To designate the Federal building and United States courthouse located at 224 South Boulder Avenue in Tulsa, Oklahoma, as the "H. Dale Cook Federal Building and United States Courthouse".

Madam Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today to honor Judge H. Dale Cook. Judge Cook was a World War II veteran who spent nearly 50 years in public service and more than 33 years as a United States district judge in Oklahoma. Judge Cook began his career in public service in 1951 when he was elected county attorney for Logan County and Guthrie. He would hold several other positions in public service in Oklahoma, including first assistant U.S. attorney, chief trial attorney and legal counsel and adviser to Governor Henry Bellmon.

In the early 1970s, Judge Cook worked in Washington, D.C., for the Social Security Administration until beginning his career as a Federal judge in 1974 when he was sworn in as U.S. district judge in the Northern, Eastern and Western Districts of Oklahoma.

Five years later in 1979, Judge Cook became chief judge of the Northern District of Oklahoma and served in that capacity for 13 years.

In 1992, Judge Cook took senior status to enable the appointment of an additional judge to the Northern District. As a senior judge, he continued to be active and carried a full court docket for the next 12 years until a few months before his death on September 22, 2008.

Judge Cook was adamantly committed to his belief that politics should play no role in the dispensing of justice and demonstrated that belief in his judicial rulings and the administration of his responsibilities as chief judge. He was a man of fairness and integrity who opened each court session with ``God bless the United States and save this honorable court.''

Judge Cook's greatest legacy may be the restoration and the reopening of the original Federal courthouse in Tulsa, Oklahoma. When the Federal courts were moved to another building about 45 years ago, the old Federal building sat largely unused. Judge Cook saw this building as a solution when there became a need for additional court space. He spearheaded the effort to restore it to its original splendor. Judge Cook used his powers of persuasion and his influence as chief judge of the Northern District to insist on conforming the courthouse to its original design and decorum. Without his involvement, the building would have never been used for its current purpose, and the beauty of a lost era would not be visible as it is today in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

By his direct efforts, the building is now included in the National Register of Historic Places and is currently used for the courtrooms, judicial chambers, the bankruptcy court and affiliated Federal offices of the Northern District of Oklahoma. Due to the vision and hard work of Judge Cook, the building is now being used for its original purpose, as a Federal judicial courthouse.

Preserving the beauty of a lost era as a Federal judge, he conducted his duties in a nonpartisan manner. It is my hope that the naming of this Federal building will be an equally bipartisan effort to honor this exceptional man for his exemplary career in public service and bringing the Federal courthouse back to its original grandeur.

I urge the adoption of H.R. 3305.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3305) to designate the Federal building and United States courthouse located at 224 South Boulder Avenue in Tulsa, Oklahoma, as the ``H. Dale Cook Federal Building and United States Courthouse''.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 3305.

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

I rise in support of H.R. 3305, a bipartisan bill supported by the entire Oklahoma delegation that would designate the United States courthouse at 224 South Boulder Avenue in Tulsa, Oklahoma, as the H. Dale Cook Federal Building United States Courthouse.

H. Dale Cook was a veteran of World War II who served as a flight instructor. After the war, he studied law at the University of Oklahoma and then embarked on a long legal career in electoral politics. After being twice elected the chief prosecuting attorney in his county, he went on to serve as assistant U.S. attorney. He subsequently alternated between government service and private practice for several years before being nominated to the Federal judiciary by President Gerald Ford in 1974. Judge Cook served as a district court judge for some 34 years until his death on September 23, 2008.

Judge Cook was an honorable and well-respected civil servant and had a long and distinguished record of public service. The designation of the United States courthouse at 224 South Boulder Avenue in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in his honor is a fitting memorial to his service, and I urge the House to adopt H.R. 3305.

With that, Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I urge the Members to vote in favor of this resolution, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3305, a bill introduced by the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Sullivan), which designates the United States courthouse at 224 South Boulder Avenue in Tulsa, Oklahoma, as the ``H. Dale Cook Federal Building and United States Courthouse.''

Judge Cook was a well respected jurist who served as a Federal judge for well over 30 years. Judge Cook served as a lieutenant in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II and later as member of the U.S. Air Force Reserve. During his long legal career, Judge Cook served as an attorney in private practice, chief prosecuting attorney in his county, as an assistant U.S. attorney, counsel to the Governor of Oklahoma, and finally as a member of the Federal judiciary.

Judge Cook was nominated to the Federal judiciary by President Gerald Ford in 1974. He initially served as a visiting Federal judge with a seat on the bench of each of Oklahoma's Federal judicial districts. Judge Cook later became Chief Judge of the Northern District in 1979 and served in that position until 1992. In addition, Judge Cook sat several times by designation with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit.

Judge Cook succumbed to cancer just over a year ago, on September 23, 2008. He continued to hear cases on the Federal bench until only a few months before he passed away. Judge Cook was held in high esteem by his peers and served with distinction as a Federal judge. It is both proper and fitting to honor his civic contributions with this designation.

I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 3305.

Madam Speaker, at this time I would like to recognize the impassioned advocate and the sponsor of this legislation for 5 minutes, the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Sullivan), who has been pushing for this resolution.

Madam Speaker, at this time, I yield back the balance of my time.