To designate the Federal building and United States courthouse located at 2 South Main Street in Akron, Ohio, as the "John F. Seiberling Federal Building and United States Courthouse".

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the gentlelady from Florida and my good friend, the chairman from Pennsylvania, for all of his leadership on this committee and many other issues in Congress.

I am honored today, Mr. Speaker, to sponsor H.R. 6051 to name the Federal building and courthouse in Akron, Ohio, after Congressman John Seiberling, who served in the House from 1970 to 1987. I am also humbled that over the last 5 years I have come to know Mr. Seiberling as a friend, as a mentor and as a role model for I think what it truly means to be a dedicated and distinguished public official.

In Ohio, and in particular in my congressional district, Mr. Seiberling is among the most respected and loved leaders of the last century, and it is a distinction that is well-deserved. During his 16 years of service in the House, he has an endless list of legislative achievements, as you heard here earlier tonight, including the bill that constructed this Akron Federal building. He also was a champion of civil rights and workers' rights.

Most notably, he successfully sponsored and passed dozens of bills addressing conservation and environmental protection which continue to benefit our Nation here today.

From protecting wilderness areas to authorizing the legislation of the American Conservation Corps, to establishing the only national park in the State of Ohio and the Cuyahoga Valley, which actually kept Akron and Cleveland from growing together, he demonstrated a long-term vision which is seldom seen in politics today and leadership and ability.

Even after leaving Congress, he remained one of our Nation's advocates for conservation and environmental protection. So it is no surprise that he was nominated for the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2000 and in January 2001 received the Presidential Citizens Medal.

But as important, John Seiberling distinguished himself in his community, Ohio, and this body through civility, kindness, and a genuine respect for all people.

And it was interesting, as I was beginning to offer this piece of legislation, to talk to several current Members of Congress who were staffers when Mr. Seiberling was a Member of Congress, and each of them said that he treated the staffers as he treated the Members of Congress, which I think is a sign of class and kindness that is to be respected here today.

Since introducing this bill, not only did I hear these stories, but I also heard many other stories from staffers and colleagues and others, and there is yet to be a conversation with any of these Members where Mr. Seiberling didn't end his conversation with a ``thank you'' or a ``please'' or ``thank you for your assistance,'' going above and beyond the kind of respect that most people offer.

In 2001, when Mr. Seiberling received the Presidential Citizens Medal, he called many of his former staffers, one of whom is my chief of staff now, Mary Anne Walsh, to ask them to join him at the White House ceremony because he said: ``I am receiving this award because of your hard work, your talents, your dedication. And that made it all possible for us to make a difference during my congressional career.'' That statement represents the essence of the man John Seiberling is.

When John first ran for Congress in 1970, he had a slogan that said: The guts to do what is right. And for those of us who know John Seiberling, I am certain we will all agree that John never needed the guts to do what is right; it is just who the man is.

And so, Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Chairman Young, Ranking Member Oberstar, Chairman Shuster, Ranking Member Norton, Ms. Brown for handling the time here tonight and helping me with this legislation to help move this bill through the committee and to the floor so quickly.

President Kennedy said in the great speech he gave at Amherst College that this Nation reveals itself not only by the men it produces but by the men it honors. And I think this is a very appropriate response to honor Mr. Seiberling to reflect the importance and the greatness of this Nation.

Mr. Speaker, I want to express my thanks to Mr. Grijalva, and Mr. Tim Ryan, for introducing these bills; to their colleagues in the Arizona and Ohio delegations, respectively, for cosponsoring them; and to the leadership on both sides for scheduling them for consideration by the House.

H.R. 5857 would designate a Post Office in Tucson, AZ, as the ``Morris K. `Mo' Udall Post Office Building,'' while H.R. 6051 would designate a Federal building in Akron, OH, as the ``John F. Seiberling Federal Building.''

With every bill we debate and every vote I cast, I am conscious of the many years during which my father served here in the House of Representatives. He was truly a ``man of the House,'' and I know that to him no honor could be greater than the bipartisan--non-partisan, really--support of our colleagues for a measure intended to recognize that service.

And I think it is very appropriate that at almost the same time the House will extend similar recognition to my father's longtime friend and colleague, former Representative John Seiberling of Ohio. I think nobody could be more deserving of such recognition.

My father and John Seiberling not only served at the same time, they worked closely together on many measures that came before what was then the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs--now known as the Resources Committee. Examples include the legislation dealing with strip mining--the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act--finally signed into law by President Carter after President Ford had vetoed an earlier version, and the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act--ANILCA--also known as the Alaska Lands Act, which was signed into law on December 2, 1980.

President Clinton later awarded John Seiberling the Presidential Citizens Medal, which is awarded in recognition of U.S. citizens who have performed exemplary deeds of service for our Nation.

In making the award, the President rightly explained that ``An ardent advocate for the environment, John F. Seiberling has demonstrated a profound commitment to America's natural treasures. Championing numerous bills during his 17 years in Congress, including the Alaska Lands Act, John Seiberling safeguarded millions of acres of parks, forests, wildlife refuges, and wilderness areas.'' And, in recognition of John Seiberling's work as a member of the Judiciary Committee, President Clinton went on to say that ``working in a spirit of bipartisanship, he also promoted civil rights and worker rights, always striving to improve the quality of life in America.''

Truer words were never spoken of any Member of Congress.

In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, I want to express my strong support for the bill recognizing the service of Representative Seiberling, and my heartfelt thanks for the honor bestowed on my father and our family by the bill to name a post office in Tucson in his memory.

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

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 6051, as amended, is a bill to designate the Federal building located at 2 South Main Street in Akron, Ohio, as the John F. Seiberling Federal Building and United States Courthouse.

Congressman Seiberling was born in Akron, Ohio, in 1918. He attended public school in Akron and Staunton Military Academy in Virginia. After graduating from military academy, he attended Harvard and received his law degree from Columbia Law School, New York, in 1949.

Serving in the United States Army from 1942 to 1946, he was admitted to the New York bar in 1950 and engaged in private practice from 1949 to 1954. During this time, he volunteered with the New York Legal Aid Society.

He was elected to the 92nd Congress and served for seven consecutive Congresses, from January, 1971, through January, 1987.

He had a deep and weighty impact on the course of conservation in our Nation's history. Although he was raised in a family of committed conservationists, it was through his public service as a Congressman from the 14th District of Ohio that he made his most significant contributions to conservation.

Congressman Seiberling authored legislation to establish the American Conservation Corps. Although the legislation was vetoed by President Reagan, the ideals and concepts outlined in the bill were later adopted in legislation signed by President Clinton to establish the AmeriCorps.

Also, under his leadership, more than 100 million acres of public land in Alaska were designated in 1980 as national parks, forests, wildlife refuges and wilderness areas. He led the effort on over 33 bills to create 250 wildlife areas or refuges. He was also an expert on historical preservation and authored legislation that created the Historic Preservation Fund.

He was recognized by his colleagues as a gentleman and a man of honor who worked diligently and tirelessly for his constituents. We all benefited from his boundless energy and determination. It is certainly fitting and proper that we take this opportunity to honor his civic career with this designation.

I thank Congressman Tim Ryan for introducing this bill, and urge its passage.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Ryan).

Once again, I want to thank Congressman Ryan for bringing this bill to the floor, and I want to thank the chairman.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6051, as amended, a bill to designate the federal building located at 2 South Main St. in Akron, OH, as the John F. Seiberling Federal Building and United States Courthouse.

Congressman John Seiberling was born in 1918. He attended public school in Akron and Staunton Military Academy in Virginia. After graduating from the military academy, he attended Harvard and received his law degree from Columbia Law School.

In the 1950s, Congressman Seiberling engaged in private practice and also volunteered with the New York Legal Aid Society. He was elected to the 92nd Congress and served for seven succeeding Congresses from 1971 to 1987.

He was an ardent environmentalist long before it was a trendy word. He comes from a long line of conservationists. His grandfather donated land in Akron for the city's first metropolitan park. As a junior Member of Congress, Seiberling authored legislation to establish the Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area. He then went on to shepherd through Congress an additional 62 park related bills, including legislation that tripled the size of the Land and Water Conservation Fund.

Congressman Seiberling also sponsored legislation to establish an American Conservation Corps. Although the legislation was vetoed by President Reagan, the ideals and concepts outlined in the bill were later adopted as part of the AmeriCorps authorization legislation signed by President Clinton.

I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 6051.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6051) to designate the Federal building located at 2 South Main Street in Akron, Ohio, as the ``John F. Seiberling Federal Building,'' as amended.

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

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 6051, introduced by my good friend, Representative Tim Ryan of Ohio, designates the Federal Building and Courthouse located in Akron, Ohio, as the John F. Seiberling Federal Building and United States Courthouse.

John Seiberling was born in 1918 in Akron, Ohio. He received his degree from Harvard University and his law degree from Columbia School of Law. After 4 years of duty with the Army during World War II, Seiberling began a career in private practice.

After more than 20 years as an attorney, Seiberling was elected to the 92nd Congress and served in the U.S. House of Representatives for 16 years as a representative of the 14th District of Ohio. During his eight terms in the U.S. Congress, Representative Seiberling led the fight to establish some of our country's most important urban parks, and has received the title of ``patron saint'' of many of today's national parks.

In 1992, Representative Seiberling joined the faculty of the University of Akron's School of Law in Akron, Ohio. He currently resides in Akron, Ohio.

I support this legislation, and encourage my colleagues to do the same.

I reserve the balance of my time.

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

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