[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 142 (Tuesday, October 21, 1997)]
[House]
[Pages H8853-H8854]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
THE DAVID B. CHAMPAGNE POST OFFICE BUILDING
Mr. McHUGH. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 2013) to designate the facility of the U.S. Postal Service
located at 551 Kingston Road in South Kingstown, RI, as the ``David B.
Champagne Post Office Building.''
The Clerk read as follows:
H.R. 2013
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. DESIGNATION.
The facility of the United States Postal Service located at
551 Kingstown Road in South Kingstown, Rhode Island, shall be
known and designated as the ``David B. Champagne 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 ``David B. Champagne Post Office
Building''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. Emerson). Pursuant to the rule, the
gentleman from New York [Mr. McHugh] and the gentleman from
Pennsylvania [Mr. Fattah] each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York [Mr. McHugh].
Mr. McHUGH. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, H.R. 2013 was sponsored by our colleague, the
gentleman from Rhode Island [Mr. Weygand], and cosponsored by the Rhode
Island House delegation, according to the policy rules of the Committee
on Government Reform and Oversight.
The legislation designates the facility of the U.S. Postal Service
located at 551 Kingstown Road in South Kingstown, RI, as the ``David B.
Champagne Post Office Building.'' The bill recognizes the valiant
efforts of David Champagne, a 19-year-old marine who lost his life in
the Korean conflict.
Mr. Champagne was born in Wakefield, RI, and entered the military
soon after completing high school. Corporal Champagne was posthumously
awarded the Medal of Honor by President Eisenhower for his gallantry
above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy.
Corporal Champagne skillfully led his first fire team through intense
enemy machine gun and grenade fire in spite of a severe leg wound. An
enemy grenade landed in the midst of the fire team, and Corporal
Champagne hurled it in the direction of the enemy. His hand was blown
off in this endeavor and he was hurtled out of the trench. He succumbed
to his injuries, but not before he saved the lives of his fellow
marines.
Madam Speaker, I urge our colleagues to support H.R. 2013,
designating the facility of the U.S. Postal Service located at 551
Kingstown Road in South Kingstown, RI, as the ``David B. Champagne Post
Office Building''. Additionally, Madam Speaker, the Congressional
Budget Office has notified the committee that the legislation contains
no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 and would impose no costs on
State, local, or tribal governments.
Madam Speaker, I think the recipients of these designations today
have all been very, very worthy gentlemen, but I have to say in all
candor that few displayed the sense of courage and sense of dedication
and love of country as did the gentleman that we are seeking to honor
here today. He is truly an epitome of the American spirit, and we all,
as a Congress and as a Nation, are in his debt.
I want to commend the gentleman from Rhode Island [Mr. Weygand] and
the gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Fattah] for working together on
their side to bring this bill to the floor to honor a very, very worthy
American and very, very worthy individual.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. FATTAH. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, this is, as the gentleman from New York [Mr. McHugh]
has stated, someone who has literally given his life through an act of
courage to save his fellow comrades. For this young man, David
Champagne, this is an honor that is obviously something that we would
like to bestow, but it does not even begin to represent what should be
the appreciation for his act of great courage.
I want to join with my colleague, the gentleman from Rhode Island
[Mr. Weygand]. The gentleman from New York [Mr. McHugh] said that the
cosponsor requirement had been met because the entire delegation from
the State had signed on to this naming bill.
I want to join with fully 50 percent of the Rhode Island House
delegation and support this piece of legislation. It is very worthy.
This gentleman, Corporal Champagne, has been already awarded the Medal
of Honor, but I think this is something that people in the community of
Rhode Island will have as a living memory of his act of courage.
Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman
from Rhode Island [Mr. Weygand].
Mr. WEYGAND. Madam Speaker, I want to thank Chairman McHugh and the
ranking member, the gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Fattah], for
allowing me to speak today on this very important naming of the post
office in South Kingstown, Rhode Island.
I would also like to thank my colleagues, Senator Reed and Senator
Chafee, who have also cosponsored similar legislation, which has
already passed the U.S. Senate, and as the ranking member, the
gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Fattah] has said, the entire Rhode
Island delegation, which is a total of two people, the gentleman from
Rhode Island [Mr. Kennedy] and myself, we totally support this bill,
and I want to thank the gentleman for helping us get this through the
committee.
Madam Speaker, I rise today to express my support for H.R. 2013, a
bill to name the South Kingstown Post Office in Wakefield, RI, as the
David B. Champagne Post Office Building. As mentioned by the chairman,
David Champagne was born on November 11, 1932, Veterans Day. Not only
is he a local hero in Rhode Island, but he is also a Congressional
Medal of Honor recipient.
Corporal Champagne of the U.S. Marine Corps led a life dedicated to
serving his country, his community, and his family. Even as I walked
through his elementary school just yesterday, people said how proud
they would be to have the post office dedicated in his memory. The
South Kingstown High School graduate, the Wakefield Elementary School
graduate, received the
[[Page H8854]]
Congressional Medal of Honor in May 1952 by then-President Eisenhower
for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his own life
above and beyond the call of duty while serving as fire team leader of
Company A, 1st Battalion of the 7th Marines, the 1st Marine Division,
in action against enemy aggressor forces in Korea on May 28, 1952.
Advancing with his platoon in the initial assault on the company
against a strongly fortified and heavily defended hill position,
Corporal Champagne skillfully led his fire team through a veritable
hail of intense enemy machine gunfire, small gunfire, and grenade fire,
overrunning trenches in a series of almost impenetrable bunker
positions before reaching the crest of a hill and placing his men in a
defensive position.
Suffering from painful leg wounds while assisting in repelling the
ensuing hostile counterattack, which was launched under cover of a
murderous hail of mortar and artillery fire, he steadfastly refused
evacuation and fearlessly continued his control of his fire team. When
the enemy counterattack increased in intensity and a hostile grenade
landed in the midst of his fire team, Corporal Champagne unhesitatingly
seized that deadly missile and hurled it in the direction of the
approaching enemy.
Unfortunately, as the chairman just mentioned, the grenade as it left
his hand exploded, blowing off his hand and throwing his body into the
midst of the oncoming fire. Mortally wounded by enemy mortar fire while
in this exposed position, Corporal Champagne lost his life, but in
doing so showed his gallant leadership, fortitude, and spirit of self-
sacrifice in the face of almost certain death, and undoubtedly saved
many of the lives of his fellow marines.
Mr. Champagne made a great contribution, not only to our State but
also to the history of our Nation. I look forward to the day when Mr.
Champagne's family and I cut the ribbon, and let them know just how
much we appreciate his gallantry. By naming this post office, we will
bestow a well-deserved honor on a great man who will be forever
remembered.
Madam Speaker, I again want to thank my colleagues, our ranking
member, the gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Fattah], and Chairman
McHugh for their support of this legislation, and I ask the support of
my colleagues for 2013.
Mr. McHUGH. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, let me just associate myself, if I may, with the very
eloquent words of the last speaker, and urge all of my colleagues to
join us in supporting what is a very worthy tribute to a more than
deserving young man.
Mr. FATTAH. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
We, in support of this bill, not only recognize the courageous act of
Corporal Champagne, but in some important way symbolize our thanks to
thousands and thousands of Americans who have given their lives in
defense of this Nation or on behalf of our Government, either in the
armed service or in law enforcement, in any number of ways. So I think
it is very appropriate that this House recognize an individual, but in
doing that, hopefully send a signal to the Nation that we appreciate
the acts of so many individuals that have helped us move forward.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. McHUGH. Madam Speaker, 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. 2013.
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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