A bill to designate the United States courthouse located at 111 South Highland Avenue in Jackson, Tennessee, as the "James D. Todd United States Courthouse", and for other purposes.

Madam Speaker, I thank my friend from Arkansas for yielding time.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of legislation to name the courthouse in honor of a good friend and a good man, the James D. Todd United States Courthouse located at 111 South Highland Avenue in Jackson, Tennessee.

As a native Tennessean, Judge Todd has dedicated his entire life to his community, to his State, and to this Nation.

A graduate of Lexington High School and Lambuth College, Judge Todd received his master's in combined sciences from the University of Mississippi in 1968.

He then went on to receive his law degree from the University of Memphis, the Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law in 1972.

From there, Judge Todd practiced law with the firm of Waldrop, Farmer, Todd and Breen for 9 years before being elected as a State circuit court judge where he served for 2 years.

Judge Todd was then nominated by President Ronald Reagan in June of 1985 to serve as a judge on the United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee, and Judge Todd was confirmed by the United States Senate on July 10, 1985, with no objection.

For almost four decades, Judge Todd worked tirelessly for the people of Jackson and for West Tennessee and, really, for our entire State.

I will note as a point of personal privilege that Judge Todd administered my oath as the United States attorney for the Western District of Tennessee in 2006, a moment that I will never forget.

In addition to Judge Todd's time on the bench, he has been involved in the Tennessee Boys Club, was the Jackson Senior League baseball coach, served as the Lambuth College Alumni Association president, and was also chairman for the Goals of Jackson Committee.

Judge Todd has been a respected member of the judiciary in our community in West Tennessee. Judge Todd retired and took inactive status last year. I was proud to join our entire West Tennessee community congratulating him on his years of great work and dedicated service.

If I can for a moment, former Madison County Mayor Jimmy Harris, who retired earlier this year from Jackson, Tennessee, who is a friend of Judge Todd, commented when Judge Todd stepped down. This is what Mayor Harris said: ``Respect and talent. There is law enforcement, judges, lawyers, the district attorney--you name it. They all have a healthy respect for Jim Todd. But he is the epitome of what a Federal judge ought to be. He makes decisions based on the law and the Constitution. That is all you can ask for.''

In my opinion, Mayor Harris, his comments are spot on; and for all these reasons, I am proud to have introduced this legislation that honors Judge Todd. I think Chief Judge Tom Anderson of the Western District of Tennessee said it best when he said, ``This is a historic and momentous event for West Tennessee to recognize one of our own and name this outstanding facility after Judge Todd.''

Lastly, if I could, I thank every member of the Tennessee delegation, Senators Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty, and all of my Tennessee colleagues for supporting this legislation.

As such, I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support the legislation to honor the life and the legacy of Judge James D. Todd.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 4017) to designate the United States courthouse located at 111 South Highland Avenue in Jackson, Tennessee, as the ``James D. Todd United States Courthouse'', and for other purposes.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on S. 4017.

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

Madam Speaker, I support the passage of S. 4017, a bill to name the United States Courthouse located at 111 South Highland Avenue in Jackson, Tennessee, the James D. Todd United States Courthouse.

Judge James Todd was born in Scotts Hill, Tennessee, in 1943. He received a bachelor of science from Lambuth College in 1965 and his juris doctorate from Memphis State University, now the University of Memphis, Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law in 1972.

He was in private practice in Jackson, Tennessee, from 1972 to 1983, and served as a judge on Tennessee's Circuit Court from 1983 to 1985.

In 1985, Judge Todd was nominated and confirmed to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee where he served as chief judge from 2001 to 2007. Judge Todd assumed senior status in 2008.

Madam Speaker, I support S. 4017 to name a courthouse after the Honorable Judge Todd, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the bill, S. 4017, which designates the United States Courthouse located in Jackson, Tennessee, as the James D. Todd United States Courthouse.

I thank my colleague Representative Kustoff for introducing the House version of this legislation, which has the support of the entire Tennessee delegation.

Judge Todd was first nominated to the United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee in 1985 by President Reagan.

Judge Todd served in the District Court as chief judge from 2001 to 2007. After 36 years of public service for the judiciary, Judge Todd assumed inactive senior status in September 2021.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Kustoff), the sponsor of the House companion to this legislation.

Madam Speaker, in closing, this bill honors Judge James Todd for his many years of service to the United States Judiciary and the State of Tennessee.

Madam Speaker, I urge its support, and I yield back the balance of my time.