[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 28 (Tuesday, March 14, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E309]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      INTRODUCTION OF THE HENRY W. McGEE POST OFFICE BUILDING BILL

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                           HON. BOBBY L. RUSH

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 14, 2000

  Mr. RUSH. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to introduce H.R. 3909, 
designating a United States Postal Service facility in the First 
Congressional District of Illinois as the ``Henry W. McGee Post Office 
Building.''
  Henry McGee, the first black Postmaster of Chicago, gave 44 years of 
outstanding and exemplary service to the Post Office Department, now 
known as the U.S. Postal Service. He began his career in 1929 as a 
temporary substitute letter carrier and ended it in 1973 as General 
Manager of the eight metropolitan districts of Chicago.
  For this reason alone, I think it is more than fitting to honor his 
service and commitment to excellence, by naming the post office 
facility at 4601 South Cottage Grove Avenue as the ``Henry W. McGee 
Post Office Building.'' But Mr. McGee's accomplishments do not end here 
and neither should the praise.
  Mr. McGee coordinated the arrangements for the 1939 convention of the 
National Alliance of Postal and Federal Employees and in 1945 he served 
as president of the Chicago branch of the National Alliance. In 1948, 
Mr. McGee was appointed by the postmaster to comanage the employment 
office, later becoming the manager and overseeing the conversion to 
career employment for a large number of female employees.
  Continuing to strive for excellence, Mr. McGee acquired his bachelor 
of science degree from the Illinois Institute of Technology, and earned 
a promotion making him General Foreman. Later, he became Superintendent 
of the largest finance station of the Post Office Department. In 1961, 
Mr. McGee received a master's degree in Public Administration from the 
University of Chicago, while concurrently being promoted to Personnel 
Manager for the Chicago region of the Post Office Department, which 
encompassed Illinois and Michigan. Five years later, Mr. McGee became 
the first black Postmaster of Chicago.
  Abraham Lincoln said: ``. . . in the end it's not the years in your 
life that count. It's the life in your years.''
  I am honored to submit this legislation saluting 90-year-old Henry 
McGee, a praiseworthy and admirable man. I urge my colleagues to 
support this worthwhile measure.

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