To designate the United States customhouse building located at 31 Gonzalez Clemente Avenue in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, as the "Rafael Martinez Nadal United States Customhouse Building".

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1019) to designate the United States Customhouse Building located at 31 Gonzalez Clemente Avenue in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, as the ``Rafael Martinez Nadal United States Customhouse 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 H.R. 1019.

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

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1019 is a bill to designate the United States Customhouse Building located at 31 Gonzalez Clemente Avenue in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, as the Rafael Martinez Nadal United States Customhouse Building.

Although Don Rafael Martinez Nadal was born in the city of Mayaguez on April 22, 1877, he resided and passed away in Guaynabo. He received his college degree in philosophy and letters from the Provincial Institute of Secondary Education in San Juan. At 16, he was sent to Barcelona, Spain, to study law.

In August, 1904, he returned to Mayaguez and began to study coffee growing agriculture. Simultaneously, he began his first successful attempts in the media and politics with the Puerto Rican Republican Party. In 1908, he founded the political newspaper El Combate. In 1912, he obtained his law degree and became one of the most

prominent men in the Puerto Rican political arena. He was considered one of the most famous criminal lawyers of the time.

In 1914, he was elected as a member of the Chamber of Delegates for the city of Ponce by the Puerto Rican Republican Party. In 1920, he was chosen by the same party to serve in the Senate and was re-elected in the next five general elections. When the alliance of the Union of Puerto Rico Party and the Puerto Rican Republican Party formed in 1924, Nadal left the Republican Party and initiated a political movement called the Pure Republican Party, which registered officially as the Historical Constitutional Party.

Later, he founded the Republican Union, working to advance the ideal of statehood for Puerto Rico. In coalition with the Socialist Party, the Republican Union triumphed in the general elections of 1932 and 1936. In both terms, Nadal presided over the Senate. Before the election of 1940, because of a serious illness, he returned to his Guaynabo residence. He died there on July 6, 1941.

In honor of Rafael Martinez Nadal's outstanding contributions to the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and his exemplary professional writing career, it is both fitting and proper to designate the courthouse located at 31 Gonzalez Clemente Avenue in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, as the ``Rafael Martinez Nadal United States Customhouse Building.''

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

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to be here on this bipartisan Federal customs building, and I yield back my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1019, a bill to designate the United States customhouse building located at 31 Gonzalez Clemente Avenue in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, as the ``Rafael Martinez Nadal United States Customhouse Building''.

Don Rafael Martinez Nadal was born in the city of Mayaguez on April 22, 1877. He received his college degree in Philosophy and Letters from the Provincial Institute of Secondary Education in San Juan.

He pursued studies in Barcelona, Spain, and Paris, France. He returned to Mayaguez in 1904 and began studying the cultivation of coffee. Simultaneously, he pursued his interest in media and politics and joined the Puerto Rican Republican Party. In 1908, he founded the political newspaper El Combate. In 1912, he obtained his law degree, and became one of the most prominent men of the Puerto Rican political arena. He was considered one of the most famous criminal lawyers in Puerto Rico of his time.

In 1914, he was elected as a member of the Chamber of Delegates for the city of Ponce by the Puerto Rican Republican Party. In 1920, he was chosen by the same party to serve in the Senate and was re-elected in the next five general elections. Nadal left the Puerto Rican Republican Party and launched a political movement that became known as the Historical Constitutional Party. Later, he founded the Republican Union, working to advance the cause of Puerto Rican statehood. In coalition with the Socialist Party, the Republican Union triumphed in the general elections of 1932 and 1936. In both terms, Martinez Nadal presided over the Senate. Before the election of 1940, because of a serious illness, he returned to his Guaynabo residence. He died on July 6, 1941.

In honor of Rafael Martinez Nadal's outstanding contributions to the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, it is both fitting and proper to designate the courthouse located at 31 Gonzalez Clemente Avenue in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, as the ``Rafael Martinez Nadal United States Customhouse Building''.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1019, introduced by my friend and colleague, Congressman Fortuno of Puerto Rico, designates the United States Customhouse Building located at 31 Gonzalez Clemente Avenue in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, as the ``Rafael Martinez Nadal United States Customhouse Building.'' This bill honors Rafael Martinez Nadal's contributions to the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

Rafael Martinez Nadal was born in the city of Mayaguez on April 22, 1877. In 1912, he became a lawyer and entered the Puerto Rican political arena. He was considered one of the most famous criminal lawyers in Puerto Rico at that time.

In 1914, Rafael Martinez Nadal was elected to Puerto Rico's House of Representatives for the District of Ponce. In 1920, he was elected to Puerto Rico's Senate, where he served as its President from 1932 to 1940.

Rafael Martinez Nadal was a strong defender of statehood in Puerto Rico and has been described as a political leader, a writer, a successful businessman, a brilliant orator and a distinguished lawyer. He passed away in July of 1941.

I support this legislation, congratulate my friend Congressman Fortuno, and urge our colleagues to do the same.

Mr. Speaker, if the majority has no additional speakers, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. President, I further ask unanimous consent that the Senate now proceed to the consideration of the following named bills on the calendar, all en bloc: Calendar No. 760, S. 2403; Calendar No. 761, S. 2837; Calendar No. 762, S. 3009; Calendar No. 763, H.R. 781; Calendar No. 764, H.R. 1019; Calendar No. 766, H.R. 4140.

I further ask unanimous consent that the bills be read a third time and passed en bloc, and the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table.