[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 65 (Monday, May 23, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: May 23, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                      JOHN LONGO, JR., POST OFFICE

  Miss COLLINS of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules 
and pass the bill (H.R. 3984) to designate the U.S. post office located 
at 212 Coleman Avenue in Waveland, MS, as the ``John Longo, Jr. Post 
Office'', as amended.

                               H.R. 3984

  The Clerk read as follows:
       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. DESIGNATION.

       The building located at 216 Coleman Avenue in Waveland 
     Mississippi, shall, for the period of time during which it 
     houses operations of the United States Postal Service, be 
     known and designated as the ``John Longo, Jr. Post Office''.

     SEC. 2. REFERENCES.

       Any reference in a law, map, regulation, document, paper, 
     or other record of the United States to the building referred 
     to in section 1 shall, with respect to the period referred to 
     in section 1, be deemed to be a reference to the John Longo, 
     Jr. Post Office.

       The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Mazzoli). Pursuant to the 
     rule, the gentlewoman from Michigan [Miss Collins] will be 
     recognized for 20 minutes, and the gentleman from Wisconsin 
     [Mr. Petri] will be recognized for 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Michigan [Miss Collins].
  Miss COLLINS of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as 
I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I support the Passage H.R. 3984, which will designate 
the U.S. post office building located at 216 Coleman Avenue in 
Waveland, MS the ``John Longo Jr. Post Office''.
  Mr. Longo served five terms as mayor of Waveland, MS. Under his 
leadership, the Waveland Regional Wastewater Management District was 
constructed, expanding services in the city of Waveland.
  Prior to being elected mayor of Waveland, he served three terms on 
the Waveland Board of Alderman. His public service career also included 
serving as a defense director, sheriff's deputy and volunteer 
firefighter.
  I am pleased to join Congressman Taylor and the citizens of Waveland, 
MS, in their desire to name the postal facility located at 216 Coleman 
Avenue in Waveland, MS, the ``John Longo Jr. Post Office''. I support 
the passage of H.R. 3984, and urge my colleagues to support the 
measure.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3984 legislation designating 
the U.S. post office located 216 Coleman Avenue in Waveland, MS as the 
``John Longo, Jr. Post Office''.
  John Longo Jr., or Johnny as he was known, was elected to the 
Waveland Board of Alderman in the 1960's.
  After serving 3 years as alderman Mr. Longo was elected mayor of 
Waveland for five consecutive terms. Under his leadership the small 
city of Waveland achieved significant growth and progress. John Longo 
Jr.'s distinguished public life, his achievements in developing and 
expanding the community of Waveland and his love for its people will 
caused his memory to be revered for many years to come.
  Miss COLLINS of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may 
consume to my colleague, the gentleman from Mississippi [Mr. Taylor].
  Mr. TAYLOR of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for 
yielding time to me.
  Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned in my opening remarks, there are times 
when parents cannot be with their children. Obviously this is one of 
those times when Johnny's wife Jean, his sons Tommy, Teddy, Steve, his 
daughters Christine, Gail and Debbie who for a period of almost 30 
years had their father gone most nights and many days in his many 
services to the people of Waveland, MS.
  Mr. Speaker, when I was a kid, there was a very popular show about a 
small town sheriff in North Carolina who there never seemed to be a 
problem too small or too big for him to handle, who loved his town and 
the people of that town loved him. I would say that the character in 
that show could have taken lessons from John Longo, for I have never 
seen anyone who was as content at serving the public as John was.
  He was elected to the city council just in time for Hurricane Betsy 
and the rebuilding of the city of Waveland, reelected just in time for 
Hurricane Camille and the rebuilding of the city of Waveland, served 
that city as it went from a very small coastal fishing village to a 
modern city, did many things that are noticeable, and most importantly 
did some things that people will never see but had to be done in order 
for that area to prosper and, that is, of course, construction of the 
Waveland Regional Wastewater Authority which now serves the entire 
Hancock County, MS area.
  Mr. Speaker, at a time when people often complain and on this very 
floor we hear people complain about the exorbitant salaries of the city 
councilmen here in Washington, DC, I do not think Johnny was ever paid 
more than $200 a month in over 30 years of service to the people of 
Waveland, and I can assure Members in the many fish fries that he was 
called upon to donate to, he more than lost that salary every month.
  Mr. Speaker, he was always generous with his time and even more 
generous with his services. Johnny felt like the city should be run 
like a business and he did just that. He left the city in 1990 with the 
city in good financial shape.
  Mr. Longo earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from 
Loyola University. In addition, being a part-time mayor, he ran a small 
business back home, Southern Frosted Foods. His public service includes 
stints as civil service director, volunteer firefighter and sheriff's 
deputy. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army and the Merchant Marines, a 
member of the American Legion, the Waveland Civic Association, and the 
Italian Society of the Immaculate Conception. He served on the parish 
council, the school board, and was president of the Home School 
Association. Johnny spent may hours of his personal time helping with 
fund-raisers, especially with chairmanship of the church annual seafood 
dinner.
  Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the people of Waveland, I want to thank the 
committee for seeing to it that Johnny's almost half century of service 
to his community is rewarded and that he will be remembered.
  Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Miss COLLINS of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for 
time, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from Michigan [Miss Collins] that the House suspended the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3984, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  The title of the bill was amended so as to read: A bill to designate 
the building located at 216 Coleman Avenue in Waveland, MS, for the 
period of time during which it houses operations of the United States 
Postal Service, as the John Longo, Jr. Post Office.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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