Wayne Gilchrest

Mr. GILCHREST

Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for Illinois [Mr. Poshard] for introducing this legislation. Mr. Speaker, Judge Foreman is a lifelong resident of Massac County, IL and has had a distinguished career in the legal profession. In 1972 Judge Foreman was appointed by President Nixon as a United States District Judge. Twenty years later Judge Foreman took senior status where he maintains an active case load today. During his tenure, he was chief judge for 14 years. He is known for his fairness and his administrative, as well as judicial, skills and was instrumental in creating a court management system to relieve the court of administrative burden in the judicial proceedings. I urge my colleagues to support the bill. My Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2689) to designate the United States Courthouse located at 301 West Main Street in Benton, IL, as the James L. Foreman United States Courthouse.

Mr. GILCHREST

Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Buyer-Skelton resolution. This is not a Tonkin Gulf resolution. The situation we are debating here is not about Beirut. It is not about Somalia. It is not about Haiti. There are risks in this policy of our intervention. There are profound unknowns. Does the military, and this is the question we need to ask, have the force necessary to meet those risks, to meet those unknowns? We want to make sure that they do. Is there a chance in this situation for a profound change in a positive way in this world as a result of our efforts? The answer should be yes, can be yes, must be yes. The policy up to this point, in my judgment, has been haphazard and indecisive. The Buyer-Skelton resolution allows us from this point on to be decisive, clear. And as we go through this dark tunnel together, let us all hold this torch high to light the way and chase away the demons.

Mr. GILCHREST

Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent the Committee on Ways and Means be discharged from consideration of the bill (H.R. 2415) to designate the U.S. Customs Administrative Building at the Ysleta/ Zaragosa Port of Entry located at 797 South Ysleta in El Paso, Texas, as the ``Timothy C. McCaghren Customs Administrative Building,'' and that the bill be rereferred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

Mr. GILCHREST

Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I would like to make a couple of comments in this debate about priorities. This bill is doing everything it can with the limited resources we have to prioritize those tax dollars to the people who need the money the most. Mr. Speaker, it deals with housing in a way that holds people very accountable for the condition of those houses, but ensures that people who need to live in public housing, who need a lift up, will get that. So, public housing is not cut, nor is it going to send anybody out into the streets. The money is spent to ensure that people who need to live in those houses have a decent place to live and ensures the accountability of those people who are on the boards of directors of public housing in the various communities. [[Page H 14192]] Mr. Speaker, as far as veterans benefits are concerned, I will say two things. First, it is an increase of $400 million. That is an actual increase. I am a veteran of Vietnam, wounded. I spent time in the system. As a former Marine Corps, wounded Vietnam veteran, and the list goes on and on, and there are a lot of Americans out there that are in that category, I have been through the system. Mr. Speaker, I have been through naval hospitals. I have been through veterans hospitals. I continue to visit them as a Member of Congress and also as a wounded veteran who occasionally will need their services. This bill makes sure, and we are held accountable, this bill makes sure that veterans receive the benefits that they deserve.

Mr. GILCHREST

Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from New York [Mr. Gilman]. Mr. GILMAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to an esteemed colleague, the gentleman from North Carolina [Mr. Coble], to speak on behalf of the bill.

Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Virginia [Mr. Bateman].

Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from Minnesota [Mr. Oberstar] for his very kind and most appropriate words to one of the finest Members of this Congress. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from North Carolina [Mr. Jones].

Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 840, a bill to designate the Federal Building and United States Courthouse located in Greenville, NC as the ``Walter B. Jones Federal Building and United States Courthouse.'' Walter Jones was one of our most respected and accomplished colleagues ever to serve this Chamber. Born in Fayetteville, NC, Walter Jones began his career as a public servant when he was elected mayor of Farmville, NC in 1949. He served three terms in North Carolina State assembly and was in the midst of his first term in the State senate when in 1966 he won a special election to this Chamber to fill the seat left vacant by the death of former Member Herbert Bonner. He became a tireless advocate for the American worker and the American farmer. Walter Jones was reelected to 11 successive Congresses, serving in this Chamber from February 5, 1966 until his death in 1992. He was a member of the Agriculture Committee and served as chairman of the Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee from the 97th through the 100th Congress. As chairman of the Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee, Mr. Jones committed himself to ensuring that the United States maintained a viable merchant marine fleet and marine industry. H.R. 840 is an appropriate and fitting honor to bestow on our former colleague and I urge all Members to support 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. 840) to designate the Federal building and United States courthouse located at 215 South Evans Street in Greenville, North Carolina, as the ``Walter B. Jones Federal Building and United States Courthouse''.

Mr. GILCHREST

Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 869) to designate the Federal building and U.S. Courthouse located at 125 Market Street in Youngstown, OH, as the ``Thomas D. Lambros Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse'', as amended.

Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, we have no more speakers on this bill. I want to thank the gentleman from Ohio [Mr. Traficant] for his work on this, and I too urge an ``aye'' vote on this bill. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GILCHREST

Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I, too, strongly urge an aye vote on this bill. I have no further speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 653, a bill which designates the U.S. courthouse under construction in White Plains, NY, as the ``Thurgood Marshall United States Courthouse.'' Thurgood Marshall was born in Baltimore, MD. He graduated cum laude from Lincoln University in 1930, and graduated at the top of his class from the Howard University School of Law in 1933. As a graduate of college and professional school during the Great Depression, Thurgood Marshall was a member of the black elite. However, he was constrained by a social structure which tended to frustrate the aspirations of black people. Upon graduation from law school, Justice Marshall began his legal career with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People [NAACP]. It was during this tenure, as chief counsel, that he organized efforts to end segregation in voting, housing, public accommodations, and education. These efforts led to the landmark Supreme Court decision of Brown versus Board of Education, which declared segregation in public schools to be unconstitutional. In 1961, Justice Marshall was appointed to the second circuit court of appeals by President John F. Kennedy, and 4 years later was chosen by President Lyndon B. Johnson to be the first black Solicitor General. Two years later, on June 13, 1967, President Johnson chose Marshall to become the first black Justice of the Supreme Court, where he served with distinction until his retirement in 1991. He died in 1993. It is a fitting tribute to name a courthouse in honor of this American who believed in equal justice for all Americans, and devoted his life to obtaining the values we all hold dear. I strongly urge all Members to support this 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. 653) to designate the U.S. courthouse under construction in White Plains, NY, as the ``Thurgood Marshall United States Courthouse.''

Mr. GILCHREST

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

Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Nevada [Mrs. Vucanovich].

Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 395, a bill to designate the United States Courthouse and Federal Building under construction in Reno, NV, as the ``Bruce R. Thompson United States Courthouse and Federal Building.'' Judge Thompson was one of Nevada's most prominent and respected men in law and held a long and highly distinguished career. Judge Thompson was a graduate of the University of Nevada and received his law degree from Stanford Law School. His accomplishments include service as Assistant U.S. Attorney for the district of Nevada, special master for the U.S. district court of the district of Nevada, and appointment to the U.S. district court by President John F. Kennedy. Additionally, Judge Thompson served a term as president of the Ninth Circuit District judges and a term as president of the Nevada State Bar Association. He was also a regent and chairman of the State planning board. He held memberships in the American Bar Association, the American Law Institute, the American Judicature Society, the Institute of Judicial Administration, and the American College of Trial Lawyers. Virtually every legal organization in Nevada has unanimously passed a resolution in favor of naming the courthouse in honor of Judge Thompson. The entire Nevada congressional delegation supports this legislation. H.R. 395 is an appropriate tribute to a fine public servant and I urge my colleagues to support the bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 395) to designate the United States courthouse and Federal building to be constructed at the southeastern corner of Liberty and South Virginia Streets in Reno, Nevada, as the ``Bruce R. Thompson United States Courthouse and Federal Building''.

Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 255) to designate the Federal justice building in Miami, FL, as the ``James Lawrence King Federal Justice Building.''

Mr. GILCHREST

Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I echo the words of my colleagues in thanking the staff on both sides of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the subcommittee. I do think that we have made large gains and maybe a touchdown pass with our efforts to deal with the legislative business of the Nation in a very cooperative, nonpartisan manner. I appreciate the Members on that side of the aisle. With that, Mr. Speaker, I urge an ``aye'' vote on this bill. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I have no additional speakers, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 308, a bill to provide for the conveyance of certain lands and improvements in Hopewell Township, PA, to a nonprofit organization known as the Beaver County Corporation for Economic Development. The Hopewell Township Investment Act of 1995 was introduced in Congress for the purpose of making certain property productive for the benefit of the Hopewell community. This legislation will accomplish this by directing GSA to transfer this property, at no cost, to the Beaver County Corporation for economic development, a nonprofit corporation certified by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The property is 15.94 acres of narrow shaped land which runs in east- west direction, approximately 7 miles northwest of Pittsburgh International Airport, and is improved primarily by a concrete block building of 43,000 square feet containing warehouse space. As of September 23, 1993, the property was designated as surplus and placed on GSA's surplus property inventory. The Beaver County Corporation for Economic Development, in cooperation with Hopewell Township, plans to utilize this property as the centerpiece of a Hopewell Aliquippa Airport industrial park and thereby promote economic development and create needed jobs for the people of Hopewell Township. This property was originally used in light manufacturing. It was acquired in 1981 by the Federal Government as a staging center for emergency--mine--operations under the Mine Safety and Health Administration of the Department of Labor. Hopewell Township, in anticipation of this Federal facility, invested $225,000 in infrastructure improvements. The facility, however, never opened, and has sat vacant for over 14 years. This community has lost over $250,000 in tax revenue from the Federal jobs that were committed to this facility, and the economy has lost over $21 million in lost wages because of the Government's decision not to live up to a commitment. Returning this property to productive use is fitting and appropriate. I strongly urge all Members to support this measure. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.