Congressional Record—House H676
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H676 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð HOUSE February 23, 1999 It is most fitting and proper that we support man Dellums championed issues in- I am honored to have carried this leg- this legislation and honor the civic career of volving civil rights, equal rights for islation. Again, I want to thank the Richard C. White by designating the federal women, human rights, and the environ- committee so much for taking the time building in El Paso as the ``Richard C. White'' ment. and the effort to get this to the floor in Federal Building. At the time of his resignation, Con- such a timely fashion. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance gressman Dellums was the ranking Mr. WISE. Mr. Speaker, I yield my- of my time. member on the House Committee on self such time as I may consume. The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. National Security. During his tenure, Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support PEASE). The question is on the motion he also held the chairmanship of the of H.R. 396, a bill to honor Ron Dellums offered by the gentleman from New Committee on Armed Services and the by naming the Federal building located Jersey (Mr. FRANKS) that the House Committee on the District of Colum- at 1301 Clay Street in Oakland, Califor- suspend the rules and pass the bill, bia. Throughout his 27-year career, nia, as the ``Ronald V. Dellums Federal H.R. 233. Congressman Dellums served on a vari- Building.'' The question was taken; and (two- ety of other committees and caucuses, As my colleagues know, Ron rep- thirds having voted in favor thereof) including the Committee on Foreign resented the 9th District of California the rules were suspended and the bill Affairs, the Committee on the Post Of- for 26 years and during that period dis- was passed. fice and Civil Service, the Permanent tinguished himself in many, many A motion to reconsider was laid on Select Committee on Intelligence, and ways. He fought tirelessly for vigorous the table. the Congressional Black Caucus. He re- examination of the state of our mili- tary establishment, including its pur- f signed in January of 1998 to return to private life. poses, its budget and other issues in- RONALD V. DELLUMS FEDERAL This is a fitting tribute to our former volving racial and sexual discrimina- BUILDING colleague, who, I might add, was clear- tion. He was a tireless fighter on this floor against apartheid and brought the Mr. FRANKS of New Jersey. Mr. ly the best-dressed Member of this body. I support this bill, and I urge my Congress along with him. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules Ron was a dynamic advocate for and pass the bill (H.R. 396) to designate colleagues to support the bill as well. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of arms reduction and peaceful resolution the Federal building located at 1301 of international conflict. His interest my time. Clay Street in Oakland, California, as 1 extended to health care, civil rights, the ``Ronald V. Dellums Federal Build- Mr. WISE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 ¤2 minutes to the gentleman from Califor- Congressional authority and alter- ing.'' native budgets. He was a great friend, a The Clerk read as follows: nia (Mr. MILLER), the sponsor of the legislation. mentor, always a gentleman, and a H.R. 396 Mr. MILLER of California. Mr. leader. His kindness and humor on this Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Speaker, I thank the gentleman for floor are greatly missed. If I could just add, Mr. Speaker, there Representatives of the United States of America yielding. in Congress assembled, are several words that describe Ron. Mr. Speaker, I thank the committee One is always ``passion,'' passion for SECTION 1. DESIGNATION. so much for bringing this legislation to the causes he fought for, fought for elo- The Federal building located at 1301 Clay the floor. We truly honor a man of Street in Oakland, California, shall be quently and always fairly. The other great character, of great integrity and known and designated as the ``Ronald V. Del- word that comes to my mind imme- of great dignity with the naming of lums Federal Building''. diately is ``civility.'' This building this building for our former colleague, SEC. 2. REFERENCES. should be a monument to the civility Congressman Ron Dellums, a man who Any reference in a law, map, regulation, that we should have as we discuss the led not only our Bay Area delegation document, paper, or other record of the differences between us. Someone once United States to the Federal building re- but led national movements on behalf said that the key is to be able to dis- ferred to in section 1 shall be deemed to be of human rights and who brought the agree without being disagreeable, and a reference to the ``Ronald V. Dellums Fed- titans of apartheid to their knees and Ron Dellums represented that to the eral Building''. dragged a reluctant American govern- The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- utmost. ment along the way. This bill has very broad bipartisan ant to the rule, the gentleman from He has fought for civil rights for all support. I wish to thank the gentleman New Jersey (Mr. FRANKS) and the gen- Americans and, more than any other from California (Mr. MILLER) for his tleman from West Virginia (Mr. WISE) Member of Congress, he helped to diligent efforts on behalf of the bill and each will control 20 minutes. clearly illustrate how an overfed mili- join him and many others in support- The Chair recognizes the gentleman tary budget was literally starving our ing this bill and urge passage of H.R. from New Jersey (Mr. FRANKS). children, our schools and our commu- 396. Mr. FRANKS of New Jersey. Mr. nities. When it came time to cut that Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of Speaker, I yield myself such time as I budget, when it came time for the base my time. may consume. closures and the various rounds of base Mr. FRANKS of New Jersey. Mr. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 396 designates the closures, Ron worked hard as the chair- Speaker, I reserve the balance of my Federal building located in Oakland, man of the Committee on Armed Serv- time. California, as the ``Ronald V. Dellums ices to make, in fact, sure that those Mr. WISE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 min- Federal Building.'' closures were fair, that people had a utes to the gentlewoman from the Dis- Congressman Dellums was born in chance to be retrained and to be reem- trict of Columbia (Ms. NORTON). Oakland, California. After finishing ployed and so their families would not Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I thank high school, he served for 2 years in the suffer from the closure of those bases the gentleman for yielding; and I par- United States Marine Corps and re- and to make sure that the commu- ticularly thank the chairman and the ceived an honorable discharge. He then nities in fact were able to absorb those ranking member for their attention to followed educational pursuits and re- bases into our local economies and to this bill. ceived his A.A. from Oakland City Col- redeploy those assets in the civil econ- I strongly support H.R. 396. I support lege in 1958, his B.A. from San Fran- omy. this bill which names a Federal facility cisco State University in 1960, and his I just want to say that this building for a man who loved his country, even MSW from the University at Berkley in is more than about bricks and mortar, when he was one of its greatest critics. 1962. it is about truly a monument to an in- Ron Dellums had range in this body, In his public role, Congressman Del- dividual that, as people from our com- from his deep leadership on inter- lums served on the Berkeley City munity go in and out of this building national affairs to his involvement in Council from 1967 until 1970, when he in Oakland, they will know that in fact the most local of issues, the District of was then elected to the United States this is named for someone who truly Columbia. He was ranking member of House of Representatives to represent cared about them during his entire ca- the Committee on National Security, northern Alameda County. Congress- reer in public service. and he chaired the D.C. Committee. February 23, 1999 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð HOUSE H677 When I say, ``range,'' I mean range. ment potential of downtown Oakland The Federal building in Oakland, On the great issues of the day, elimi- have been amply rewarded. In the 6 California, stands tall with dignity and nating poverty, protecting civil rights, years since the occupation of this it commands respect. It is very fitting making sure that all Americans had building, the surrounding blocks have that it be named the ``Ronald V. Del- civil liberties, Ron Dellums' name is flowered with new plazas, new busi- lums Federal Building.'' indelibly left with this body. nesses and new buildings. Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, Ron may be remembered perhaps Congressman Dellums, in his usual I rise in support of H.R. 396, a bill to name a most of all for South Africa's sanc- humble manner, would undoubtedly be federal building in Oakland, CA, in honor of tions. He fought for sanctions against embarrassed by these words today and the former Chairman of the House National South Africa when it was all but a lost by our efforts to name this building Security Committee, Ronald V.