Statemenets on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions

STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS

By Mr. DURBIN (for himself and Mr. FITZGERALD) (by request):

S. 2022. A bill to designate the Federal building located at 250 West Cherry Street in Carbondale, IL the "Senator Paul Simon Federal Building"; to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.

Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, recently we lost our colleague Paul Simon, a great public servant and a great friend.

At the age of 19, Paul Simon became the Nation's youngest editor-publisher when he accepted a Lion's Club challenge to save the Troy Tribune in Troy, IL. From that start, he built a chain of 13 newspapers in southern and central Illinois. He also used his post in the newspaper world to expose criminal activities and in 1951, at age 22, he was called as a key witness to testify before the U.S. Senate's Crime Investigating Committee.

Paul Simon served the state of Illinois and the United States for years. He is the only individual to have served in both the Illinois House of Representatives and the Illinois Senate, and the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate. He also served as Lieutenant Governor for Illinois. In addition, he served in the U.S. Army.

Paul Simon highly valued education and the youth of our Nation. In addition to his work in Congress to strengthen public education in America, he started the public affairs reporting program at Sangamon State University, now the University of Illinois at Springfield. He later became the founder and director of the Public Policy Institute at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, IL, and taught there for more than 6 years. In addition, Paul Simon wrote over 20 books and earned over 50 honorary degrees.

From journalism to government to education, Paul Simon set the standard for honesty and caring in public life. He was an unapologetic champion of the less fortunate. He was genuine in his politics, life and values.

Now those of us who loved and respected him will do our best to carry on his tradition. We will find many ways, great and small, to honor him.

Today, I am introducing companion legislation to a bill Congressman JERRY COSTELLO has introduced in the House. This bill would designate the federal building at 250 West Cherry Street in Carbondale, IL, as the "Senator Paul Simon Federal Building." I am happy to have Senator Fitzgerald as a cosponsor of this legislation.

Paul Simon moved to Carbondale in 1974, where he was elected to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives. He continued to call the Carbondale area his home until his death. Naming this building in Carbondale after him will help present and future generations remember and honor Paul Simon, a great man who lived in and worked for the people of Carbondale and served our federal government with the greatest integrity. I urge my colleagues to work with Congressman COSTELLO and me to quickly pass this legislation.

I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the RECORD.

There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows:

S. 2022
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. DESIGNATION OF FEDERAL BUILDING.

The Federal building located at 250 West Cherry Street in Carbondale, Illinois shall be known and designated as the "Senator Paul Simon Federal Building".

SEC. 2. REFERENCE.

Any reference in a law, map, regulation, document, paper or other record of the United States to the Federal building referred to in section 1 shall be deemed to be a reference to the Senator Paul Simon Federal Building.