, as the ``Albert Armendariz, Sr., 
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. 2053 
from the Director of the Congressional Budget Office:

                                     U.S. Congress,
                               Congressional Budget Office,
                                      Washington, DC, June 5, 2009.
Hon. James L. Oberstar,
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 June 4, 
2009:
           H.R. 2053, a bill to designate the United 
        States courthouse located at 525 Magoffin Avenue in El 
        Paso, Texas, as the ``Albert Armendariz, Sr., United 
        States Courthouse'';
           H.R. 2498, a bill to designate the federal 
        building located at 844 North Rush Street in Chicago, 
        Illinois, as the ``William 0. Lipinski Federal 
        Building''; and
           H.R. 1687, a bill to designate the federally 
        occupied building located at McKinley Avenue and Third 
        Street , SW., Canton, Ohio, as the ``Ralph Regula 
        Federal Building and United States Courthouse''.
    CBO estimates that enacting those pieces of legislation 
would have no significant impact on the federal budget and 
would not affect direct spending or revenues. The 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,
                                      Douglas W. Elmendorf,
                                                          Director.

                     COMPLIANCE WITH HOUSE RULE XXI

    Pursuant to clause 9 of rule XXI of the Rules of the House 
of Representatives, H.R. 2053 does not contain any 
congressional earmarks, limited tax benefits, or limited tariff 
benefits as defined in clause 9(d), 9(e), and 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 (P.L. 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. 2053 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 (P.L. 104-1).

         CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW MADE BY THE BILL, AS REPORTED

    H.R. 2053 makes no changes in existing law.

                                  
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