House passes bill to name courthouse after George

Wednesday, Oct. 27, 1999 | 10:51 a.m.

A bill to name Las Vegas' new federal courthouse after U.S. District Judge Lloyd George was approved Tuesday by the House.

The House passed similar legislation last year, but the Senate failed to consider the bill before adjournment. The new measure passed the Senate in March.

Now the bill goes to President Clinton for his approval.

George, on the federal bench since 1984, took senior status in December 1997.

Prior to his 1984 appointment by President Ronald Reagan, George was a U.S. Bankruptcy Court judge. During his tenure, George, who has served as chief judge of the district, saw a massive increase in Nevada's federal caseload and has been pushing hard for more federal judges here.

Congress has appropriated about $100 million for the new courthouse, to be constructed on a site where a Japanese businessman had once planned to build a high-rise office building.

The Minami project stalled years ago, and the land has been sitting vacant.

The new courthouse will replace the outdated and overcrowded Foley Federal Building, and is set to be completed before the end of 2000.

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