[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 137 (Saturday, September 28, 1996)]
[House]
[Page H12145]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            JOSHUA LAWRENCE CHAMBERLAIN POST OFFICE BUILDING

  Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the 
Speaker's table the Senate bill (S. 2153) to designate the United 
States Post Office building located in Brewer, Maine, as the ``Joshua 
Lawrence Chamberlain Post Office Building,'' and for other purposes, 
and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.
  The Clerk read the title of the Senate bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New York?
  Mr. BALDACCI. Mr. Speaker, reserving the right to object, I wish to 
state that the minority has no objection to the approval of S. 2153.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support S. 2153. It is a bill 
designating the United States Post Office Building located in Brewer, 
Maine as the Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain Post Office Building. This 
measure was introduced by Senator Cohen at the request of the city of 
Brewer, Maine to honor this Civil War hero, four-term Governor of 
Maine, scholar and professor.
  Mr. Speaker, I cannot think of a more fitting tribute for this 
dedicated public servant. I urge my colleagues to support this and I 
also have extended remarks at the front table.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of this legislation, S. 
2153, which would designate the Post Office in Brewer, Maine in honor 
of George Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain. I introduced identical 
legislation on this matter, which the entire Maine Congressional 
Delegation has supported, and am pleased that the Congress has acted 
quickly on it.
  I was contacted recently by Brewer's Postmaster, Stanley Abraham. He 
told me that the citizens of Brewer had requested that their Post 
Office be named in honor of a hometown hero, General Joshua Lawrence 
Chamberlain.
  General Chamberlain was born and educated in Brewer, Maine. Leading 
the 20th Maine, he played a crucial role at Little Round Top in the 
Battle of Gettysburg. This battle was a turning point in the Civil War. 
His tremendous skills were duly recognized when he was given the only 
battlefield promotion to General of the Civil War. General 
Chamberlain's leadership skills were further recognized by the people 
of Maine when they elected him Governor by the largest majority in 
Maine's history, and returned him to office three times.
  As a student of history, I am proud to recognize the accomplishments 
of General Chamberlain. His military, academic and political career has 
brought great honor to the City of Brewer and the State of Maine. 
Designating the Brewer Post Office in General Chamberlain's honor is a 
fitting tribute to one of Maine's greatest leaders, and I am pleased to 
support this legislation.
  Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. BALDACCI. Further reserving the right to object, I yield to the 
gentleman from New York.
  Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding and for 
his comments and also his leadership on this issue.
  Mr. Speaker, as was just noted, this legislation, which is important 
to note was introduced by both the Senators from the great State of 
Maine and is supported both by the gentleman whom we have just heard 
from but also the entire House delegation, does indeed honor a Civil 
War hero by naming a post office building located in Brewer, ME as the 
Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain Post Office Building.
  In addition to being known as a man of remarkable valor in that war 
and a great man in history, Joshua Chamberlain was also the president 
of Bowdoin College, and a scholar.
  I cannot think of a more fitting tribute to this great American than 
following through on the adoption of this bill as just suggested by the 
gentleman from Maine, and I would urge all our colleagues to accept 
this unanimous-consent request at this time.
  Mr. BALDACCI. 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 Clerk read the Senate bill, as follows:

                                S. 2153

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

     SECTION 1. DESIGNATION OF JOSHUA LAWRENCE CHAMBERLAIN POST 
                   OFFICE BUILDING.

       The United States Post Office building located at 22 
     Parkway South, Brewer, Maine, shall be known as and 
     designated as the ``Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain Post Office 
     Building''.

     SEC. 2. REFERENCES.

       Any reference in a law, map, regulation, document, record, 
     or other paper of the United States to the United States Post 
     Office building referred to in section 1 shall be deemed to 
     be a reference to the ``Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain Post 
     Office Building''.

  The Senate bill was ordered to be read a third time, was read the 
third time, and passed, and a motion to reconsider was laid on the 
table.

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