[DOCID: f:hr209.110]
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110th Congress Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
1st Session 110-209
======================================================================
GEORGE HOWARD, JR. FEDERAL BUILDING AND UNITED STATES COURTHOUSE
_______
June 25, 2007.--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. 2011]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, to whom
was referred the bill (H.R. 2011) to designate the Federal
building and United States courthouse located at 100 East 8th
Avenue in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, as the ``George Howard, Jr.
Federal Building and 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. 2011 designates the Federal building and United States
courthouse located at 100 East 8th Avenue in Pine Bluff,
Arkansas, as the ``George Howard, Jr. Federal Building and
United States Courthouse''.
BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION
Judge George Howard, Jr. was born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas,
on May 13, 1924. He began his service to our nation at the age
of 18 when he was drafted into military service during World
War II. Judge Howard served with distinction in the United
States Navy with the Construction Battalion--or the
``Seabees''--in the South Pacific.
After completing his military service, Judge George Howard
Jr. returned to Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and re-enrolled in high
school to complete his high school education. Upon graduating
from high school, Judge Howard attended the pre-law program at
Lincoln University in Missouri and graduated with honors. Judge
Howard subsequently attended the University of Arkansas School
of Law. He was the first African American student to live on
campus in the newly desegregated campus dormitories. He earned
his law degree in 1954.
After graduating from law school, Judge Howard began a
long, illustrious, and trailblazing legal career in his home
state of Arkansas. In the 1950s, Judge Howard started a private
law practice and devoted his energies to representing those
whose voices would not otherwise be heard. He subsequently
served on the Arkansas State Claims Commission, the Arkansas
Court of Appeals, and the Arkansas Supreme Court. In 1980,
President Carter appointed Judge Howard to the U.S. District
Court, Eastern and Western Districts of Arkansas. Judge Howard
was Arkansas' first African American Federal judge. During his
tenure, he presided over the lengthy ``Whitewater'' trials
regarding a failed Arkansas land deal.
During Judge Howard's career, he received several awards
and distinctions from the legal community. He received the
Outstanding Trial Judge Award from the Arkansas Trial Lawyers
Association, the Distinguished Jurist Award from the National
Bar Association, and the Keepers of the Spirit-Community
Service Award from University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.
Through his pursuit of legal and racial equality, and his
exemplary career in public service, Judge Howard helped to pave
the way for other African-Americans to pursue careers in law
and public service. From his time as a private attorney, to his
service as President of the State Council of Branches of the
National Association of Colored People (NAACP), Judge Brown's
judicial ideals were grounded in the fundamental belief of
justice for all.
Judge Howard passed away on April 21, 2007, in Pine Bluff,
Arkansas, at the age of 82. In honor of Judge George Howard,
Jr.'s outstanding contributions to the state of Arkansas, the
Federal judiciary, and his distinguished legal career, it is
both fitting and proper to designate the courthouse located at
100 East 8th Avenue in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, as the ``George
Howard, Jr. Federal Building and United States Courthouse''.
SUMMARY OF THE LEGISLATION
Section 1. Designation
Section 1 designates the Federal building and United States
courthouse located at 100 East 8th Avenue in Pine Bluff,
Arkansas as the ``George Howard, Jr. Federal Building and
United States Courthouse''.
Section 2. References
Section 2 declares any reference in law, map, regulation,
document, paper, or other record of the United States to the
Federal Building and United States Courthouse referred to in
Section 1 shall be deemed to be a reference to the ``George
Howard, Jr. Federal Building and United States Courthouse''.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY AND COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION
On May 23, 2007, the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure met in open session, and ordered the bill
reported favorably to the House by voice vote.
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 ordering H.R.
2011 reported. A motion to order H.R. 2011 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)(I) 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 goals and objective of this legislation are to
designate the Federal Building and United States Courthouse
located at 100 East 8th Avenue in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, as the
George Howard, Jr. 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. 2011
from the Director of the Congressional Budget Office:
U.S. Congress,
Congressional Budget Office,
Washington, DC, May 24, 2007.
Hon. James L. Oberstar,
Chairman, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has
reviewed H.R. 2011, a bill to designate the federal building
and United States courthouse located at 100 East 8th Avenue in
Pine Bluff, Arkansas, as the ``George Howard, Jr. Federal
Building and United States Courthouse,'' as ordered reported by
the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on May
23, 2007.
CBO estimates that enactment of this legislation would have
no significant impact on the federal budget and would not
affect direct spending or revenues. The bill contains 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,
Peter R. Orszag, Director.
COMPLIANCE WITH HOUSE RULE XXI
Pursuant to clause 9 of rule XXI of the Rules of the House
of Representatives, H.R. 2011, 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 (Public Law 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. 2011 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 (Public Law
104-1).
CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW MADE BY THE BILL, AS REPORTED
H.R. 2011 makes no changes in existing law.
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