[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 156 (Monday, November 8, 1999)]
[House]
[Pages H11668-H11670]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  THOMAS J. BROWN POST OFFICE BUILDING

  Mr. McHUGH. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 2307) to designate the building of the United States Postal 
Service located at 5 Cedar Street in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, as the 
``Thomas J. Brown Post Office Building''.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                                H.R 2307

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

     SECTION 1. DESIGNATION.

       (a) In General.--The building of the United States Postal 
     Service located at 5 Cedar Street in Hopkinton, 
     Massachusetts, shall be known and designated as the ``Thomas 
     J. Brown Post Office Building''.
       (b) References.--Any reference in a law, map, regulation, 
     document, paper, or other record of the United States to the 
     building referred to in subsection (a) shall be deemed to be 
     a reference to the ``Thomas J. Brown 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. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, H.R. 2307 was introduced by the gentleman from 
Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern) on June 22 of this year. This legislation 
designates the building of the United States Postal Service located at 
5 Cedar Street in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, as the Thomas J. Brown Post 
Office Building.
  Both the relevant subcommittee and committee approved this 
legislation, which is cosponsored by the entire House delegation of the 
State of Massachusetts.
  Madam Speaker, Mr. Brown is a past president of the Boston Athletic 
Association and former postmaster of the town of Hopkinton, which is 
the starting point for the Boston Marathon. Mr. Brown has been actively 
involved in the Boston Marathon in his capacity as president of the 
Boston Athletic Association.
  Madam Speaker, again we are here, as we did in the first bill, 
although under very, very different circumstances, paying tribute to an 
individual who perhaps does not find his name on the front page of the 
Nation's newspapers or as one of the lead stories on the evening news 
broadcast. But, nevertheless, we are here honoring a man who has, 
through his association, both with the Postal Service and with his 
activities and love of his community, has shown great leadership in 
important ways.
  I would say, Madam Speaker, that Mr. Brown is a kind of testament to, 
again, the American way of life, to someone who is not involved in any 
kind of community activity for power or glory or certainly for 
enrichment, but rather cares about their neighbors, cares about his 
association with those neighbors, and works simply to make today better 
than yesterday and, hopefully, tomorrow a little bit better than today.
  I would certainly urge all of our colleagues to support H.R. 2307 and 
honor this postal employee who is so actively involved in a very 
important part of his town's history. And I am always, as chairman of 
the subcommittee, particularly gratified when those postal employees, 
nearly 900,000 individuals who each day make this wonderful system work 
so well, are honored in this manner, particularly, as it does in this 
case, occurring in their hometown in the very facility in which they 
discharge those duties.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CUMMINGS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, I join the gentleman from New York (Mr. McHugh) in his 
comments with regard to honoring this wonderful former postmaster. As a 
member of the Committee on Government Reform, I am pleased to join him 
in consideration of H.R. 2307.
  H.R. 2307, introduced by the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. 
McGovern) on June 22, 1999, seeks to honor Mr. Thomas J. Brown. Mr. 
Brown is the former postmaster of the town of Hopkinton, Massachusetts, 
and past president of the Boston Athletic Association. Hopkinton, 
Massachusetts, is the starting point for the Boston Marathon, and Mr. 
Brown has been extensively involved in this race in his capacity as 
president of the BAA.
  Designating a post office after a former postmaster is an excellent 
way to honor Mr. Brown's achievement. Madam Speaker, I could go on into 
further detail about the numerous community activities Mr. Brown is 
involved in, but I would prefer to yield time to the sponsor of H.R. 
2307, the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern).
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. McHUGH. Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. CUMMINGS. Madam Speaker, I yield 3\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman 
from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern).
  Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. 
Cummings) not only for his support but for yielding me this time.

[[Page H11669]]

  Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2307 to designate the Thomas 
J. Brown Post Office Building in Hopkinton, Massachusetts. I wish to 
thank the gentleman from New York (Chairman McHugh) for his support and 
for the support of this subcommittee in moving this bill through the 
Committee on Government Reform and bringing it to the House floor 
today.
  This bill will name the Federal Post Office at 5 Cedar Street in 
Hopkinton, Massachusetts, after Thomas J. Brown. Mr. Brown is a long-
time resident of Hopkinton, served as postmaster from 1940 to 1970, and 
this bill will give the brand-new Hopkinton Post Office a name in 
tribute to a man who has served his community with pride and dignity 
for over 30 years.
  Mr. Brown is a World War II veteran, having served in San Francisco 
and Pearl Harbor in the Postal Division of the United States Navy from 
1942 to 1946. He served on the Board of Governors from 1978 to 1985, 
and as president from 1982 to 1985 of the Boston Athletic Association. 
Of national importance, Mr. Brown also served as official starter of 
the Boston Marathon, the famous 26-mile race that starts in the town of 
Hopkinton, Massachusetts.
  This new post office is vital to the town of Hopkinton. Roughly five 
times the size of the current building, this new building has an extra 
customer service window, 800 post office boxes and a stamp vending 
machine. This new post office is needed because of the rising number of 
new residents who have moved to Hopkinton in the past decade. These 
improvements will better serve all the residents of the surrounding 
area in honor of Mr. Brown and his dedication to his community.
  The Town of Hopkinton Office of the Selectmen, the Boston Athletic 
Association, and the entire Massachusetts congressional delegation 
support this bill to honor Thomas J. Brown's community service. This is 
an important bill to the Town of Hopkinton and to the lives of the 
people Mr. Brown has touched.
  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2307 and name the 
Hopkinton Post Office after Thomas J. Brown.
  Madam Speaker, I would like to submit for the Record the following 
letters of support and related news articles about the new post office 
and the effort to name it after Mr. Brown.

                                                Town of Hopkinton,


                                      Office of the Selectmen,

                                      Hopkinton, MA, June 4, 1999.
     Mr. Guy L. Morse III,
     Director, Boston Athletic Association,
     Boston, MA.
       Dear Guy: The Board of Selectmen received your letter 
     discussing the B.A.A.'s proposal that the new Hopkinton Post 
     Office be dedicated to Tom Brown, long-time resident of the 
     Town, Hopkinton Postmaster from 1940-1970, and official 
     starter of the Boston Marathon for many years.
       Our Board strongly supports this proposal. It would be a 
     well-earned tribute to a man who served this community well, 
     over many years.
       We hope your proposal will be carefully considered by 
     Congress, and successfully implemented!
           Sincerely,
                                              Maureen L. Dwinnell,
     Chairman.
                                  ____


              [From the Milford Daily News, Aug. 27, 1999]

                      New Post Office in Hopkinton

                           (By John B. Moore)

       Hopkinton.--With little potential for controversy, the new 
     Hopkinton Post Office likely will open this fall and be 
     dedicated to former postmaster and Boston Marathon honcho 
     Thomas J. Brown.
       The proposal to name the soon-to-be-opened post office, 
     which passed out of committee earlier this month, is expected 
     to be adopted by Congress by October, if not sooner.
       ``I'm so pleased this is progressing so well,'' said Guy 
     Morse, president of the Boston Athletic Association and the 
     man behind the move to dedicate the building in Brown's name.
       Brown, who served as Hopkinton's postmaster from 1940-1970, 
     now lives in Maine.
       A former Hayden Rowe Street resident, he was president of 
     the Boston Athletic Association from 1982-1985. He also 
     served as the official starter of the marathon for a number 
     of years.
       ``The bill has been marked up by the Committee on 
     Government Reform and when they come back from recess at the 
     beginning of September it will go to the floor,'' said 
     Michael Mershon, a spokesman for U.S. Rep. James McGovern, D-
     3rd.
       ``The person I spoke to yesterday said they expect it to 
     pass through the floor of the House no later than mid-
     October.''
       Once the measure is approved, it goes to the U.S. Senate 
     before landing on the president's desk for his signature.
       When the bill makes it to the Senate, Sen. John Kerry, D-
     Mass., will take the reins.
       ``There has been no doubt in my mind that the new post 
     office in Hopkinton should be named after Tom Brown--someone 
     who has served his community for years as postmaster and who 
     has contributed so much of his time and energy to the Boston 
     Marathon,'' Kerry said.
       Along with McGovern and local town officials, Kerry has 
     strongly supported naming the post office after Brown.
       ``What better way to honor Tom Brown than to name the post 
     office after him right in Hopkinton, where year after year we 
     start the Boston Marathon,'' Kerry said.
       Morse toured the new post office earlier this week and 
     spoke with the current postmaster about a ceremony.
       ``We're looking to hopefully have something in the 
     beginning of October,'' Morse said.
       ``I'm very pleased that it looks like it might actually 
     come about,'' Morse said. ``I think it's a great testimony to 
     Tom Brown that so many people got involved to make this 
     happen.''

             [From the Hopkinton Town Crier, Oct. 19, 1999]

                New Post Office, Awaits Official Fanfare

                           (By John B. Moore)

       The new post office will receive little fanfare this week.
       The big celebration will likely be held in late fall when 
     the building is officially dedicated to former resident and 
     past Boston Marathon President Tom Brown.
       ``One of the reasons we're moving ahead with the opening is 
     because the asphalt plants will probably be closed by the end 
     of November and we need to have the customer parking lot 
     paved on time,'' said Post Master John Hester.
       The future lot now sits under the old, overburdened post 
     office resting in the shadow of the new state-of-the art 
     facility on Cedar Street, scheduled to open Monday.
       ``We'll close the old building at noon on Saturday and 
     start moving everything over then.'' Hester said Thursday.
       The old building will be torn down to make room for more 
     parking spaces. Both buildings are leased to the Postal 
     Service.
       The new 13,800-square-foot post office is roughly five 
     times the size of the current building.
       ``Everyone has been ready for this for a while now,'' 
     Hester said. ``You wouldn't believe how excited we are.''
       Hester is among those cheering the new opening. For one 
     thing, he gets to move out of the old trailer parked behind 
     the buildings that has been his office for years.
       ``The other post office could just about fit in this 
     lobby,'' said Hester, walking inside the new facility 
     yesterday afternoon.
       Along with more office space, the new building has an extra 
     customer service window, 800 post office boxes and a stamp 
     vending machine, along with more parking spaces.
       There is also an electronic scale inside the lobby allowing 
     customers to weigh and stamp their packages without ever 
     having to wait in line.
       There will also be an entire wall lined with prepackaged 
     stamps and other merchandise.
       Also in for a change will be the hours of the service 
     windows.
       The old building used to open the windows from 7:30 a.m. to 
     5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. They will now open an hour 
     later.
       ``I did a study to determine what people were buying during 
     different hours and what I found out is 90 percent stamps 
     during that early hour,'' Hester said.
       With the stamp vending machine, it made little sense to 
     keep the window open for that hour.
       The Saturday hours will be shortened, as well, with the 
     post office opening from 8:30 a.m. to noon closing two hours 
     early.
       ``We just found that the volume wasn't there and like any 
     other businesses we need to control costs,'' he said.
       The prime reason for the new building is the soaring number 
     of new residents who have moved into town over the last 
     decade. The old building is simply buckling under the strain.
       ``This building is set up to anticipate new growth,'' he 
     said. ``This is a building everyone should be proud of.''
       Before the building can be dedicated to Brown, U.S. 
     legislators have to give the final OK.
       Though the naming measure is routine, it takes time to 
     filter through the House and Senate, an aide to Rep. James 
     McGovern, D-Mass., said.
       The ceremony will probably take place in November, said Bob 
     Cannon, a spokesman for the U.S. Postal Service.
       Brown, who served as Hopkinton's postmaster for 1940-1970. 
     Now lives in Maine.
       A former Hayden Rowe Street resident, he was president of 
     the Boston Athletic Association from 1982-1985. He also 
     served as the official starter of the Marathon for a number 
     of years.

  Mr. McHUGH. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CUMMINGS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr.

[[Page H11670]]

McGovern) for his statement. One of the things that he pointed out, 
Madam Speaker, is that Mr. Brown is also a veteran. I think so often 
our veterans play such significant roles while they are in the military 
and when they leave. And here is another example of a veteran when he 
left the military to go on and do some very, very significant things to 
help people.
  The gentleman also talked about Mr. Brown being the starter, the 
person who started the race, and that is very significant when we think 
about what is happening today. He went on to talk about how this Post 
Office is much larger so it could serve so many more people as the town 
has grown.
  The fact is that our honoree, Mr. Brown, was one who was there way 
back when, and now he has seen not only the race grow but he has seen 
this wonderful town grow. And so it is with great honor and privilege 
that I take a moment today to, number one, thank Mr. Brown for all that 
he has done. I also want to thank the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. 
McGovern) for being so sensitive to all of those people who are 
supporting this wonderful and very important legislation. I again thank 
the gentleman from New York (Mr. McHugh), the chairman of the 
Subcommittee on the Postal Service; and I thank the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Fattah), the ranking member of that subcommittee; and 
of course the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Burton) and the gentleman 
from California (Mr. Waxman), the chairman and ranking member 
respectively.
  Madam speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. McHUGH. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of the 
remaining time.
  Madam Speaker, let me associate myself with particularly the last 
comments by the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cummings). Veterans of 
virtually any war are a very special class of people to whom those of 
us who enjoy the fruits of this wonderful democracy really owe more 
than we can ever repay. And I, too, want to thank the gentleman from 
Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern) for providing this opportunity to 
recognize, not only as I said earlier a 3-decade employee of the United 
States Postal Service, but like so many of his contemporaries, an 
individual whose record of service extends even beyond that of his 
service during World War II.
  Heroes come in many different forms and walk in many different ways 
in this life. To the community of Hopkinton, to the Greater Boston 
area, and to all of those across this country who believe, as I do, 
that the Boston Marathon is such a special event, without question, 
this gentleman, Mr. Brown, is a hero. We are very, very lucky today to 
have this opportunity.
  Madam Speaker, I too want to express my appreciation to the gentleman 
from Maryland (Mr. Cummings) for being here today and for managing this 
bill, for the continued support of the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. 
Fattah) as the ranking member, along with, of course, the gentleman 
from California (Mr. Waxman) as the ranking member of the full 
committee and the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Burton), chairman of the 
full committee, and his staff and the staff of the Subcommittee on the 
Postal Service for their untiring work in processing these in the way 
in which they should be processed: in a bipartisan cooperative manner.
  Madam Speaker, I close with a final urging to all of our colleagues 
to support this fine bill, H.R. 2307.
  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. 2307.
  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.

                          ____________________