[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 33 (Tuesday, March 1, 2016)]
[House]
[Pages H1063-H1064]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
LIONEL R. COLLINS, SR. POST OFFICE BUILDING
Mr. RUSSELL. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 2458) to designate the facility of the United States Postal
Service located at 5351 Lapalco Boulevard in Marrero, Louisiana, as the
``Lionel R. Collins, Sr. Post Office Building''.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 2458
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. LIONEL R. COLLINS, SR. POST OFFICE BUILDING.
(a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal
Service located at 5351 Lapalco Boulevard in Marrero,
Louisiana, shall be known and designated as the ``Lionel R.
Collins, Sr. Post Office Building''.
(b) References.--Any reference in a law, map, regulation,
document, paper, or other record of the United States to the
facility referred to in subsection (a) shall be deemed to be
a reference to the ``Lionel R. Collins, Sr. Post Office
Building''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Oklahoma (Mr. Russell) and the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Brendan
F. Boyle) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Oklahoma.
General Leave
Mr. RUSSELL. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include
extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Oklahoma?
There was no objection.
Mr. RUSSELL. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
I rise today in support of H.R. 2458, introduced by Congressman
Richmond of Louisiana. The bill designates the post office located at
5351 Lapalco Boulevard in Marrero, Louisiana, as the Lionel R. Collins,
Sr. Post Office Building.
Madam Speaker, Judge Collins made history by being the first African
American to win an elected office position in the Jefferson Parish of
Louisiana. He dedicated his life to making New Orleans a more just and
equal community.
Judge Collins was born in Harvey, Louisiana, and not only maintained
his roots in the New Orleans area, but also contributed tremendously to
the city.
After serving in the United States Army and graduating from Howard
University School of Law, Judge Collins returned to New Orleans and
initiated his career as a pioneering civil rights attorney. He led
groundbreaking cases that overturned discriminatory practices. He also
integrated West Jefferson Hospital and Jefferson Parish Public Schools.
In 1977, Judge Collins received an interim appointment from the
Louisiana Supreme Court to serve as a judge. He was the first African
American to do so. He was then reelected to serve a second term, during
which his fellow judges elected to name him chief judge. He was the
first African American to hold this position. Judge Collins broke
further barriers, both in his courtroom decisions and in his personal
accomplishments.
In 1988, Judge Collins passed away at the age of 60. Naming this
postal facility for the Honorable Lionel Collins will memorialize his
groundbreaking achievements in civil rights and his lifelong dedication
to the New Orleans community.
I urge my colleagues to support the bill.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I yield myself
such time as I may consume.
I am happy to echo and second the eloquent words that were just said
by my colleague on the other side of the aisle.
Rather than repeat them or preempt the next speaker, I yield such
time as he may consume to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Richmond).
Mr. RICHMOND. Madam Speaker, I am honored to stand here today in
support of a bill to designate the Marrero, Louisiana, post office for
Lionel Collins, Sr.
We will name a number of post offices today, and I just want to state
why it is important to me and why it makes a difference: because as a
kid, when you pass buildings and you pass things that have names on
them, it makes you go back and research who was that person and what
did they do so great to get a building or a facility named after them.
I hope that today when we pass this bill to name this post office
after Judge Lionel Collins, that kids will get a chance to pass by and
say: ``What made Lionel Collins deserving of a post office?'' and
``When I grow up, will I be deserving of a post office?'' and ``What is
it I need do in my life to make a difference?''
When they go back and they do the research, they will see that Judge
Lionel Collins was a pioneering civil rights lawyer. He dedicated his
life to making Louisiana a more just and equal State for them. He was
the first African American to win elected office in Jefferson Parish
where he served as the judge in the 24th Judicial District in Gretna.
Lionel had long roots in the metropolitan area. He was born in Harvey
in 1927 and attended Gilbert Academy before serving in the United
States Army. After that, he went on to the esteemed Xavier University,
and then went on to receive his juris doctorate from Howard University
in 1954.
Throughout his career as a lawyer, Judge Collins played a major role
in the civil rights struggle in the South. Beginning in 1957, Lionel
led groundbreaking cases that helped to overturn practices of White-
only jobs and higher pay for White employees at the Celotex
Corporation.
Lionel continued to successfully steer desegregation cases with the
NAACP across Louisiana. His work integrated West Jefferson Hospital and
the Jefferson Parish Public Schools.
His courtroom successes and courage in the civil rights initiatives
earned him the role of Jefferson Parish's first African American
assistant parish attorney in 1968. As already mentioned, in 1977,
Lionel made history by receiving an interim appointment from the
Louisiana Supreme Court to serve as judge to the newly created Division
L of the 24th Judicial District. He was reelected to a second term and
named chief judge by his fellow judges.
[[Page H1064]]
In addition to his civil rights work, Judge Collins served the New
Orleans area community throughout his career. He served as a board
member for the Urban League and Selective Service. As a testament to
his life legacy, the Jefferson Parish School Board voted to rename Ames
Montessori School in Marrero as Judge Lionel R. Collins Elementary in
2011.
I thank Chairman Chaffetz and Ranking Member Cummings for bringing
this bill to the floor and congratulate Lionel's family for this
wonderful recognition. I hope that this postal facility will serve as a
reminder of Lionel's courage, his intellect, and his passion for
generations to come.
Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, again, I urge
passage of this bill.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. RUSSELL. Madam Speaker, I urge adoption of the bill, and I yield
back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Russell) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 2458.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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