[House Report 111-257]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


111th Congress                                                   Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 1st Session                                                    111-257

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     GEORGE P. KAZEN FEDERAL BUILDING AND UNITED STATES COURTHOUSE

                                _______
                                

September   16, 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. 2423]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

      The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, to 
whom was referred the bill (H.R. 2423) to designate the Federal 
building and United States courthouse located at 1300 Victoria 
Street in Laredo, Texas, as the ``George P. Kazen Federal 
Building and United States Courthouse'', and to designate the 
jury room in that Federal building and United States courthouse 
as the ``Marcel C. Notzon II Jury Room'', having considered the 
same, report favorably thereon with amendments and recommend 
that the bill as amended do pass.
      The amendments are as follows:
      Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the 
following:

SECTION 1. BUILDING DESIGNATION.

  (a) Designation.--The Federal building and United States courthouse 
located at 1300 Victoria Street in Laredo, Texas, shall be known and 
designated as the ``George P. Kazen Federal Building and United States 
Courthouse''.
  (b) References.--Any reference in a law, map, regulation, document, 
paper, or other record of the United States to the Federal building and 
United States courthouse referred to in subsection (a) shall be deemed 
to be a reference to the ``George P. Kazen Federal Building and United 
States Courthouse''.

SEC. 2. EFFECTIVE DATE.

  This Act shall take effect on the first day on which George P. Kazen 
is no longer serving as a Federal judge.

  Amend the title so as to read:

      A bill to designate the Federal building and United States 
courthouse located at 1300 Victoria Street in Laredo, Texas, as the 
``George P. Kazen Federal Building and United States Courthouse''.

                       Purpose of the Legislation

    H.R. 2423, as amended, designates the Federal building and 
United States courthouse located at 1300 Victoria Street in 
Laredo, Texas, as the ``George P. Kazen Federal Building and 
United States Courthouse''.

                  Background and Need for Legislation

    H.R. 2423, as amended, designates the Federal building and 
United States courthouse located at 1300 Victoria Street in 
Laredo, Texas, as the ``George P. Kazen Federal Building and 
United States Courthouse''. H.R. 2423 will not take effect 
until the first day on which George P. Kazen is no longer 
serving as a Federal District Judge.
    George P. Kazen was born in Laredo, Texas, in 1940. In 
1960, he earned a bachelor's degree in Business Administration 
from the University of Texas. He later earned his law degree 
from the University of Texas School of Law in 1961. Kazen began 
his professional career as a Briefing Attorney for the Texas 
Supreme Court in 1961 and 1962. From 1962 to 1965, he was a 
U.S. Air Force Captain in the JAG Corps. Following his military 
service, Kazen worked in a private practice in Laredo until 
1979.
    In 1979, President Jimmy Carter nominated George P. Kazen 
as a U.S. District Court Judge for the Southern District of 
Texas. Judge Kazen has served on the bench for more than 30 
years, including as Chief Judge from 1996 to 2003. On May 31, 
2009, he assumed senior status on the court.
    During his tenure on the bench, Judge Kazen considered a 
wide variety of cases. In Luna v. Van Zandt, a 1982 case, he 
invalidated a Texas statute that allowed for the detaining of 
individuals perceived as mentally ill for up to 14 days without 
a commitment hearing. In addition, Judge Kazen has testified 
before Congress and written several articles on issues of 
Federalism and the courts. Outside of the courtroom, Judge 
Kazen is a stalwart of his community serving numerous civic 
organizations in South Texas.
    Given Judge George P. Kazen's exemplary public service it 
is fitting to designate the Federal building and United States 
courthouse located at 1300 Victoria Street in Laredo, Texas, as 
the ``George P. Kazen Federal Building and United States 
Courthouse''.

                       Summary of the Legislation


Section 1. Designation

    Subsection (a) designates the Federal building and United 
States courthouse located at 1300 Victoria Street in Laredo, 
Texas, as the ``George P. Kazen Federal Building and United 
States Courthouse''.
    Subsection (b) states that any reference in a law, map, 
regulation, document, paper, or other record of the United 
States to the United States courthouse referred to in 
subsection (a) shall be deemed to be a reference to the 
``George P. Kazen Federal Building and United States 
Courthouse''.

            Legislative History and Committee Consideration

    On May 14, 2009, Representative Henry Cuellar introduced 
H.R. 2423. This bill has not been introduced in a previous 
Congress. On July 30, 2009, the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure met in open session and considered H.R. 2423. 
The Committee adopted an amendment to the bill by voice vote 
with a quorum present. The Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure ordered H.R. 2423, as amended, 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. 2423 or ordering the bill reported. A motion to order 
H.R. 2423, as amended, 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 
section 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 1300 Victoria Street in Laredo, Texas, as the 
``George P. Kann 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. 
2423, as amended, from the Director of the Congressional Budget 
Office:
                                     U.S. Congress,
                               Congressional Budget Office,
                                     Washington, DC, July 31, 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 ordered reported by the 
House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on July 
30, 2009:
           H.R. 2423, a bill to designate the federal 
        building and United States courthouse located at 1300 
        Victoria Street in Laredo, Texas, as the ``George P. 
        Kazen Federal Building and United States Courthouse'';
           H.R. 2913, a bill to designate the United 
        States courthouse located at 301 Simonton Street in Key 
        West, Florida, as the ``Sidney M. Aronovitz United 
        States Courthouse''; and
           H.R. 3193, a bill to designate the United 
        States courthouse under construction at 101 South 
        United States Route 1 in Fort Pierce, Florida, as the 
        ``Alto Lee Adams, Sr., 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,
                                         Robert A. Sunshine
                              (For 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. 2423 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 (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. 2423, as amended, 
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(6)(3) of the Congressional Accountability Act (P.L. 104-1).

         Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported

    H.R. 2423, as amended, makes no changes in existing law.

                                  
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