[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 75 (Monday, May 24, 1999)]
[House]
[Pages H3473-H3474]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 CARDISS COLLINS POST OFFICE BUILDING, OTIS GRANT COLLINS POST OFFICE 
   BUILDING, MARY ALICE (MA) HENRY POST OFFICE BUILDING, AND ROBERT 
                   LeFLORE, JR. POST OFFICE BUILDING

  Mr. DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (H.R. 1191) to designate certain facilities of the United 
States Postal Service in Chicago, Illinois.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 1191

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

     SECTION 1. CARDISS COLLINS POST OFFICE BUILDING.

       The facility of the United States Postal Service located at 
     433 West Harrison Street in Chicago, Illinois, is hereby 
     designated as the ``Cardiss Collins Post Office Building''. 
     Any reference to such facility in a law, regulation, map, 
     document, paper, or other record of the United States shall 
     be considered to be a reference to the ``Cardiss Collins Post 
     Office Building''.

     SEC. 2. OTIS GRANT COLLINS POST OFFICE BUILDING.

       The facility of the United States Postal Service located at 
     2302 South Pulaski Street in Chicago, Illinois, is hereby 
     designated as the ``Otis Grant Collins Post Office 
     Building''. Any reference to such facility in a law, 
     regulation, map, document, paper, or other record of the 
     United States shall be considered to be a reference to the 
     ``Otis Grant Collins Post Office Building''.

     SEC. 3. MARY ALICE (MA) HENRY POST OFFICE BUILDING.

       The facility of the United States Postal Service located at 
     4222 West Madison Street in Chicago, Illinois, is hereby 
     designated as the ``Mary Alice (Ma) Henry Post Office 
     Building''. Any reference to such facility in a law, 
     regulation, map, document, paper, or other record of the 
     United States shall be considered to be a reference to the 
     ``Mary Alice (Ma) Henry Post Office Building''.

     SEC. 4. ROBERT LEFLORE, JR. POST OFFICE BUILDING.

       The facility of the United States Postal Service located at 
     50001 West Division Street in Chicago, Illinois, is hereby 
     designated as the ``Robert LeFlore, Jr. Post Office 
     Building''. Any reference to such facility in a law, 
     regulation, map, document, paper, or other record of the 
     United States shall be considered to be a reference to the 
     ``Robert LeFlore, Jr. Post Office Building''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Virginia (Mr. Davis) and the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia 
(Ms. Norton) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Davis).
  Mr. DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  The gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis), an active, dedicated and 
respected member of the Subcommittee on Postal Service, introduced H.R. 
1191 on March 18, 1999. This legislation names four post offices, all 
located in Chicago, Illinois.
  Pursuant to the policy of the Committee on Government Reform, H.R. 
1191 enjoys the cosponsorship of all members of the House Delegation 
from the State of Illinois. As was the case in previous bills naming 
post offices, the Congressional Budget Office has determined that the 
enactment of this bill will have no significant impact on the Federal 
budget and would not affect direct spending or receipts. Therefore, 
pay-as-you-go procedures would not apply.
  Section 1 of H.R. 1191 designates the facility of the United States 
Postal Service located at 433 West Harrison Street in Chicago, Illinois 
as the ``Cardiss Collins Post Office Building.'' Ms. Collins, many of 
us will remember, represented Illinois' 7th Congressional District for 
22 years. I had the pleasure and the opportunity to work with her for 
two of those years. She was the first and only African-American woman 
from Illinois to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives. She was 
known for her outstanding work on the Committee on Government Reform 
and Oversight and on the Committee on Commerce.
  Section 2 of the legislation designates the Postal Service building 
located at 2302 South Pulaski Street in Chicago, Illinois as the ``Otis 
Grant Collins Post Office Building.'' Mr. Collins served the 21st 
District in the Illinois General Assembly for four terms. He is 
recognized as a premier activist against insurance redlining in the 
country. Mr. Collins died in 1992.
  Section 3 of H.R. 1191 designates the postal facility located at 4222 
West Madison Street as the ``Mary Alice (Ma) Henry Post Office 
Building.'' Ma Henry was known as one of the leading activists on the 
West Side, dedicating her life to serving humanity and building her 
community. She developed a plan for a primary care clinic at Garfield 
Hospital and that was dedicated in 1976 as the Mary Alice ``Ma'' Henry 
Family Health Center, and it presently serves more than 20,000 patients 
yearly. ``Ma'' Henry died in 1995.
  H.R. 1191, in section 4, also names the postal facility located at 
50001 West Division Street as the ``Robert LaFlore, Jr. Post Office 
Building.'' Mr. LaFlore served in the Illinois General Assembly for 11 
years and was known as a powerful voice for the disadvantaged and 
underprivileged. Prior to his death in 1993, Mr. LaFlore left behind 
legislation to help children and senior citizens. Mrthcoah
  Mr. Speaker, this legislation has passed both the subcommittee and 
the committee levels. I urge all Members to support H.R. 1191, 
introduced by our distinguished colleague, the gentleman from Illinois 
(Mr. Davis).
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1191 was introduced by my good friend and 
colleague, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis). The gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Davis) is the sponsor of a bill to designate four postal 
facilities in the 7th Congressional District of Illinois.

                              {time}  1500

  The four individuals the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) seeks to 
name these postal facilities for have a long history of being servants, 
activists, heroes and heroines in their respective communities. In 
fact, the first person, the honorable Cardiss Collins, is a former 
Member of Congress, well-known to many Members of this body and fondly 
remembered still. She served as ranking member of this very committee, 
the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight, before she retired in 
1996.
  Representative Collins represented the residents of the 7th 
Congressional District for almost 24 years. I must take a moment to 
express my special and personal pleasure at this bill in Cardiss 
Collins' name. She was a dear and distinguished colleague in this

[[Page H3474]]

House, much revered on both sides of the aisle here. When I was elected 
to Congress in 1990, she had served for some years then as the only 
black woman in the Congress, because others had left. During that time 
and for her entire career here, however, she was known for her 
devotion, not only to her Chicago constituents and to women and to 
people of color, but for her dedication to the American people.
  Cardiss Collins is remembered here for her astute judgment, for her 
ability, for her collegiality and for her dedication. It is a special 
pleasure to speak to this bill in particular, and I know that the 
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) will regret that he was detained on 
an airplane and unable to perform this particular service for a woman I 
know is also his very good friend.
  The second postal facility is named for Otis Grant Collins, who, 
prior to his death in 1992, was recognized as one of the premier 
activists in apprenticeship training in this country. In addition, 
while serving as state representative in the Illinois General Assembly, 
he was a champion of laws that protected minority communities from 
redlining.
  The third postal facility is named for Mary Alice Ma Henry, who, 
prior to her death in 1995, was recognized as one of Chicago's most 
caring and compassionate community activists. She is remembered as a 
courageous leader for the poor, uninsured and the left out of our 
society. In 1976, the Mary Alice Ma Henry Family Health Center was 
dedicated and now serves over 20,000 patients every year.
  The fourth postal facility is named after former state representative 
Robert LeFlore, Jr., who, prior to his death in 1993, was recognized as 
a leading advocate for the disadvantaged and the underprivileged. He 
was a tireless worker on behalf of seniors and children, and his 
contributions will be remembered for a long time.
  These individuals represent the best of Chicago and the nation. Their 
contributions have been significant and their legacies have been 
embedded in the communities they touched. I am pleased to sponsor this 
bill on behalf of some of the great African American leaders in the 
Chicago community and in our country.
  Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, today I join with my colleagues in 
commemorating the contributions of an outstanding former Member of 
Congress. Cardiss Collins, who served in Congress from 1973 to 1985 
representing Illinois' 7th district, was a leader in so many ways. 
Naming a Chicago postal building after her is a much deserved honor.
  After losing her husband in a tragic plane crash, Cardiss Collins 
committed to continuing the fight for social justice, won the 1973 
special elections and began a distinguished tenure here in Washington. 
Her six terms of service were then the longest service for an African 
American female.
  Cardiss Collins' career in Congress was highlighted by a number of 
notable positions. Congressman Collins was the ranking minority member 
on the Government Operations Committee, Where she chaired the 
Subcommittee on Manpower and Housing. Cardiss Collins was the first 
African American and the First woman to serve as Democratic whip-at-
large. In 1979, Collins was the Chairwoman of the Congressional Black 
Caucus.
  Congresswoman Collins' commitment to the people of her district and 
the people of Illinois was apparent even before she came to Congress. A 
graduate of Northwestern University, she began her career at the 
Illinois Department of Labor. She later went on to the Illinois 
Department of Revenue. Cardiss Collins' commitment to the American 
political system was also evident through her service as Democratic 
Committeeman of the 24th Ward.
  Again, I applaud the most honorable career and dedication of 
Congresswoman Collins. I am proud to join my colleagues in the Illinois 
delegation who share this sentiment.
  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Davis) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 1191.
  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.

                          ____________________