Sylvia H. Rambo United States Courthouse

Floor Speech

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Mr. PERRY. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Florida for yielding.

Madam Speaker, I certainly rise in support of this bill to name the new Federal courthouse in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, as the Sylvia H. Rambo United States Courthouse and Federal Building.

As the sponsor of the House companion to this bill, I am absolutely proud of our bicameral, bipartisan work with Senator Casey to bring this bill to the floor.

Judge Rambo's trailblazing career is filled with historic moments--to include opening the door for women to participate fully in our Nation's judicial system. Her legacy of service to the citizens of Pennsylvania is indeed exceptional.

Shortly after earning her Juris Doctorate from the Dickinson School of Law--also a place I am proud to represent--Judge Rambo served as a public defender for Cumberland County, rising to the position of chief public defender in 1976, at which time she became the first woman judge to serve on the Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas for Cumberland County.

In 1979, President Jimmy Carter appointed Judge Rambo to the Middle District Court of Pennsylvania, where she became the first woman judge to serve on this court. She also became the first woman to serve as the chief judge of the court from 1992 to 1999.

As chief judge, Judge Rambo has been a tireless advocate of the decades-long pursuit of a new courthouse in Harrisburg. Since the attack on 9/11, we have been seeking this new courthouse because the current one didn't fit the parameters for security. But as you all know around this place, it is tough to get these things done. These are big projects and there are a lot of these projects to do around the country, and the resources aren't always available.

Judge Rambo never quit. Quite honestly, our delegation never quit either. It is a long time in coming, and it culminated in the groundbreaking on the building in 2018 where she was there. As her efforts on this initiative near completion, the building is almost done, it is absolutely fitting that the building be named in her honor.

As a reflection and a testament of Judge Rambo's historic legacy, her colleagues at the Middle District Court of Pennsylvania unanimously support this legislation to name the Federal Courthouse after her.

Madam Speaker, I certainly urge my colleagues to support this legislation. It is one of the few times that both sides finally can get together, both Chambers can get together to get something done and do something great for our community, and we should all be happy about that.

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