[House Report 107-280]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
Calendar No.
107th Congress Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
SENATE
1st Session 107-280
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JAMES L. WATSON UNITED STATES COURT OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE
BUILDING
_______
November 13, 2001.--Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to
be printed
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Mr. Young of Alaska, from the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure, submitted the following
R E P O R T
CONFERENCE REPORT
[To accompany H.R. 2841]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, to whom
was referred the bill (H.R. 2841) to designate the building
located at 1 Federal Plaza in New York, New York, as the
``James L. Watson United States Court of Internatinal Trade
Building'', having considered the same, report favorably
thereon without amendment and recommend that the bill do pass.
James L. Watson, the nation's most senior African American
federal Judge, was born in Harlem, New York. He served with the
Buffalo Soldiers in the 371st Infantry Regiment, 92nd Division
in World War II. He was wounded in Italy and returned to the
United States decorated with a Purple Heart and the Infantry
Combat Badge.
He graduated from New York University in 1947 and from
Brooklyn Law School in 1951. Judge Watson was elected to the
New York State Senate in 1954. With both of his parents being
from Jamaica, in 1962 President Kennedy chose him to accompany
Vice President Johnson to the Jamaican Independence
celebration. In 1963, Judge Watson was elected to the New York
City Civil Court.
President Johnson appointed Judge Watson to what was known
as the United States Customs Court and now known as the United
States Court of International Trade in 1966. The nine members
of the United States Customs Court could be assigned to sit in
any Federal District Court in the nation. Because of his
previous experience, in his first year on the Federal bench,
Judge Watson was appointed to hear cases in California, Oregon,
Washington, Atlanta, Tampa, Houston, El Paso, San Antonio and
Dallas on civil and criminal matters. Judge Watson worked to
help modernize his court under the Customs Court Act of 1970
and as Chairman of the Court's Rules and Practices Committee he
reworked court rules and facilitated the modernization of the
court with the introduction of computers.
Judge Watson took senior status in 1991. He passed away in
his home in Harlem earlier this year. Judge Watson was a
dedicated Federal Judge and an exemplary public servant. This
is fitting and proper to designate the Court of International
Trade Building in his honor.
PURPOSE OF THE LEGISLATION
The purpose of H.R. 2841 is to designate the building at 1
Federal Plaza in New York, New York as the ``James L. Watson
United States Court of International Trade.''
SUMMARY OF THE LEGISLATION
H.R. 2841 designates the building at 1 Federal Plaza in New
York, New York as the ``James L. Watson United States Court of
International Trade.''
HEARINGS AND LEGISLATIVE HISTORY
No hearings were held in conjunction with ordering reported
H.R. 2841.
COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION
On November 7, 2001, the Full Committee met in open session
and ordered reported H.R. 2841, to designate the building at 1
Federal Plaza in New York, New York as the ``James L. Watson
United States Court of International Trade'' approved November
6, 2001, by the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public
Buildings and Emergency Management, by voice vote with a quorum
present. There were no recorded votes taken during Committee
consideration of H.R. 2841.
ROLLCALL 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.
2841 reported. A motion by Mr. LaTourette to order H.R. 2841
favorably reported to the House was agreed to by voice vote, a
quorum being present.
COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS
With respect to the requirements of clause 3(c)(1) 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
section 308(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the
Committee references the report of the Congressional Budget
Office below.
2. With respect to clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII of the Rules
of the House of Representatives, the Committee advises that the
bill contains no measure that authorizes funding, so no
statement of general performance and objectives for which any
measure authorizes funding is required.
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 following cost estimate for H.R.
2841 from the Director of the Congressional Budget Office.
U.S. Congress,
Congressional Budget Office,
Washington, DC, November 9, 2001.
Hon. Don Young,
Chairman, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has
reviewed the following bills, which were ordered reported by
the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on
November 7, 2001. CBO estimates that their enactment would have
no significant impact on the federal budget, and would not
affect direct spending or receipts; therefore, pay-as-you-go
procedures would not apply. 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. The bills reviewed are:
H.R. 3093, a bill to designate the federal
building and United States courthouse located at 501 Bell
Street in Alton, Illinois, as the ``William L. Beatty Federal
Building and United States Courthouse;''
H.R. 2972, a bill to designate the federal
building and United States courthouse located at 550 West Fort
Street in Boise, Idaho, as the ``James A. McClure Federal
Building and United States Courthouse;''
H.R. 2776, a bill to designate buildings 315, 318
and 319 located at the Federal Aviation Administration's
William J. Hughes Technical Center in Atlantic City, New
Jersey, as the ``Frank R. Lautenberg Aviation Security
Complex;''
H.R. 2841, a bill to designate the building
located at 1 Federal Plaza in New York, New York, as the
``James L. Watson United States Court of International Trade
Building;'' and
S. 378, an act to redesignate the federal building
located at 3348 South Kedzie Avenue, in Chicago, Illinois, as
the ``Paul Simon Chicago Job Corps Center.''
If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Matthew
Pickford.
Sincerely,
Barry B. Anderson
(For Dan L. Crippen, Director).
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.)
ADVISORY COMMITTEE STATEMENT
No advisory committees within the meaning of section 5(b)
of the Federal Advisory Committee Act were 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.)