Wayne Gilchrest

Mr. GILCHREST

Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I think the statements by the gentleman from Minnesota [Mr. Oberstar], the gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Mascara], and the gentleman from Maryland [Mr. Hoyer] certainly have hit the mark about this particular tradition. We want it to continue. I want to thank the gentleman from Maryland [Mr. Hoyer] for his sense of urgency to make sure that this resolution passed the House today. This is really a family-community affair where people can work together, and I think it will set a pretty good example as we do this every year to not only help build soap-box-derby-type vehicles with your children but also help to hang out the clothes and do the dishes and paint the barn or sweep the sidewalk, all those things that people can do collectively together, to make families stronger. Mr. Speaker, I urge that we pass this resolution. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GILCHREST

Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3029) to designate the U.S. courthouse in Washington, DC, as the ``E. Barrett Prettyman United States Courthouse''.

Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3029 is a bill to designate the U.S. courthouse located at the intersection of 3rd and Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC, as the ``E. Barrett Prettyman United States Courthouse.'' Judge Prettyman was a native of Virginia, born in Lexington in 1896. He was the son of the Chaplain of the U.S. Senate during the Wilson administration. He attended Randolph Macon University, and Georgetown University Law School. After graduation, he worked on newspapers, and practiced law with a District firm. He served on the Federal bench for 26 years, from his appointment in 1945 until his death in 1971. During that time Judge Prettyman was regarded as one of America's leading legal scholars and was a pioneer in the areas of judicial reform. He demonstrated an ability to be fair, firm, and thorough. As a jurist, Judge Prettyman was known for his centrist positions. His most notable opinion concluded that the State Department had the authority to ban U.S. citizens from entering certain areas of the world. His position was upheld by the Supreme Court. Judge Prettyman participated widely in local civic matters, and served on a Presidential commission inquiry about the U-2 incident. I am pleased to note the sponsor of the bill, our colleague, Tom Davis, testified before the Subcommittee on Public Buildings and Economic Development, as well as a member of the subcommittee, Ms. Norton, a cosponsor of the bill. I support the bill and urge my colleagues to pass the bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume to thank the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia [Ms. Norton] for her effort in this legislation and the gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Mascara], and again the gentleman from Minnesota [Mr. Oberstar] for his valued words for an esteemed jurist, and I urge my colleagues to vote for the legislation. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers at this time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GILCHREST

Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 172) authorizing the 1996 Summer Olympic Torch Relay to be run through the Capitol Grounds, and for other purposes.

Mr. GILCHREST

Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I again thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Mascara] and the gentleman from Minnesota [Mr. Oberstar] for their support in this legislation, and I also thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. McDade], and I hope this honors the people of Scranton, PA, in the most positive way.

Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3364, as amended, is a bill to designate the Federal building and United States Courthouse in Scranton, PA as the ``William J. Nealon Federal Building and United States Courthouse.'' Judge Nealon is a noted jurist, who is a native of Scranton, PA. He was born in Scranton, attended local schools, and was graduated from Villanova and received his law degree from Catholic University. President Kennedy appointed Judge Nealon to the Federal bench in 1962 after 2 years service on the Lackawanna County Court of Common Pleas. He became the youngest Federal judge in the country at that time. Judge Nealon has served as chief judge for the Middle District of Pennsylvania from 1976 to 1989. In 1983, Judge Nealon was honored as the outstanding Federal trial judge in the United States by the Association of Trial Lawyers of America. Judge Nealon currently serves as a senior judge and remains active in civic affairs in Scranton. He and his wife are the proud parents of 10 children and 26 grandchildren. This bill has the support of the community of Scranton, and its able Congressman, Congressman Joe McDade, who took the time to appear before the Subcommittee on Public Buildings and Economic Development in support of this legislation. I support the bill and urge my colleagues to support its passage. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3364), to designate a United States courthouse in Scranton, PA, as the ``William J. Nealon United States Courthouse'', as amended.

Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GILCHREST

Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, once again, I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Mascara] for his effort and the gentleman from Minnesota [Mr. Oberstar] for his eloquent words. Some 25 years ago, the Vietnam war divided this country, but it is people like Mr. Davis who have strengthened the Union in their efforts since then. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote for this legislation, and I thank Mr. Davis for his contribution to this country. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GILCHREST

Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on the bills and resolutions just debated: House Concurrent Resolution 153, House Concurrent Resolution 172, H.R. 3029, H.R. 3186, H.R. 3364, as amended, and H.R. 3400, as amended.

Mr. GILCHREST

Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote for the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from Minnesota [Mr. Oberstar], the gentleman from Ohio [Mr. Traficant], and the gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Mascara] for their able assistance in naming this Federal building and courthouse after such a distinguished jurist and fine American. I want to thank the gentleman from Nebraska [Mr. Barrett] for his contribution to this legislation.

Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Nebraska [Mr. Barrett].

Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, Roman Hruska was born in David City, NE in 1903. He attended local schools, and was graduated from the University of Nebraska Omaha campus, and Creighton Law School. He commenced the practice of law in Omaha, and for 8 years served on the Douglas County Board of Commissioners. In 1952 he was elected to the 83d Congress, and in 1954 was elected to the U.S. Senate to serve the unexpired term of Senator Hugh Butler. Senator Hruska served with distinction in the Senate until his retirement in 1976. During his service in the Senate, he rose to be ranking member of the Judiciary Committee, where he reviewed more than 300 nominees for the Federal bench, including nominees to the Supreme Court. Following his retirement from the Senate, Senator Hruska continued his public service on educational, and civic boards, including service as regent at the University of Omaha. He honors his Czech heritage as vice president and general counsel of the Western Bohemian Fraternal Association, and continues to serve as counsel to the law firm of Kutak, Rock, in Omaha. This bill has the support of the city of Omaha, and the congressional delegation. Congressman Barrett, a cosponsor of the bill, appeared before the subcommittee on Public Buildings and Economic Development in support of the bill, and brought statements from other members, and former members Charles Thone and Hal Daub, the current Mayor of Omaha. I support this bill and I urge my colleagues to pass the bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3400) to designate the U.S. courthouse to be constructed at a site on 18th Street between Dodge and Douglas Streets in Omaha, NE, as the Roman L. Hruska United States Courthouse, as amended.

Mr. GILCHREST

Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words. Mr. Chairman, I am trying to work my way through all of this. I started out this morning worrying about the Climate Change Action Plan because I think it is a significant, though not the overall major, part of this plan to study global warming, to study global climate change, which I happen to be a firm believer we need the exact scientific data to produce. So I have been working my way through trying to figure out where the cuts are coming from, and I was happy to hear that we are not cutting $20 million out of the Global Climate Action Plan, but it is actually $6 million, but it is in an area of research so that the chairman of the subcommittee places the money in this area of research to stratospheric ozone research, which I think is appropriate. I understand, though, in the EPA's budget in the area of the environmental programs and management, there is tens of millions of dollars for the Climate Change Action Plan. Now, I want to stand here and agree with the gentleman from Massachusetts and the gentlewoman from California in that we need a significant role to play as far as the Government is concerned to produce more energy-efficient cars, lighting, using fuel. And a number of the Fortune 500 companies in the United States are part of this green light program and a part of many other programs which significantly reduce the costs of their production and at the same time significantly reducing the amount of hydrogen fuels going into the atmosphere which produce global climate change. But in this particular amendment I urge my colleagues to vote ``no.'' Basically, the $6 million coming out of the action plan is going into solid research so that we can understand the nature of the atmosphere and the nature of how it is changing as a result of human input and how we can further deal with this climate change that is, understandably from all the scientific data that we read, inevitable. So, the research portion of this $6 million, I think, is being well spent. Now, the climate action plan is a program that I fully endorse, and while it has taken a bit of a cut here, there still is probably, I am not sure what the exact amount is, but it is probably close to $100 million. And I think we should continue to pursue that climate action plan. It is a solid program that meshes government and the private sector together.

Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Chairman, reclaiming my time, there are still large dollars in the climate action plan.

Mr. GILCHREST. I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania.

Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Chairman, I yield to the gentlewoman from California [Ms. Lofgren].

Mr. GILCHREST

Mr. GILCHREST. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to proceed for an additional minute.

Mr. GILCHREST. Madam Speaker, I will assure Ms. Pryce that we will work to make sure those particular incidents, no matter how few or no matter how many, are corrected.

Mr. GILCHREST. Madam Speaker, this issue is a divisive issue that we are debating here on the House floor. There is no one single Utopian answer for the problems that we are now experiencing. The history of America's involvement with Native Americans has been rife with hatred, violence, bitterness, limited streams of compassion, and it has all rested on the pillars of apathy. The children that the gentlewoman from Ohio [Ms. Pryce] represents should stay with that family. Anybody that is like that situation should stay with the family. We should have no problems with people piling up in foster homes because of limited connections with anybody, even American Indians, Native Americans. What we need to do as a body, as a Congress, is have some sense of knowledge on this subject. I will tell the gentlewoman from Ohio [Ms. Pryce] and the gentleman from Alaska [Mr. Young] that I will work in the intervening month between now and when the Indians meet in about a month to ensure that there are corrective changes.