[House Report 111-31] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] 111th Congress Report HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 1st Session 111-31 ====================================================================== JAMES A. LEACH UNITED STATES COURTHOUSE _______ March 10, 2009.--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. 887] [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office] The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, to whom was referred the bill (H.R. 887) to designate the United States courthouse located at 131 East 4th Street in Davenport, Iowa, as the ``James A. Leach 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. 887 designates the United States courthouse located at 131 East 4th Street in Davenport, Iowa, as the ``James A. Leach United States Courthouse''. BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION James Albert Smith Leach was born in Davenport, Iowa, on October 15, 1942. Leach attended the public schools of Davenport, Iowa, and received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Princeton University in 1964. Leach later received a Master of Arts degree in Soviet Politics from the School of Advanced International Studies of Johns Hopkins University in 1966, and subsequently attended the London School of Economics. Former Representative Leach began his public service career in 1965 as a staff person to then-Congressman Donald Rumsfeld. In 1968, Leach joined the U.S. Department of State as a Foreign Service Officer and subsequently served as special assistant to director at the Office of Economic Opportunity. In the 1970s, Rep. Leach served in various capacities with the United Nations, the United States Advisory Commission on International Education and Cultural Affairs, and the Federal Home Loan Bank Board. In 1976, Rep. Leach was elected to Congress. Rep. Leach represented the 2nd District of Iowa in the United States House of Representatives for 30 years (1977-2007). A career public servant, Rep. Leach chaired the Committee on Banking and Financial Services, the Subcommittee on Asian and Pacific Affairs, and the Congressional-Executive Commission on China. He holds eight honorary degrees, has received decorations from two foreign governments, and is the recipient of the Wayne Morse Integrity in Politics Award, the Woodrow Wilson Award from Johns Hopkins University, the Adlai Stevenson Award from the United Nations Association, and the Edgar Wayburn Award from the Sierra Club. In February 2007, former Rep. Leach joined the faculty of Princeton's Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs as a visiting professor. In honor of Representative James A. Leach's outstanding public service and his exemplary professional career, it is both fitting and proper to designate the U.S. courthouse located on 131 East 4th Street in Davenport, Iowa, as the ``James A. Leach United States Courthouse''. SUMMARY OF THE LEGISLATION Section 1. Designation Section 1 designates the Federal building located at 131 East 4th Street in Davenport, Iowa, as the ``James A. Leach United States Courthouse''. Section 2. References Section 2 declares that any reference in law, map, regulation, document, paper, or other record of the United States to the United States courthouse referred to in Section 1 shall be deemed to be a reference to the ``James A. Leach United States Courthouse''. LEGISLATIVE HISTORY AND COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION In the 110th Congress, Representative David Loebsack introduced H.R. 1505 on March 13, 2007. This bill has not been introduced in a previous Congress. On May 2, 2007, the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure met in open session to consider H.R. 1505. Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management Chairwoman Norton offered an amendment in the nature of a substitute to make a technical correction to the bill. The amendment designates the facility as the ``James A. Leach United States Courthouse''. The amendment was agreed to by voice vote. The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure ordered the bill reported favorably to the House by voice vote. On May 8, 2007, the Committee reported the bill to the House. H. Rept. 110-132. On May 15, 2007, the House passed H.R. 1505 by voice vote. No further action was taken on the bill. In the 111th Congress, Representative Loebsack introduced H.R. 887 on February 4, 2009. On February 12, 2009, the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure met in open session, and ordered the bill reported favorably to the House by voice vote with a quorum present. 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 consideration of H.R. 887. A motion to order H.R. 887 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 objectives of this legislation are to designate the United States courthouse located at 131 East 4th Street in Davenport, Iowa, as the ``James A. Leach 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. 887 from the Director of the Congressional Budget Office: U.S. Congress, Congressional Budget Office, Washington, DC, February 17, 2009. Hon. James L. Oberstar, Chairman, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has reviewed the following legislation as ordered reported by the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on February 12, 2009:H.R. 887, a bill to designate the United States courthouse located at 131 East 4th Street in Davenport, Iowa, as the ``James A. Leach United States Courthouse''; H.R. 869, a bill to designate the federal building and United States courthouse located at 101 Barr Street in Lexington, Kentucky, as the ``Scott Reed Federal Building and United States Courthouse''; H.R. 842, a bill to designate the United States courthouse to be constructed in Jackson, Mississippi, as the ``R. Jess Brown United States Courthouse''; H.R. 837, a bill to designate the federal building located at 799 United Nations Plaza in New York, New York, as the ``Ronald H. Brown United States Mission to the United Nations Building''; and H.R. 813, a bill to designate the federal building and United States courthouse located at 306 East Main Street in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, as the ``J. Herbert W. Small Federal Building and United States Courthouse.'' CBO estimates that enacting those pieces of legislation would have no significant impact on the federal budget and would not affect direct spending or revenues. The bills contain 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, Douglas W. Elmendorf, Director. COMPLIANCE WITH HOUSE RULE XXI Pursuant to clause 9 of rule XXI of the Rules of the House of Representatives, H.R. 887, 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. 887 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. 887 makes no changes in existing law.