[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 3 (Friday, January 5, 1996)]
[House]
[Pages H307-H308]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  HARRY KIZIRIAN POST OFFICE BUILDING

  Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the 
Speaker's table the bill (H.R. 1606), to designate the U.S. Post Office 
building located at 24 Corliss Street, Providence, RI, as the ``Harry 
Kizirian Post Office Building'', with Senate amendments thereto, and 
disagree to the Senate amendments.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The Clerk read the Senate amendments as follows:

       Senate amendments:
       Page 2, after line 11 insert:

     SEC. 3. SALARY ADJUSTMENTS FOR THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF THE 
                   UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE.

       (a) In General.--Section 202(a) of title 39, United States 
     Code, is amended--
       (1) by inserting ``(1)'' after ``(a)'';
       (2) by striking out the fifth and sixth sentences; and
       (3) by adding at the end thereof the following new 
     paragraph:
       ``(2)(A) Each Governor shall receive--
       ``(i) a salary of $30,000 a year as adjusted by 
     subparagraph (C);
       ``(ii) $300 a day for not more than 42 days each year, for 
     each day such Governor--
       ``(I) attends a meeting of the Board of Governors; or
       ``(II) performs the official business of the Board as 
     approved by the Chairman; and
       ``(III) reimbursement for travel and reasonable expenses 
     incurred in attending meetings and performing the official 
     business of the Board.
       ``(B) Nothing in subparagraph (A) shall be construed to 
     limit the number of days of meetings each year to 42 days.
       ``(C) Effective on the first day of the first applicable 
     pay period beginning on or after the date on which an 
     adjustment takes effect under section 5303 of title 5 in the 
     rates of pay under the General Schedule, the salary of each 
     Governor shall be adjusted by the percentage equal to the 
     percentage adjustment in such General Schedule rates of 
     pay.''.
       (b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section 
     shall take effect on the first day of the first applicable 
     pay period beginning on or after the date of the enactment of 
     this Act.

  Mr. McHUGH (during the reading). Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent 
that the Senate amendments be considered as read and printed in the 
Record.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New York?
  Miss COLLINS of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, reserving the right to object, 
I do not plan to object.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the legislation naming a Post 
Office building in Providence, RI, after Harry Kizirian. As a former 
postal employee, I commend Mr. Kizirian for his 25 years of service 
with the U.S. Postal Service.
  He retired from the Postal Service as the postmaster from Rhode 
Island. He is to be duly recognized for his exceptional service and I 
thank the sponsor of H.R. 1606, the gentleman from Rhode Island [Mr. 
Reed] for bestowing such an honor on his constituent.
  Mr. Speaker, further reserving the right to object, I yield to the 
gentleman from Rhode Island [Mr. Reed].
  Mr. REED. Mr. Speaker, I want to first thank the gentleman from New 
York [Mr. McHugh], the chairman, and the gentlewoman from Illinois 
[Mrs. Collins] for their graciousness in bringing this to the floor 
tonight.
  Mr. Speaker, I say to all of my colleagues this is an entirely 
suitable honor for an extraordinary gentleman. Not only was he a 
postmaster and a postal worker for 25 years, but at the age of 17, he 
left high school, joined the Marine Corps, and won the Navy Cross for 
extraordinary heroism on Okinawa.
  Mr. Speaker, his whole life is about serving others and it is a 
suitable recognition for his life and his achievements. I thank all of 
the Members that made this possible this evening.
  Miss COLLINS of Michigan, Mr. Speaker, further reserving the right to 
object, I yield to the distinguished gentleman from New York [Mr. 
McHugh].
  (Mr. McHUGH asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, in the interest of time, I will submit my 
full statement for the Record.
  Mr. Speaker, let me briefly say in response to the comments by the 
gentleman from Rhode Island and the comments of the gentlewoman from 
Michigan how much I appreciate their efforts. The Senate had a very, I 
think, meritorious proposal as amended to this bill, but one that just 
is not appropriate for consideration at this time. It is certainly our 
intent in the Subcommittee on Postal Service to reinvolve that issue. I 
am pleased that the Senate has agreed to consider the House bill with 
their amendments deleted.
  Mr. Speaker, the salary of the Board of Governors was set at $10,000 
per annum in 1970. This was when the Postmaster General, who is also a 
member of the Board of Governors, received a salary of $60,000. Today, 
the Postmaster General receives $148,000 but the Governors' salaries 
have remained at $10,000. The amendment would provide a salary of 
$30,000 a year with a provision for annual adjustments based on that 
awarded to General Schedule employees, and a per diem of $300 a day for 
not more than 42 days each year to Governors who attend meetings of the 
Board of Governors or perform the official business of the board as 
approved by the Chairman. The amendment also provides for the 
reimbursement for travel and reasonable expenses incurred in attending 
meetings and performing the official business of the Board.
  Mr. Speaker, and the distinguished gentlewoman from Michigan, as 
chairman of the Subcommittee on the Postal Service, my request to 
delete the Senate amendment is twofold. First, it is our intent to 
expedite the passage of H.R. 1606, honoring Harry Kizirian. This would 
be achieved by deleting the amendment and sending the already passed 
House bill back to the Senate which would reconsider the measure and 
send it to the President for signature. Consideration of the amended 
bill would require the whole House voting on the amendment and delay 
the enactment of the measure.
  Second, Mr. Speaker, the Senate amendment is substantive; members may 
need additional time to consider it. The Subcommittee on the Postal 
Service and the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight will 
revisit these important Senate amendments at a later time.
  I hope that this explanation clarifies the reason that the amendment 
should be deleted at this time. The minority has informed they have no 
objection to this request and I thank the gentlelady for yielding her 
time for this explanation.
  Miss COLLINS of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I withdraw my reservation of 
objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the initial request of 
the gentleman from New York.
  There was no objection.
  
[[Page H308]]

  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________