S. 3412 – Reuben E. Lawson Federal Building Act of 2023

AI-Generated Summary

Updated January 20, 2026 at 1:26 PM UTC

The bill renames the Richard H. Poff Federal Building in Roanoke, Virginia, to the Reuben E. Lawson Federal Building to honor Lawson’s civil‑rights work. It applies to the building at 210 Franklin Road Southwest and any official references to it. The change affects federal documents, maps, regulations, and other records that mention the building.

Key Provisions

Redesignates the Richard H. Poff Federal Building as the “Reuben E. Lawson Federal Building.”
Treats any existing reference to the Richard H. Poff Federal Building in U.S. laws, maps, regulations, or other records as a reference to the newly named Reuben E. Lawson Federal Building.

Legislative Activity

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7 earlier actions

HouseFloor Latest Action

Held at the desk.

March 1, 2024 • 10:09 AM

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

December 6, 2023

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.

Environment and Public Works Committee

December 6, 2023

SenateCommittee

Committee on Environment and Public Works. Reported by Senator Carper without amendment. Without written report.

Environment and Public Works Committee

January 25, 2024

SenateCalendars

Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 313.

January 25, 2024

SenateFloor

Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S1014-1015; text: CR S1015)

February 27, 2024

SenateFloor

Message on Senate action sent to the House.

March 1, 2024

HouseFloor

Received in the House.

March 1, 2024 • 10:03 AM

HouseFloor

Held at the desk.

March 1, 2024 • 10:09 AM

Floor Debate

1 member

What members said about S. 3412 on the floor

1 Democrat

Sen. Michael F. BennetD-CO · Feb 27, 2024

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of the following bills en bloc: Calendar No. 313, S. 3412; Calendar No. 314, S. 3570; and Calendar No.…

Bill Text

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Engrossed in SenateIssued February 27, 2024

118th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 3412

AN ACT

To redesignate the Richard H. Poff Federal Building located at 210 Franklin Road Southwest in Roanoke, Virginia, as the Reuben E. Lawson Federal Building, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Reuben E. Lawson Federal Building Act of 2023.

2.

Findings

Congress finds that—

(1)

Reuben E. Lawson dedicated his life and career to promoting the ideals of equality and inclusion as a lawyer for the Roanoke chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (commonly known as the NAACP) who actively worked to end segregation in Southwest Virginia;

(2)

arguing a number of significant cases in the Western District of Virginia, Reuben E. Lawson fought to ensure the enforcement of Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, 347 U.S. 483 (1954), so that schools in the Roanoke region would be fully integrated; and

(3)

Southwest Virginians are indebted to Reuben E. Lawson for his important work in ending segregation, and it is fitting that he be remembered in the current home of the court in which he valiantly fought.

3.

Reuben E. Lawson Federal Building

(a)

Redesignation

The Richard H. Poff Federal Building located at 210 Franklin Road Southwest in Roanoke, Virginia, shall be known and designated as the Reuben E. Lawson Federal Building.

(b)

References

Any reference in a law, map, regulation, document, paper, or other record of the United States to the Richard H. Poff Federal Building shall be deemed to be a reference to the Reuben E. Lawson Federal Building.

Passed the Senate February 27, 2024.

Secretary