James Norton: “I should begin by thanking the leadership of the House and my own leadership for the way they have accommodated me in…”

“I should begin by thanking the leadership of the House and my own leadership for the way they have accommodated me in bringing this bill forward quickly. I especially thank the chairman of our subcommittee, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. LaTourette), for so readily agreeing to manage this bill and bring it forward, because it comes forward under rather special and unusual circumstances. The judge for whom this courthouse is to be named would by any standard be regarded as a historic figure in the Federal judiciary and in the judiciary of this city. H.R. 4294, a bill to name the annex of the E. Barrett Prettyman Federal Building, which houses the United States District Court for the District of Columbia for William B. Bryant, is what is before us. Judge Bryant is a former chief judge of the District Court, the first African American to hold the post, a longtime D.C. resident and graduate of the D.C. public schools with a distinguished legal career, who currently serves as a senior judge.”