To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 5505 Stevens Way in San Diego, California, as the "Earl B. Gilliam/Imperial Avenue Post Office Building".

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time.

I want to thank the gentleman from Connecticut (Chairman Shays) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis), ranking member, for the courtesy rendered to me. This post office is going to open up in 3 days, and I had to try to get this naming on the bill in just the couple days we were here. The committee was very courteous to me.

The 52 members of the California delegation, both Republican and Democrat, were all very prompt in their cosponsorship. The staff that scheduled these things was very accommodating, and I not only want to thank the Democratic staff, but the majority leader and his staff showed me a great deal of courtesy, and I appreciate that very much for getting this on the calendar today.

The gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Shays) highlighted some of the important parts of Judge Gilliam's life. I would just like to add a few things, if I may. He grew up in a very poor section of San Diego, southeast San Diego, where his parents owned a fish market on the very street where this post office will be named after him. He had to work his way all the way through school, whether it was high school or college where he went to San Diego State and then on to law school.

He was appointed deputy district attorney shortly after being admitted to the California bar in 1957, and he became the first African American judge appointed to the San Diego bench just 6 years later in 1963 and was named presiding judge of the San Diego Municipal Court in 1971. Governor Jerry Brown named him a California Superior Court Judge in 1975, and President Jimmy Carter elevated him to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California in 1980, where he served for more than 2 decades before passing in 2001.

In his long, distinguished career, Judge Gilliam presided over numerous trials that had regional and even national importance. They dealt with drug trafficking, fraud, tax evasion, bribery, and civil matters; but Judge Gilliam always brought a fair and professional approach to the law and laid the foundation for his solid reputation, both within and outside the legal community.

He made his mark in the classroom also. The Thomas Jefferson School of Law recruited Judge Gilliam as an adjunct professor. With his background in business, economics, and law, he proved to be an inspirational and devoted instructor for the students at the Thomas Jefferson School of Law where he taught for 24 years. The moot courtroom there at the school has been in fact dedicated also to his honor.

Along with being a full-time judge, he gave his time and effort to his community in a whole number of ways. He served on the boards of organizations ranging from the San Diego Urban League to the University of California San Diego to the YMCA; and the community, in turn, honored him with a whole list of awards too numerous to mention here that attest to his unrelenting commitment to making a difference in San Diego.

The San Diego African American Lawyers Organization in 1982 honored the judge by changing its name to the Earl B. Gilliam Bar Association, and they carry on his legacy by working within our community to defend the rights of African Americans, combating racism and poverty, and fostering integrity in the legal community.

I knew Judge Gilliam for more than 30 years. He was a very big man, almost larger than life, full of energy, full of enthusiasm, love of life, great sense of humor, enjoyed life to its maximum. But he also saw the injustices around him in the community in which he was raised, and in the Nation in which he loved; and he fought to right those injustices, both on the bench and in his many community activities.

So Judge Gilliam truly was a hero who worked for all of us in San Diego. I just am so honored to have the privilege of introducing this legislation to name the post office in his old neighborhood in his honor. I hope my colleagues will support this. I once again thank this House and its staff for giving me the courtesy of allowing this bill to be passed today.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5364) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 5505 Stevens Way in San Diego, California, as the ``Earl B. Gilliam/Imperial Avenue Post Office Building''.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, this legislation would establish the Earl B. Gilliam/ Imperial Avenue Post Office Building. I want to salute the distinguished gentleman from California (Mr. Filner), who earned cosponsorship of all 52 of his home State colleagues to comply with a longstanding Committee on Government Reform policy. On behalf of the committee members, I congratulate him on that accomplishment.

Mr. Speaker, Judge Earl Gilliam was appointed to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California by President Carter in 1980 and became a senior judge 13 years later in 1993. Prior to joining the Federal bench, Judge Gilliam served as a municipal court judge in San Diego from 1963 to 1975 and as a superior court judge from 1975 to 1980. Judge Gilliam had a long and distinguished judicial record as a prosecutor, private practicing lawyer, and then as a State and Federal judge for over 30 years.

Away from the bench, he mentored many young adults and lawyers. He also taught courses and directed the trial practice at Thomas Jefferson School of Law in San Diego. He was clearly a loved and respected member of his community. Judge Gilliam passed away on January 28, 2001.

I thank the gentleman from California for this bill that commemorates Judge Gilliam's commitment to justice in both our State and Federal courts. Hopefully this post office will be a meaningful tribute to Judge Earl Gilliam's life and career, to his friends, family and the entire San Diego area.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I just want to congratulate the gentleman from California (Mr. Filner) for such extraordinary work in moving this bill so quickly and just say that I particularly appreciate that we are honoring someone, frankly, who is no longer living who has been so distinguished. We are not honoring someone who is still alive today, but someone who earned this recognition in life and is now being recognized after his death. I would encourage the House to support the passage of H.R. 5364. I would also thank my colleague from Chicago for his work on this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. Filner), the sponsor of this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

As a member of the House Committee on Government Reform, I am pleased to join with my colleagues in consideration of H.R. 5364, legislation designating the postal facility in San Diego, California, after the late Earl B. Gilliam. This measure, which was introduced by the gentleman from California (Mr. Filner) on November 16, 2004, enjoys the support and cosponsorship of the entire California State delegation.

Earl B. Gilliam was born in 1931 in New Mexico. He moved to San Diego with his family when he was in the

fifth grade. He attended local public schools and graduated from San Diego State University in 1953. He received his law degree from Hastings College of Law in 1957 and served as a deputy district attorney and private practitioner before joining the State bench.

Judge Gilliam served as a municipal court judge in San Diego from 1963 to 1975, and was a superior court judge from 1975 to 1980. In 1980, President Carter appointed Judge Gilliam to the Federal bench. The honorable Judge Gilliam was the first African American to be appointed as a judge in the San Diego municipal, superior, and district courts.

A noted jurist, Judge Gilliam presided over a number of important cases while serving on the Federal bench. He was the trial judge for the Ponzi scheme fraud trials, a trial judge in cases involving immigration, drug trafficking, and health care fraud.

Judge Gilliam was not only a distinguished jurist; he was also very involved in his community. Beginning in 1965, he was recognized by the San Diego Junior Chamber of Commerce as the Young Man of the Year, Citizen of the Year, and Good Guy Award. In 1981, the Boys' Club of San Diego chose the judge as the Golden Man of the Year. In same year, the San Diego Trial Lawyers Association chose him as the Trial Judge of the Year. He was also awarded the NAACP Civil Rights Pioneer Award, and the San Diego Black Lawyers Organization honored his hard work by changing the name of their organization to the Earl B. Gilliam Bar Association.

Sadly, Judge Gilliam passed away on January 28, 2001, following a long heart-related illness. He is survived by his wife, Rebecca, and son, Derrick,

Mr. Speaker, I commend my colleague for seeking to honor the legacy of the late Judge Earl B. Gilliam and urge swift passage of this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of the following postal naming bills which have been received from the House en bloc: H.R. 5364, H.R. 4968, H.R. 4847, H.R. 4829, H.R. 4807, H.R. 4232, H.R. 480, and H.R. 5370.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bills be read a third time and passed, the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table en bloc, and that any statements relating to the bills be printed in the Record.

Mr. Speaker, I am unable to be in Washington, DC today. Two weeks ago, I injured my leg and my physician prefers that I not put it through the stress of an airplane flight from my home in Seattle, WA to Washington, DC. Were I able to attend today's session in the House of Representatives, I would have voted in support of:

S. 1301, H.R. 5364, H. Con. Res. 430, S. 2965, H.R. 4516, H.R. 3204,