Denny Rehberg: “I rise in support of H.R. 3282, that designates the Federal Building and United States Courthouse at 400 North Main…”

“I rise in support of H.R. 3282, that designates the Federal Building and United States Courthouse at 400 North Main Street in Butte, Montana, as the Mike Mansfield Federal Building and United States Courthouse. Mike Mansfield's tenure as majority leader of the United States Senate from 1961 until his retirement in 1976 is well-known. Likewise, his record as U.S. Ambassador to Japan from 1977 to 1988 was legendary. In both cases, he held each position longer than any of his predecessors. Mike Mansfield's public service spanned five decades, beginning from his election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1942 to his retirement as U.S. ambassador in Japan in 1988. This remarkable career saw him work with nine U.S. presidents, Roosevelt, Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter and Reagan. However, the formative stages of Mike Mansfield's early years are equally as remarkable. After the death of his mother, at age three he was sent from New York City to Great Falls, Montana, and raised by an aunt and uncle that owned a grocery store. One month shy of age 15, he joined the Navy, shortly before we entered World War I, and he served in the Atlantic. He served in the Army after the war. Finally, he enlisted in the Marine Corps for 2 years, serving in the Philippines, Japan and China. This contributed to his lifelong interest in the Far East.”