Steven LaTourette

Mr. LaTOURETTE

Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 145 designates the Federal building located at 290 Broadway in New York City as the Ted Weiss Federal Building. Ted Weiss was born in Gava, Hungary, in September of 1927. He and his family fled Eastern Europe to escape Nazi persecution on the last passenger ship to leave Hamburg, Germany, arriving in the United States in 1938. Ted Weiss graduated from Hoffman High School in South Amboy, New Jersey, in 1946. He served for 1 year in the United States Army. He then went on to earn a bachelor's and a law degree from Syracuse University, graduating in 1952. Ted Weiss became a naturalized citizen in 1953, the same year that he was admitted to the practice of law in New York. In 1955 Congressman Weiss became an assistant district attorney for New York City and in 1962 was elected to the New York City Council where he was an influential advocate on a number of critical issues. After 15 years of service as a councilman, he was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1976 for the 95th Congress and was reelected to each of the succeeding seven Congresses. During his tenure in the House, Congressman Weiss diligently served as a leader on the House Banking Committee, as well as on the Committees on Foreign Affairs and Government Operations. He faithfully served this body and his adopted country until his untimely death in September of 1992. The naming of this Federal building in his honor is a fitting tribute to a respected former colleague. I want to commend our colleague and former committee member, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Nadler), for his persistence in bringing this legislation, not only this Congress, but in the past Congress. For reasons of schedule and other matters, it was not successfully negotiated through the other body. I hope by bringing it up today and moving it through the House in an expeditious fashion we can receive the same result in the Senate and get this fitting bill to the President of the United States for his signature so that this building may be appropriately named. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 145) to designate the Federal building located at 290 Broadway in New York, New York, as the ``Ted Weiss Federal Building''.

Mr. LaTOURETTE

Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I recently lost a dear friend and revered colleague, Lake County Probate Judge Fred V. Skok, who died January 10 after a brief illness. Judge Skok left behind a beloved wife of 39 years, Linda; daughters Heidi Skok Thorp of Glenmont, NY, and Gretchen Skok DiSanto of Concord Township; sons-in-law James Thorp and Dino DiSanto, and two grandsons, Harry Thorp and Hugh Thorp. A daughter, Christine Marie Skok, and his parents, Victor and Mary (Shume) Skok, are deceased Judge Skok was a legal legend in Lake County. He was elected County Prosecutor in 1960 and Probate Court Judge in 1972. He was set to retire this year after serving 30 years on the bench. He was a 1952 graduate of Princeton University and earned his law degree at the former Western Reserve University Law School in Cleveland. I consider myself blessed to have known Judge Skok for many years, and I looked to him as a mentor while I served as County Prosecutor before coming to Congress. Judge Skok was a quiet, scholarly man with a tremendous wit and a voracious intellect. He was revered in legal circles and doing the right thing was second nature to him. Judge Skok will also be remembered for his great devotion to Lake Metroparks, and maintaining the environmental beauty of Lake County. As a 30-year resident of Concord Township, few things brought more pride to the judge than preserving the sprawling park space by his home and throughout the county. The passing of Judge Skok brought great sadness to those who knew him. On behalf of the 14th Congressional District of Ohio, I share my heartfelt condolences with his family.

Mr. LaTOURETTE

Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to my dear friend, Millie Teuscher, who recently stepped down as Lake County Commissioner after 14 historic years. Millie will be greatly missed by everyone in the county. She has the distinction of being the first and only female commissioner in the 162-year history of the body. Millie is one of my oldest and closest friends in Lake County. I first got to know Millie when she was a councilwoman in Mentor, and later was thrilled when she sought office at the county level. She was part of a historic sweep of county offices by Republicans in the late 1980s, and really changed the face and tone of county government in Lake County. She brought an ``every woman'' sensibility to her job, and while she played the role of government watchdog with zeal, she was also admirably compassionate about the problems facing county residents and employees. Over her many years of elected office, she probably doled out an equal number of hugs and handshakes. She was not one to exert ego or insist on formalities, and was known to everyone as simply ``Millie.'' Millie Teuscher will be remembered for working diligently to improve Lake County and make it an economic leader in Northeast Ohio. Our county could never have a better guardian and cheerleader, and she will be sorely missed. I wish Millie the best in her retirement, and know how much she is looking forward to spending more time with her beloved husband, Bob. On behalf of the 14th Congressional District of Ohio, I thank Millie for her years of friendship and public service, and wish she and Bob all the best in the world.

Mr. LaTOURETTE

Mr. LaTOURETTE. Can the gentleman tell me at all what the difference is on the language we are voting on tonight as compared to what was in the CR when it first came out of the committee yesterday? Because, again, we were told that the significant changes, that this spends out at $31.8 billion until this CR expires next Friday. And if that is not accurate, then we have a bone, I suppose, to pick with the leadership on our side of the aisle.

Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman. I thank the chairman for his work and for yielding me time.

Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman very much, and if I could ask the attention of the distinguished ranking member, the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey) for just a moment if he has a minute. One of the things I have learned over the last 8 years being here and getting the opportunity to preside from time to time is that there is not a more abler Member of this body than the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey) or the gentleman from Florida (Chairman Young) when it comes to the appropriations process. And I am just a slug transporter who believes in building roads and bridges and dredging harbors and things of that nature. When this continuing resolution came out the other day, we were very upset on our side of the aisle, as was the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar) and the Democrats on the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, because we were told that the original language would put us at the $27 billion mark for the fiscal year, which was in violation of the $4.4 billion that we thought we restored. We notified our leadership that we would en masse vote against the rule for this continuing resolution unless the language was changed. The language was in fact changed, and today we were told that this continuing resolution spends out the transportation trust fund at $31.8 billion until October 18. I guess I am asking the gentleman because he is a lot smarter than I am, were we hoodwinked or do we have to go back to our leadership and say that somehow they have fooled us or is that in fact the case?

Mr. LaTOURETTE. I yield to the gentleman from Wisconsin.

Mr. LaTOURETTE

Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman who attended the same alma mater I attended in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, for yielding me this time. Mr. Speaker, I have to admit to a great deal of confusion tonight. A number of my colleagues are convinced that war is the only action; some believe it should never be an option; and most, I think, join with me and think that it should be an issue of last resort. Like most of my colleagues, I have received volumes of mail from my constituents, and their opinions mirror the confusion which exists in this body tonight. What troubles me is I have heard members of my party indicate in the press that the issue of war with Iraq has sucked the air out of Democratic message; and, sadly, I have heard Members on the other side of the aisle complain of the same thing. The thought that this issue where we are talking about certain casualties, Iraqi, American, and those of our coalition partners, that those would be used for an advantage by either side in mid-term elections is repugnant to me and the people I represent in Ohio. When I have an 84-year-old Republican grandmother in Ashtabula, Ohio, grab my arm and say, Congressman, we have never attacked another sovereign country in our history without first being attacked, I am moved. When I hear former Prime Minister Netanyahu tell our Committee on Government Reform that Israel has dealt with terrorists like Saddam Hussein since 1948, and if you do not get him, he will get you, I am moved as well. At the end of it all, I will say that I have concluded if we were on the floor of this House on September 10, 2001, and we knew what we know today, every Member in this body, Republican and Democrat, would do whatever it took to protect the people of this Republic, and we should do that tonight.

Mr. LaTOURETTE

Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I might consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5427 designates the Federal building in Roswell, New Mexico, as the Joe Skeen Federal Building. After 22 years of distinguished service in this body, our colleague from New Mexico, Joe Skeen, is retiring. I want to recognize the hard work of the bill's sponsor, the gentlewoman from New Mexico's first district (Mrs. Wilson), in bringing this measure to the floor with the support of over 200 co-sponsors. Congressman Skeen was born in Roswell, New Mexico. We will spare him from saying the year of his birth since he is still with us in this body. He served in the United States Navy for a 1-year enlistment and later in the United States Air Force Reserves from 1949 until 1952. Congressman Skeen graduated with a Bachelor's of Science degree in agricultural engineering. After graduation, he worked as a soil and water engineer for the Zuni and Ramah Navajo Indians. He later purchased the family sheep ranch. Congressman Skeen was first elected to public office in 1960 when he served in the New Mexico State Senate until 1970. For the last 6 years of his time in the State Senate he served as a minority leader. In 1980 Congressman Skeen was elected to serve New Mexico's second district in the United States House of Representatives. He was first elected as a write-in candidate and served for 11 succeeding Congresses. While serving in the House, Joe was known and is known for his commitment to property rights, balancing the Federal budget, and increased tax relief. He may have been the most influential as chairman of the Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies of the Committee on Appropriations, enhancing the agriculture viability in New Mexico and as chairman of the Subcommittee on Interior dealing with natural resources and public land use. This is an appropriate building designation to a dedicated public servant, and I want to congratulate Congressman Skeen on such an admirable and distinguished career and wish him all the best and great happiness as he returns to his family and the family ranch. I support this bill, and I urge my colleagues to do the same. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from New Mexico (Mrs. Wilson), the bill's author.

Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to indicate that I want to congratulate the gentlewoman from New Mexico (Mrs. Wilson) for not only introducing this legislation, but also for that moving testimony to a fine individual who served this institution well. I want to thank the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Udall) for his kind words, and urge passage of the bill.

Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LaTOURETTE

Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of our time and again congratulate the gentleman from Oregon for not only his legislation, but for his floor statement. I urge passage of the bill.

Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2672 designates the United States courthouse to be constructed at 8th Avenue and Mill Street in Eugene, Oregon, as the ``Wayne Lyman Morse United States Courthouse.'' Born in 1900 in Dane County, Wisconsin, Senator Morse graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 1924, from the law department at the University of Minnesota in 1928, and from Columbia University Law School in 1932. Senator Morse was a professor of law and later dean at the University of Oregon Law School until his election to the United States Senate in 1944. Early in his career, Senator Morse witnessed America's rapid urban and industrial development; specifically, its effects on the rural lives of the farmers in his home State of Wisconsin. Influenced by such progressive change, Senator Morse worked to maintain a balanced connection between political democracy and the citizens of that democracy, upholding the belief that this country's true wealth, its people, would flourish in such an environment. Throughout his career, Senator Morse held the conviction of ``principle over politics,'' made evident by his serving as a Republican, an Independent, and as a Democrat prior to his defeat in the election of 1968. Senator Morse died while campaigning for a return to the Senate in 1974. The designation of this courthouse is a fitting tribute to a dedicated public servant. Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate the sponsor of the bill, the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. DeFazio), of our committee. The gentleman from Oregon (Mr. DeFazio) is not known as one of the more retiring members of our body, and it does not matter whether it is disparate user fees in the national Forest Service on behalf of his constituents or this particular piece of legislation. I had the pleasure of being in the full committee markup on other matters this week, and this bill was not only a matter of interest to the gentleman, but he fought hard with the leadership of our committee and received the acclamation of the leadership of our committee in convincing the leadership of this Congress to put this piece of legislation on the floor tonight, and it is his tenacity which I am sure his constituents not only appreciate, but for which they reward him with consistent reelection. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2672) to designate the United States courthouse to be constructed at 8th Avenue and Mill Street in Eugene, Oregon, as the ``Wayne Lyman Morse United States Courthouse''.

Mr. LaTOURETTE

Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I urge support of the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5083, as the Clerk has indicated, designates the United States Courthouse at South Federal Place in Santa Fe, New Mexico, as the Santiago E. Campos United States Courthouse. A native of New Mexico, Judge Campos served in the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. Upon his honorable discharge from the Navy, Judge Campos earned his undergraduate degree from the Central College in Fayette, Missouri, and his law degree from the University of New Mexico in 1953, where he graduated first in his class. From 1954 to 1957, Judge Campos served as an Assistant State Attorney General and then as the First Assistant State Attorney General. After a period of time in private practice, Judge Campos was elected as a District Judge for the First Judicial District of the State of New Mexico until his appointment to the Federal bench. Judge Campos served on the Federal bench with distinction for over 22 years, from his appointment in 1978 by President Carter until December of 2001, just one month before his death in January of this year. Judge Campos was the first Hispanic to serve as a Federal Judge in New Mexico and the first to serve as Chief Judge of the District Court in New Mexico. This bill has the support of the New Mexico State Legislature, which passed a joint memorial requesting the name of this courthouse, as well as the unanimous support of the judges making up the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals and the District Court of New Mexico. This is a fitting tribute to a dedicated public servant. I support the bill and urge my colleagues to do the same, and congratulate the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Udall) for bringing this fine piece of legislation before us. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5083) to designate the United States courthouse at South Federal Place in Santa Fe, New Mexico, as the ``Santiago E. Campos United States Courthouse''.

Mr. LaTOURETTE

Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 567) recognizing the importance of surface transportation infrastructure to interstate and international commerce and the traveling public and the contributions of the trucking, rail, and passenger transit industries to the economic well being of the United States, as amended.

Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on H. Res. 567, as amended.

Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all time allotted to me be allotted to the gentleman from California (Mr. Gary G. Miller), and I further ask unanimous consent that he be permitted to yield time from that time.

Mr. LaTOURETTE

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

Mr. LaTOURETTE

Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5335) to designate the Federal building and United States courthouse located at 200 West 2nd Street in Dayton, Ohio, as the ``Tony Hall Federal Building and United States Courthouse''.