[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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