[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 160 (Tuesday, October 17, 1995)]
[House]
[Pages H10094-H10095]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  WINFIELD SCOTT STRATTON POST OFFICE

  Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 1026) to designate the U.S. Post Office building located at 
201 East Pikes Peak Avenue in Colorado Springs, CO, as the ``Winfield 
Scott Stratton Post Office.''
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 1026

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

     SECTION 1. DESIGNATION.

       The United States Post Office building located at 201 East 
     Pikes Peak Avenue, Colorado Springs, Colorado, shall be known 
     and designated as the ``Winfield Scott Stratton 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 be deemed to be a reference to the 
     ``Winfield Scott Stratton Post Office''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
York [Mr. McHugh] will be recognized for 20 minutes, and the 
gentlewoman from Michigan [Miss Collins] will be recognized for 20 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York [Mr. McHugh].
  Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to report that the legislation before us, 
H.R. 1026, was approved unanimously by the Committee on Government 
Reform and Oversight. This legislation, designating the U.S. Post 
Office located at 201 East Pikes Peak Avenue, Colorado Springs, CO, be 
named the ``Winfield Scott Stratton Post Office,'' was introduced by 
the gentleman from Colorado [Mr. Hefley], and was cosponsored by his 
full State Delegation, as required by committee policy.
  H.R. 1026 honors the late Mr. Stratton, a Colorado Springs 
philanthropist and benefactor. Mr. Stratton was one of many adventurers 
who came to Colorado seeking their fortune. He literally struck gold in 
discovering a rich deposit in the mines of Cripple Creek, CO.
  Mr. Stratton believed it was the duty of the fortunate to use their 
wealth in the development of their community. In keeping with this 
personal philosophy, he dedicated the rest of his life to helping 
others less fortunate and to advancing the development of Colorado 
Springs and Colorado.
  Mr. Speaker, I support the passage of H.R. 1026 and urge our 
colleagues to do the same.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman 
from Colorado [Mr. Hefley].
  Mr. HEFLEY. Mr. Speaker, I would like to first thank the gentleman 
from Pennsylvania [Mr. Clinger] the chairman of the full committee, and 
the gentleman from New York [Mr. McHugh], chairman of the Subcommittee 
on the Postal Service, for allowing H.R. 1026 to be brought up on the 
Suspension Calendar today. I think it is a fitting tribute to a man who 
gave so much to Colorado, and particularly to the area of Colorado that 
I am fortunate enough to represent.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1026, which as has been indicated, will designate 
the U.S. Post Office building located at 201 Pikes Peak Avenue in 
Colorado Springs, CO, as the ``Winfield Scott Stratton Post Office.''
  Working as a carpenter and as a prospector, Mr. Stratton became 
wealth after finding gold in Cripple Creek, CO. His sudden wealth 
allowed him to pursue life's pleasures any way that he would like to do 
it, but instead he spent much of his life and much of his fortune 
helping those that were less fortunate. In addition to helping the 
needy, he also played an integral part in the development of Colorado 
Springs as a community by providing money for a city hall, a new 
courthouse, the streetcar system, and perhaps his most generous, 
important contribution that he made was the Myron Stratton Home, which 
was a foster home for children and for impoverished elderly.

  Mr. Speaker, it still exists today. It is an interesting concept in 
that they had children who did not have parents. 

[[Page H 10095]]
In the early days it was an orphanage, but it was not the image that 
you have of the Charles Dickens orphanage. It was an orphanage where 
the kids that went there had many of the things that money could buy in 
terms of living a good life under the circumstances of not having a 
family. And he combined that with elderly people to create an 
intergenerational type of concept that has worked very well even to 
this day.
  Especially pertinent to H.R. 1026, is that Mr. Stratton sold the 
property where the post office is located, and which we are asking to 
be named today, to the Federal Government for half its value on the 
condition that they would build a post office there.
  Mr. Speaker, I did not know Mr. Stratton. He was before my time 
there. But I have been able to see his work in the Colorado Springs 
area over the years.
  Finally, Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Mr. John Zorack, a former 
resident of the Stratton Home, who has worked closely with me to see 
that this fitting tribute be enacted. I would add that H.R. 1026 has 
the support of the Colorado Delegation and the Colorado Springs City 
Council. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New York [Mr. McHugh] 
for his support of this legislation.
  Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Miss COLLINS of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I join my colleague and chairman of the Subcommittee on 
the Postal Service in support of H.R. 1026, legislation designating the 
U.S. Post Office at 201 East Pikes Peak Avenue in Colorado Springs, CO, 
as the Winfield Scott Stratton Post Office.
  The late Mr. Stratton was well known as a great philanthropist and 
most deserving to have a Post Office named after him.
  Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. McHUGH. 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 
gentleman from New York [Mr. McHugh] that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 1026.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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