[House Report 111-241]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
111th Congress Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
1st Session 111-241
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ALBERT ARMENDARIZ, SR., UNITED STATES COURTHOUSE
_______
July 31, 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. 2053]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, to whom
was referred the bill (H.R. 2053) to designate the United
States courthouse located at 525 Magoffin Avenue in El Paso,
Texas, as the ``Albert Armendariz, Sr., 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. 2053 designates the United States courthouse located
at 525 Magoffin Avenue in El Paso, Texas, as the ``Albert
Armendariz, Sr., United States Courthouse''.
BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION
Judge Albert Armendariz, Sr., had a long and distinguished
career of public service. Albert Armendariz was born on August
11, 1919, in El Paso, Texas. After graduating from high school
in 1934, Judge Armendariz joined the United States Army and
served in World War II. After he left the U.S. Army, Armendariz
used the GI Bill to continue his education. He later graduated
from the University of Texas at El Paso and then the University
of Southern California (USC) Law School, where he was the only
Mexican-American in attendance. After graduating from the USC
law school in 1950, Judge Armendariz returned to El Paso,
Texas.
Early in his career Judge Armendariz tackled discrimination
head on while serving on the El Paso Civil Service Commission,
pushing the agency to end discrimination against Latino
applicants for civil service positions. Perhaps his most
lasting legacy will be his work on Hernandez v. The State of
Texas, which established Latinos as a class entitled to
protection under the 14th amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
From 1976 to 1985, he was an immigration judge (special
inquiry officer) with the U.S. Department of Justice and was
appointed to, and served on, the Texas Court of Appeals from
July 2, 1986, until November 30, 1986.
In addition to his service in government, Judge Armendariz
also found time to serve in leadership positions in influential
civic organizations. Judge Armendariz served as National
President of the League of United Latin American Citizens
during the 1950s and fought school segregation and
discrimination. Judge Armendariz also helped to form the
influential Mexican American Legal Defense & Education Fund in
1968. Judge Armendariz had a never-ending passion for service
to his community, and practiced law until his death at age 88
on October 4, 2007.
Given his extraordinary service, it is fitting and proper
to honor Judge Armendariz by designating the United States
courthouse located at 525 Magoffin Avenue in El Paso, Texas, as
the ``Albert Armendariz, Sr., United States Courthouse''.
SUMMARY OF THE LEGISLATION
Section 1. Designation
Section 1 designates the United States courthouse located
at 525 Magoffin Avenue in El Paso, Texas, as the ``Albert
Armendariz, Sr., United States Courthouse''.
Sec. 2. References
Section 2 indicates that any reference in a law, map,
regulation, document, paper, or other record of the United
States to the Federal building referred to in section 1 shall
be deemed to be a reference to the ``Albert Armendariz, Sr.,
United States Courthouse''.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY AND COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION
On April 22, 2009, Representative Sylvester Reyes
introduced H.R. 2053. This bill has not been introduced in a
previous Congress. On June 4, 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. 2053 or ordering the bill reported. A motion to order
H.R. 2053 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)(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
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 goal and objective of this legislation are to
designate the United States courthouse located at 525 Magoffin
Avenue in El Paso, Texas, as the ``Albert Armendariz, Sr.,
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. 2053
from the Director of the Congressional Budget Office:
U.S. Congress,
Congressional Budget Office,
Washington, DC, June 5, 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 June 4,
2009:
H.R. 2053, a bill to designate the United
States courthouse located at 525 Magoffin Avenue in El
Paso, Texas, as the ``Albert Armendariz, Sr., United
States Courthouse'';
H.R. 2498, a bill to designate the federal
building located at 844 North Rush Street in Chicago,
Illinois, as the ``William 0. Lipinski Federal
Building''; and
H.R. 1687, a bill to designate the federally
occupied building located at McKinley Avenue and Third
Street , SW., Canton, Ohio, as the ``Ralph Regula
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. 2053 does not contain any
congressional earmarks, limited tax benefits, or limited tariff
benefits as defined in clause 9(d), 9(e), and 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 (P.L. 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. 2053 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 (P.L. 104-1).
CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW MADE BY THE BILL, AS REPORTED
H.R. 2053 makes no changes in existing law.