[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 123 (Tuesday, September 16, 1997)]
[House]
[Pages H7288-H7289]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 JOHN N. GRIESEMER POST OFFICE BUILDING

  Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 1254) to designate the U.S. Post Office building located at 
Bennett and Kansas Avenue in Springfield, MO, as the ``John N. 
Griesemer Post Office Building,'' as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 1254

       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 1919 West 
     Bennett Street in Springfield, Missouri, shall be known and 
     designated as the ``John N. Griesemer Post Office Building''.

     SEC. 2. REFERENCES.

       Any reference in a law, map, regulation, document, paper, 
     or other record 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 ``John N. Griesemer Post Office 
     Building''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
York [Mr. McHugh] and the gentleman from Maryland [Mr. Cummings] each 
will control 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, H.R. 1254 was introduced by the gentleman from Missouri 
[Mr. Blunt] on April 29. This legislation, as has been noted, 
designates the U.S. Post Office located at Bennett and Kansas Avenue in 
Springfield, MO, as the ``John N. Griesemer Post Office Building''. The 
amendment at the desk, Mr. Speaker, corrects the address of the 
building to 1919 West Bennett Street. The exact assignment of the 
street address was not known when the bill was originally drafted.
  Mr. Speaker, in accordance with the policy of the Committee on 
Government Reform and Oversight, the bill is cosponsored by the entire 
House delegation of the State of the sponsoring Member, the State of 
Missouri. The measure was before the Subcommittee on Postal Service on 
June 5 and was approved, as amended, by all the subcommittee members.
  Mr. Speaker, the legislation obviously honors John N. Griesemer, who 
was born in Mount Vernon, MO, and, as I am sure we will hear later from 
the sponsor of the bill, amassed a long and very admirable record in 
civic and public duties. Most particularly of interest to the 
subcommittee and to myself, Mr. Speaker, the gentleman was, in 1984, 
named by President Reagan to serve on the U.S. Postal Board of 
Governors. He was elected chairman of the Board in 1987 and 1988 and 
served for 3 years as the Board's vice chairman.
  I think it is for this reason particularly, Mr. Speaker, that the 
naming of this post office in memory of a man who served with 
distinction through his entire public life, but particularly served 
with distinction as a member of the very body that governs the Postal 
Service, makes this bill so very appropriate.
  Mr. Speaker, I commend the gentleman from Missouri [Mr. Blunt], the 
Missouri delegation, and I wish to thank our full committee chairman 
and ranking members for their cooperation in bringing this, I think, 
very worthy piece of legislation to the floor. I would urge our 
colleagues to support this bill, as amended.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of legislation, H.R. 1254, as 
amended, which would designate the U.S. Post Office Building located at 
1919 West Bennett Street in Springfield, Missouri, as the John N. 
Griesemer Post Office Building.
  Mr. Griesemer, a Springfield, MO businessman, was named to serve on 
the U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors in 1984. He was elected 
chairman of the Board in 1987 and 1988 and served for 3 years as the 
vice chairman.
  A native of Billings, MO, John Griesemer worked for his family's 
business, the Griesemer Stone Co. He served as its president and 
director until his death in 1993.
  H.R. 1254, introduced by the gentleman from Missouri [Mr. Blunt] 
enjoys the support and cosponsorship of the entire Missouri 
congressional delegation. I urge my colleagues to support this measure, 
which is a fitting testament to the great work of Mr. Griesemer.
  Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Missouri [Mr. Blunt], the primary sponsor of this 
legislation.
  (Mr. BLUNT asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. BLUNT. Mr. Speaker, first I would like to thank the gentleman 
from New York [Mr. McHugh], the chairman of the Subcommittee on Postal 
Service, for his assistance in moving this legislation through his 
subcommittee. I would also like to thank the members of the full 
committee and the gentleman from Indiana [Mr. Burton], the chairman, 
for discharging the bill so it could be considered today. And, of 
course, I would like to thank the other members of the Missouri 
delegation for joining me unanimously as cosponsors of this resolution.
  The resolution we are debating, Mr. Speaker, will name the new postal 
facility in my district for the late John N. Griesemer. Mr. Griesemer 
invested

[[Page H7289]]

his lifetime in his family, his church and in public service, and 
perhaps the greatest national impact of that public service, as my 
colleagues have pointed out from Maryland and New York, was his time as 
the chairman of the Board of Governors of the Postal Service. He served 
as vice chairman for 3 years. He served as chairman after that during 
his remaining time on the Board.
  He was dedicated to the Postal Service, and certainly to name a 
facility in the city, the city of Springfield, where he ran his 
business, where he was so involved in civic and church affairs, where 
he and his wife raised their 5 children, is, I think, an appropriate 
tribute to his service to community, and particularly to his service to 
the Postal Service.
  I want to really join the gentleman from New York [Mr. McHugh] and 
the gentleman from Maryland [Mr. Cummings] in encouraging that the 
House move for the passage of this resolution, and as this facility is 
officially opened, it will be officially opened with the name of John 
N. Griesemer as the name of the facility, Mr. Speaker.
  I want to thank the gentleman from New York for yielding me the time.
  John Griesemer was born in Mt. Vernon, MO and grew up on a dairy farm 
near Billings. He graduated from Billings High School in 1948 and he 
earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the 
University of Missouri, Columbia in 1953. He served as a First 
Lieutenant, Engineering Officer in the U.S. Air Force from 1954 until 
1956.
  After his discharge from the Air Force, John returned to southwest 
Missouri to work for his family's business, Griesemer Stone Co. He 
served there as president and as a director until his death in 1993.
  In defiance of conventional wisdom, John Griesemer balanced a 
successful career with family life and a dedication to community 
service. He and his wife, Kathleen, raised five children on a small 
farm just east of Springfield, MO. John was active in his church, 
having served as Chairman of the annual Diocesan Development Fund 
Drive, member of the Financial Advisory Committee and co-trustee of the 
Heer-Andres Trust of the Catholic diocese of Springfield-Cape 
Girardeau, MO. He also served as Co-Chairman of the Margin for 
Excellence fund drive to establish an endowment and build a new 
Catholic High School in Springfield. John was an Eagle Scout, a Scout 
Master and, in later years, served on the Board of the Ozarks Council 
of the Boy Scouts of America. He was also involved with the Junior 
Achievement Program.
  In addition to his work with Griesemer Stone Co., John founded Joplin 
Stone Co. and Missouri Commercial Transportation Co., and served as 
president of Springfield Ready Mix Co. He was a director of Boatmen's 
National Bank and, in 1991 was president of the Springfield Development 
Council, a non-profit subsidiary corporation of the Springfield Chamber 
of Commerce.
  John Griesemer passed away in 1993, survived by his wife and five 
children. His legacy is one of service to God, his country and to his 
fellowman through dedication to family, business and community.
  Again I would like to thank Mr. McHugh and I would ask all of my 
colleagues to join in honoring John N. Griesemer by naming this new 
facility in the city, where he spent his life and spent it wisely, 
after him.
  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. 1254, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  Mr. CONDIT. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a 
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not 
present.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 5, rule I, and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.
  The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.

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