[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 15]
[House]
[Pages 20201-20202]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     CLYDE S. CAHILL MEMORIAL PARK

  Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 1556) to designate a parcel of land located on the site of 
the Thomas F. Eagleton United States Courthouse in St. Louis, Missouri, 
as the ``Clyde S. Cahill Memorial Park''.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 1556

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. DESIGNATION.

       The parcel of land described in section 3, and located on 
     the site of the Thomas F. Eagleton United States Courthouse 
     in St. Louis, Missouri, shall be known and designated as the 
     ``Clyde S. Cahill Memorial Park''.

     SEC. 2. REFERENCES.

       Any reference in a law, map, regulation, document, paper, 
     or other record of the United States to the parcel of land 
     described in section 3 shall be deemed to be a reference to 
     the ``Clyde S. Cahill Memorial Park''.

     SEC. 3. PROPERTY DESCRIPTION.

       The parcel of land designated under section 1 is the parcel 
     bounded by South 10th Street, Clark Avenue, South 9th Street, 
     and Walnut Street in St. Louis, Missouri.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Shuster) and the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. 
Corrine Brown) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania.
  Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  H.R. 1556, introduced by Representative Lacy Clay, designates a 
parcel of land located on the site of the Thomas F. Eagleton United 
States Courthouse in St. Louis, Missouri as the Clyde S. Cahill 
Memorial Park. The bill honors Judge Clyde S. Cahill, who was the first 
African American to be appointed to the U.S. District Court of the 
Eastern District of Missouri.
  After serving in the U.S. Air Force during World War II and acquiring 
a law degree from St. Louis University Law School, Judge Clyde S. 
Cahill engaged in the private practice of law in 1951. From 1958 
through 1968, he served as chief legal adviser to the Missouri NAACP. 
While with the NAACP, he filed the first lawsuit in Missouri to 
implement the Supreme Court's decision in Brown v. Board of Education, 
helping to end school segregation in Missouri.
  Judge Cahill was appointed to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern 
District of Missouri in 1980. Judge Cahill had a reputation for being 
courteous and compassionate. He passed away on August 18, 2004, at age 
81.
  I support this legislation and encourage my colleagues to do the 
same.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time 
as I may consume.
  H.R. 1556 is a bill to designate the land located in the site of the 
Thomas F. Eagleton United States Courthouse in St. Louis, Missouri as 
the Clyde S. Cahill Memorial Park. This parcel of land is bounded by 
South Tenth St., Clark Avenue, South Ninth Street, and Walnut Avenue in 
St. Louis.
  Judge Cahill was the first African American Federal district judge to 
serve in the eighth circuit. A native Missourian, he was born in 1923. 
He attended local elementary and high schools. After graduating from 
high school, he joined the U.S. Air Force and served in World War II 
from 1942 until 1946.
  When he returned from the war, he continued his education at the 
University of St. Louis. He graduated from St. Louis University Law 
School in 1951 and began private practice. In 1954 he joined the Office 
of the Circuit Attorney for the City of St. Louis. In 1972, he became 
the executive director and general counsel for the Legal Aid Society of 
St. Louis. From 1975 until 1980, he served as circuit court judge of 
the Twenty-Second Judicial Circuit of the State of Missouri in St. 
Louis.
  He was appointed by President Carter on May 23, 1980 to the Federal 
court. Judge Cahill became the first African American to be appointed 
to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of 
Missouri.
  He was known for being both compassionate and courteous. However, he 
frequently challenged the flaws in the judiciary system and was 
critical of Federal sentencing guidelines which he believed were 
sometimes inappropriately

[[Page 20202]]

severe. He served as a role model for many young lawyers and civil 
servants.
  Judge Cahill died in 2004. Due to his lifetime of judicial 
excellence, it is both fitting and just that the park area located in 
the Thomas Eagleton U.S. Courthouse be designated in his honor.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. I yield such time as he may consume to 
the sponsor of the bill, Mr. Clay.
  Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Florida, as well 
as my friend and chairman, Chairman Shuster of Pennsylvania. I thank 
them both for their support of this bill.
  I rise in support of H.R. 1556, a bill to designate a park in the 
City of St. Louis in honor of the late Judge Clyde S. Cahill.
  Judge Cahill served on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern 
District of Missouri for more than two decades, appointed by President 
Jimmy Carter in 1980. Judge Cahill was the first African American to 
serve in the eighth circuit court.
  The Honorable Clyde S. Cahill, Jr., was a native St. Louisian. He 
graduated from Vashon High School and served in the U.S. Air Force 
during World War II. He went on to graduate from St. Louis University 
and St. Louis University School of Law.
  Early in his legal career, Mr. Cahill served as chief legal adviser 
to the Missouri office of the NAACP and filed the first lawsuit in the 
State of Missouri calling for enforcement of the landmark Supreme Court 
ruling in Brown v. The Board of Education.
  Throughout his career, Clyde Cahill demonstrated a deep commitment to 
improving the quality of life in the African American community. He was 
a leader in the struggle for civil rights, and he was active in many 
domestic programs to help the poor and disadvantaged.
  In 1966, he joined the U.S. Office of Economic Opportunity, and later 
he went to work for the St. Louis Human Development Corporation. He 
also served as executive director and general counsel for the Legal 
Society of St. Louis, where he played a pivotal role in expanding legal 
aid services throughout eastern Missouri. Judge Cahill was truly a 
dedicated public servant who spent his life pursuing justice and 
equality for others.
  Today, throughout St. Louis, Judge Cahill is fondly remembered for 
his courteous style and his compassionate heart. He was a hardworking 
man with a generous spirit who helped to improve the lives of countless 
citizens, some who knew him well and others who never even met him. 
Judge Cahill's contributions will benefit generations, and St. 
Louisians will forever cherish his memory.
  I also want to add, Mr. Speaker, that I grew up knowing Judge Cahill 
going to school with his children. We are friends to this day. I ask my 
colleagues to support H.R. 1556, a bill to designate a site at the 
Thomas F. Eagleton United States Courthouse as the Clyde S. Cahill 
Memorial Park.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1556, a bill to 
designate the land located on the site of the Thomas F. Eagleton United 
States Courthouse in St. Louis, MO, as the Clyde S. Cahill Memorial 
Park. This parcel of land is bounded by South 10th Street, Clark 
Avenue, South 9th Street, and Walnut Avenue in St. Louis.
  Judge Cahill, a native Missourian, was born in St. Louis in April 
1923. He attended local elementary schools and Vashon High School. 
After graduating from high school, he joined the U.S. Army Air Corps 
and served in World War II from 1942 until 1946.
  When he returned from the war he continued his education at the 
University of St. Louis. He graduated from St. Louis University Law 
School in 1951. After graduation, Judge Cahill engaged in private 
practice until 1954 when he joined the staff of the circuit attorney of 
the city of St. Louis. From 1958 to 1965, he served as the chief legal 
advisor to the Missouri NAACP and filed the first lawsuit in Missouri 
to implement the Supreme Court's decision in Brown v. Board of 
Education.
  From 1975 until 1980, Judge Cahill served as a circuit judge on the 
22nd Judicial Circuit of the State of Missouri in St. Louis. With his 
appointment to the Federal court by President Carter on May 23, 1980, 
Judge Cahill became the first African-American to be appointed to the 
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri.
  Judge Cahill was known for being both compassionate and courteous. 
However, he frequently challenged the flaws in the judicial system and 
was critical of Federal sentencing guidelines, which he believed were 
sometimes inappropriately severe. He served as a role model for many 
young lawyers and civil servants.
  Judge Cahill died peacefully in 2004. Due to his lifetime of judicial 
excellence, it is both fitting and just that the park area located at 
the Thomas Eagleton U.S. Courthouse be designated in his honor.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 1556.
  Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. I yield back the balance of my time, 
Mr. Speaker.
  Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Shuster) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1556.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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