Congressional Record, Volume 147 Issue 147 (Tuesday, October 30, 2001)

[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 147 (Tuesday, October 30, 2001)]
[House]
[Pages H7375-H7379]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

NORMAN SISISKY POST OFFICE BUILDING

Mrs. JO ANN DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the
rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2910) to designate the facility of the
United States Postal Service located at 3131 South Crater Road in
Petersburg, Virginia, as the ``Norman Sisisky Post Office Building''.
The Clerk read as follows:

H.R. 2910

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

SECTION 1. NORMAN SISISKY POST OFFICE BUILDING.

(a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal
Service located at 3131 South Crater Road in Petersburg,
Virginia, shall be known and designated as the ``Norman
Sisisky Post Office Building''.
(b) References.--Any reference in a law, map, regulation,
document, paper, or other record of the United States to the
facility referred to in subsection (a) shall be deemed to be
a reference to the Norman Sisisky Post Office Building.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from
Virginia (Mrs. Jo Ann Davis) and the gentleman from Virginia (Mr.
Moran) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Virginia (Mrs. Jo Ann
Davis).

General Leave

Mrs. JO ANN DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent
that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and
extend their remarks on the bill, H.R. 2910.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from Virginia?
There was no objection.
Mrs. JO ANN DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time
as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2910. I commend my good
friend and fellow Virginian, the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Forbes),
for introducing this measure to honor his distinguished predecessor,
the late Congressman Norman Sisisky.
H.R. 2910 honors Norman Sisisky's service to his district, his State
and his country by designating the post office located at 3131 South
Crater Road in Petersburg, Virginia as the ``Norman Sisisky Post Office
Building.'' This bill has the strong support of all Members of the
Virginia delegation.
Although born in Baltimore, Maryland, Norman Sisisky grew up in
Richmond, Virginia. He graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University
in 1949. Following a brief stint in the Navy, he became president of
the Pepsi-Cola Bottling Company of Petersburg, Virginia. Under his
leadership, that company became one of the largest soft drink bottling
operations in the South.
From 1973 to 1982, Norman served in the Virginia House of Delegates.
In 1982, he was elected to the House of Representatives where he served
until his untimely death in March of this year. During his 18 years on
Capitol Hill, Norman Sisisky compiled a moderate voting record. In
fact, he was one of the first members of the conservative Blue Dog
Coalition.
He often worked across the aisle to achieve what he believed best for
the American people. Few were more effective, especially in matters of
national defense. He was the second ranking Democrat on the Committee
on Armed Services and was widely praised for his devotion to military
and defense issues.
Among the other numerous highlights of his distinguished career was
the passage of a balanced budget.
Mr. Speaker, Norman Sisisky left many friends and admirers in this
House. He has been rightly remembered as a bridge between the parties
and for his sense of humor. I urge all Member to support this important
legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, as a former Member of the Committee on Government
Reform, I am very happy to join my colleague in the consideration of
H.R. 2910, introduced by the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Forbes). It
has met the committee co-sponsorship requirement and is supported by
the entire Virginia Congressional delegation.
Norman grew up in Richmond, Virginia, served honorably in the Navy
during World War II. He graduated from Virginia Commonwealth
University, became a successful businessman as president of the Pepsi-
Cola Bottling Company of Petersburg where he lead what was a small
business to one of the largest and most profitable in the South.
Norm Sisisky served in Virginia's General Assembly representing
Petersburg, Virginia. After serving five terms in the assembly, he was
elected to U.S. Congress where he represented Virginia's Fourth
Congressional District until his untimely death in March of this year.
Norman Sisisky served as a senior member of the Committee on Armed
Services and ranking member of the Subcommittee on Military
Procurement. He was always a strong defender and advocate of the armed
services, and I know he will be particularly missed in that area. He
already has been.
He was a member of the Subcommittee on Military Readiness and the
Panel on Military Morale, Welfare and Recreation. He knew the
importance of maintaining a strong military. He will always be
remembered for standing behind our military families and veterans. He
was also one of the most effective advocates in Congress for a strong
Navy, particularly, and its ship building program at Newport News.
Throughout his career in public service, he helped in a substantial way
in making our military second to none.
Norm Sisisky was a hard-working colleague and a dedicated public
servant. I think we should also say he was, too, a very witty, urbane
and engaging friend to so many of us. And in addition to his public
service, we miss his friendship. He leaves a great legacy to the people
of Virginia and to our entire Nation.
I commend my colleague, the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Forbes), and
all of the Virginia Congressional Delegation. And it is not just
confined to Virginia. We have the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer)
speaking. It should be said that Norm was one of the best-liked Members
of this body. I urge swift passage of this bill, and I trust it will be
unanimous. This is one small way of remembering Norm Sisisky.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mrs. JO ANN DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield the balance of my
time to the distinguished sponsor of this bill, the gentleman from
Virginia (Mr. Forbes), and I ask unanimous consent that he be permitted
to control that time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from Virginia?
There was no objection.
Mr. FORBES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to one of our former
colleagues, Norman Sisisky, the late Congressman from the Fourth
District of Virginia.
Congressman Sisisky passed away earlier this year having lived a rich
life of public service and loving commitment to his family. He served
his Nation during World War II as a veteran of the U.S. Navy. He went
on to serve Virginia in the House of Delegates for 8 years. During his
tenure there, his dedication to improving the lives of children earned
him the Outstanding Service to Children in Virginia Award in 1978. He
served the citizens of both the Commonwealth and the Nation by
representing the people of Virginia's Fourth District for more than 18
years in the United States Congress.
Norman Sisisky was well respected by Members from both sides of the
aisle, gaining a reputation as a personable man with a keen interest in
and knowledge of national security issues. In fact, he is best
remembered for his service on the Committee on Armed Services where he
helped to shepherd through years of bipartisan legislation to improve
the lives of men and women who wear the uniform that he once wore.
Norman Sisisky was a life-long Virginian, born in Richmond and later
settling nearby in Petersburg.
He attended college at Virginia Commonwealth University, where he
earned a degree in business administration. He built an outstanding
career in soft drink bottling as president and owner of the Pepsi-Cola
Bottling Company of Petersburg and chairman of

[[Page H7376]]

the board of the National Soft Drink Association.
Norman and his wife, Rhoda, had four sons and later seven
grandchildren. They are a living and gracious legacy to Norman's life,
just as the work he did here is a legacy to his career in public
service.
Today, we join together to recognize those legacies by dedicating the
facility of the United States postal service at 3131 South Crater Road
in Petersburg, Virginia, as the Norman Sisisky Post Office Building.
Though he spent much time in Washington and traveling the fourth
district to represent his constituents, his home was in Petersburg; and
it is fitting that this building bear his name.
I want to thank the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hastert), the
Speaker; the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Armey), the majority leader; and
the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Burton), the chairman of the Committee
on Government Reform, for helping to bring this tribute to the floor so
quickly; and I would like to thank my colleagues, particularly in the
Virginia delegation, for joining me as cosponsors of this resolution
and for speaking on its behalf on the floor.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this resolution and
honor the memory of the late Congressman Norman Sisisky.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may want
to consume to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Scott), Norman's next
door neighbor.
Mr. SCOTT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding the time.
It is with great pleasure that I rise in support of H.R. 2910, to
designate a post office in honor of my friend and distinguished
colleague, the late Norman Sisisky.
President John F. Kennedy once said: ``A Nation reveals itself not
only by the men it produces but also by the men it honors, the men it
remembers.'' While the news of Norman's death was met by great sadness
by all of those who knew him, the legacy of his life and his
accomplishments are to be acknowledged, revered and celebrated.
I knew Norman for almost 25 years. For 5 of those years, we served
together in the Virginia House of Delegates. We served together here in
the House of Representatives for over 8 years. During that time, I had
the honor to represent a district adjacent to his in southeast
Virginia. The proximity of our districts allowed us to work side by
side on many issues; and as a result, we became close, and our staffs
in Washington and our district offices also became close associates.
The Fourth Congressional District, all of Virginia, the entire
Nation, were all well served by Norman's leadership on the House
Committee on Armed Services. He was the ranking member on the
Subcommittee on Military Procurement and also served as a member of the
Subcommittee on Military Readiness and Subcommittee on Morale, Welfare
and Recreation. He worked diligently to ensure that our Nation's
military was second to none.
Due to his efforts, Newport News Shipbuilding has remained a world
leader; and we have been able to continue to excel in nuclear aircraft
carrier and submarine construction.
When Virginia's military facilities came under threat of being closed
during the base closings of the 1990s, Congressman Sisisky successfully
protected Fort Lee, Norfolk Naval Shipyard, and other bases in Virginia
that have been critical to the readiness of our Armed Forces.
Mr. Speaker, it is, therefore, fitting that a private man that worked
so tirelessly behind the scenes, without the need for fanfare and
accolades, should now be honored today as the Norman Sisisky Post
Office serves the public. We will be reminded of his driving spirit and
tireless commitment to public service.
Therefore, Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
With this designation of a post office in honor of Norman Sisisky, we
will say a job well done.
Mr. FORBES. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to my distinguished
colleague, the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Wolf).
(Mr. WOLF asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from Virginia
(Mr. Forbes) for bringing this legislation to the floor of the House.
It is very appropriate that we honor Congressman Norman Sisisky, who
will always be remembered as a true gentleman, a dedicated public
servant. He was a good person. He was a good father. He was a good
husband, and in the delegation we could not have been closer.
I see the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Moran); and I would ask the
gentleman if he remembers at our delegation lunches, it was Norman that
would always make us laugh, that would always have that witty comment
and somebody who could reach across the aisle in a way that really very
few Members can.
His public service career began when he was elected, as was said, a
member of the House of Delegates in 1973 representing Petersburg. He
served for five terms in the Virginia General Assembly before being
elected to Congress in 1982, and it was when I first met him.
Norman, like another of our late Virginia colleagues, Herb Bateman,
was a senior member on the House Committee on Armed Services. In fact,
he and Bateman, Sisisky and Bateman, worked hand in glove on so many
issues with regard to their portion of the State and so many issues
with regard to the national defense. From their vantage point, they
both were protectors of our national security. Norman was the ranking
member of the Subcommittee on Military Procurement and also served on
the Subcommittee on Military Readiness and the Panel on Morale,
Welfare, and Recreation. The American men and women in the military had
no finer friend than Norman Sisisky. No matter what their rank, from
the lowest rank to the highest rank, Norman was their friend.
Also, Norman was instrumental in working to get the funding to build
the newest aircraft carrier, U.S.S. Ronald Reagan, which was recently
christened.
He worked tirelessly as an advocate for production of shipbuilding to
strengthen our national defense, and it is appropriate that we honor
his dedication to improving our defense and intelligence resources,
especially in light of recent events with regard to what is taking
place in the country.
This Congress is honoring a very faithful servant and a wonderful
man. Our lives have been forever enriched by having Norman Sisisky as
our friend and colleague. Norman lived his life to the fullest. He had
a great time, great sense of humor. He was hardworking and friendly and
was a Member who truly worked in a bipartisan way by reaching across
the aisle to work in the best interests of America. It was a privilege
to work with Norman for 18 years and to work with him in the Virginia
delegation on issues of importance, not only to the State of Virginia
but to the Nation.

{time} 1545

Norm Sisisky's commitment and devotion to public service is deserving
of recognition and it is appropriate that the postal building at 3131
South Crater Road in Petersburg, Virginia, be renamed in his honor.
Again, I want to thank the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Forbes) for
bringing this to the floor, and let Norman know, as he is I am sure
watching somewhere, that we do miss him very, very much.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my colleagues on the Government Reform
Committee in bringing this legislation to the floor to designate a U.S.
postal building in Petersburg, Virginia, to honor the late Congressman
Norman Sisisky, who served Virginia's Fourth Congressional district for
nine terms.
It is appropriate that we honor Congressman Sisisky, who will always
be remembered as a true gentleman and dedicated public servant.
Norman Sisisky was born June 9, 1927, and graduated from John
Marshall High in Richmond, Virginia. He joined the Navy after high
school and served through World War II until 1946. He graduated from
Virginia Commonwealth University in 1949 with a degree in business
administration.
Norm's work as a public official was undoubtedly strengthened by his
success in the private sector. After graduating he transformed a small
Pepsi bottling company in Petersburg, Virginia, into a highly
successful distributor of soft drinks throughout Southside Virginia.

[[Page H7377]]

His public service career began when he was elected as delegate to
the Virginia House of Delegates in 1973 representing Petersburg. He
served five terms in the Virginia General Assembly before being elected
to Congress in 1982.
Norman, like another of our late Virginia colleagues, Herb Bateman,
was a senior member on the House Armed Services Committee and from that
vantage point was a protector of our national security. He was the
ranking member of the subcommittee on military procurement, and also
served on the subcommittee on military readiness and the panel on
morale, welfare, and recreation.
Before his untimely passing this past March, he had been appointed to
the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Norman was also a
member of the ``Blue Dog'' coalition in the 104th through the 107th
Congresses and led bipartisan efforts through that work. Norman was
instrumental in working to get funding to build the newest aircraft
carrier, USS Ronald Reagan, which was recently christened.
He worked tirelessly as an advocate for production of shipbuilding
and strengthening our national defense. It is appropriate that we honor
his dedication to improving our defense and intelligence resources,
especially in light of recent events and our new attention to these
priorities.
He presented with pride Virginia's Fourth Congressional District in
the southeastern corner of the Commonwealth, the home of the First
Permanent English Settlement in North America, and today the home of
one of the largest concentrations of military power in the world.
This Congress is honoring a faithful servant and wonderful man, and
our lives are forever enriched for having had Norman Sisisky as our
friend and colleague. Norman lived his life to the fullest. He was
hard-working and friendly and he was a member who truly worked in a
bipartisan way. He reached across the aisle to work for the best
interests of America. It was a privilege to serve with him the over 18
years he was in Congress and to work with him in the Virginia
delegation on issues of importance to our state and union.
Congressman Sisisky's commitment and devotion to public service is
deserving of recognition, and it is appropriate that the postal
building at 131 South Crater Road in Petersburg, Virginia, he renamed
in his honor. I urge our colleagues to join me in supporting this
legislation to honor his former member for his dedicated public
service.
Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may
consume to the honorable and very distinguished gentleman from Maryland
(Mr. Hoyer).
Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I was elected to the House in 1981 in a
special election. I came here in early June, so I had been here some 18
months before Norm Sisisky was sworn in in January of 1983 to the House
of Representatives. But because Virginia and Maryland are members of
the same organizational region for our caucus, and because Norm and I
had a number of interests in common, we became very good friends. I am
pleased, therefore, to rise on behalf of this legislation.
This legislation, of course, will pass unanimously, as it should. It
is appropriate that the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Forbes) introduced
this resolution to honor his predecessor. They come from different
parties, but they come from the same State, the same region, and the
same district, and the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Forbes) knows full
well of the affection and respect with which Mr. Sisisky was held in
his district.
Norm Sisisky, some of my colleagues may not know, was born in
Baltimore, Maryland, in 1927. His parents had come from Lithuania;
emigrated to this country. When Norm was a very young boy, his family
moved to Virginia. He grew up in Richmond and, after he graduated from
high school, he enlisted in the Navy for the final years of World War
II. He was very young. He enlisted at almost his first opportunity, as
soon as he graduated from high school.
After completing his naval service, Norm graduated from Virginia
Commonwealth University. History would prove that his service to the
Navy in World War II did not end until his death, for the Navy had no
better friend than Norm Sisisky. Indeed, the Armed Services of America,
the defense of our Nation, the defense of freedom throughout this world
had no better friend nor more tenacious supporter than Norm Sisisky.
When he graduated from college and completed his naval service, he
entered into the soft drink bottling distribution business. He bought a
small distribution plant that he then built into a giant distribution
plant and was so respected by his colleagues that he became the
President of the National Soft Drink Association.
Norm Sisisky was a man of faith, active in his synagogue and in many
Jewish organizations. Indeed, he served as president of his
congregation. Norm and his wife, the former Rhoda Brown, had four sons,
Mark, Terry, Richard and Stuart, and seven grandchildren. Norm and
Rhoda were and are extraordinarily proud of those four sons and those
seven grandchildren, and I know they will be proud to point to this
post office that will be named for Norm Sisisky.
By the way, let me, as an aside, make a suggestion. The first bill
that I passed as a Member of this House was to name the District
Heights Post Office for E. Michael Roll, who had been the mayor of the
town in which I lived for over 20 years. And I can remember as a young
kid, the town was small enough that the mayor would get on you if you
were not riding your bike in the proper place or he saw you throw an
ice cream wrapper on the street or something of that nature. Mr. Roll
had recently died, and I was so pleased to introduce a bill to honor
him by naming the post office after him.
When they went out to the District Heights Post Office, and this is
what I want my Virginia friends to hear, they were going to take off
the words ``United States Post Office.'' The post office had proposed
putting E. Michael Roll's name in place of United States. I told them
that E. Michael Roll would roll over in his grave if he knew his name
was replacing the name of the country that he loved so deeply.
So I would suggest that perhaps rather than name this post office the
Norm Sisisky Post Office Building, that we name it the Norm Sisisky
United States Post Office as the official name of the place.
But to get back to Norm Sisisky, although we are talking about an
appropriate act which need not be debated, we are talking about an
individual whom this body is poorer for having lost. Born on June 9,
1927, he died on March 29 of this year. He died too soon. It could be
said, of course, that perhaps all of us die too soon, but we
particularly miss Norm Sisisky who was an expert on not only national
defense but on national intelligence. He served on our Permanent Select
Committee on Intelligence.
He was a quiet man, not bombastic, not rhetorical, not subject to
self-aggrandizement or self-promotion. He was a man of substance. He
was a man of commitment. He was a man of great intellect. He was a man
of great energy. And he worked extraordinarily hard to make sure that
America was strong, that we tended to our military, and that we made
sure our intelligence was the best that it could be. How deeply in this
time of trouble that confronts America today do we miss Norm Sisisky.
I am proud to rise on behalf of this legislation because, as was
quoted earlier in talking about Ben Franklin and quoting John Kennedy,
a nation is known by the men and women that it honors. It is absolutely
appropriate that we honor Norm Sisisky; that we lament his loss, but
glory in the service that he gave to this institution and to this
country that he loved.
I ask all of us, as we vote on this legislation later today, to
remember that contribution and perhaps to once again send a note or
make a call to Rhoda and tell her we share her loss, not as poignantly,
not as personally, but as his colleagues we share her loss, the loss of
her sons, the loss of the grandchildren, and the loss of the great
Commonwealth of Virginia.
Mr. FORBES. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Schrock).
Mr. SCHROCK. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this
time, and it is my pleasure to rise today in support of H.R. 2910,
being brought to us by the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Forbes), which
will honor our good friend Congressman Norm Sisisky.
The location of the post office in Petersburg, Virginia, bearing
Norm's name is quite fitting. Norm represented the people of Petersburg
for almost 28 years, as a member of the Virginia General Assembly for
10 years,

[[Page H7378]]

and as a member of this body representing Virginia's Fourth
Congressional District from 1983 until earlier this year.
Congressman Sisisky served America in World War II and brought this
experience to Congress. Norm became a senior member of the House
Committee on Armed Services where he became a champion of our military
and veterans issues. Norm was the ranking member of the Subcommittee on
Military Procurement and also served on the Morale, Welfare and
Recreation Panel. He took the lead in protecting Virginia's naval and
military facilities and was an ardent defender of our national defense,
but worked at the same time to ensure that military spending decisions
strike the proper balance between strategic necessity and fiscal
prudence.
His record of distinguished service to our country and to the people
of the Commonwealth of Virginia demonstrates to us all his commitment
to the values and principles of freedom and public service. This
facility we are naming today will remind us of his dedication to our
country and to the Commonwealth of Virginia, and I urge my colleagues
to support this legislation.
Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, this Member rises today to express his
very strong support for H.R. 2910, the Norman Sisisky Post Office
Building Designation Act of 2001, which designates the facility of the
United States Postal Service located at 3131 South Crater Road in
Petersburg, Virginia, as the ``Norman Sisisky Post Office Building.''
This Member would like to thank the main sponsor of H.R. 2910, the
distinguished gentleman from Virginia [Rep. Randy Forbes]; the rest of
the Virginia congressional delegation; the Chairman of the House
Committee on Government Reform the distinguished gentleman from Indiana
[Mr. Dan Burton]; and the Ranking Member of the Committee, the
distinguished gentleman from California [Mr. Henry Waxman] for their
instrumental role in bringing H.R. 2910 to the House Floor.
Mr. Speaker, the late Congressman Sisisky was in many ways bigger
than life--he lived life to the fullest, worked as hard as any Member
in this body, and always enjoyed his family and friends. We can all
take great pride in the kind of person Norm was, and in his many
important contributions to not only the State of Virginia, but also the
United States as a whole. As many of you probably know, this Member
traveled with Congressman Sisisky frequently on NATO Parliamentary
Assembly (NATO PA) matters and to the annual Munich Conference on
Security Policy (previously known as the Munich Wehrkunde Conference).
In fact, Norm Sisisky participated in the Munich Conference on Security
Policy longer than any sitting Member of the House and served as this
Member's Democrat co-leader of the House delegation to this conference
in February of this year.
This Member can still recall Norm's remarks during a NATO PA meeting
where a discussion of the European Security and Defense Policy (ESDP),
European burden sharing and the need for Europe to meet its own NATO
military commitments brought Norm to his feet with the simple words of
``Show me the money.'' He went on to explain that while he was
supportive of ESDP, his support was conditional on the need for our
European NATO allies to increase their own defense budgets to meet not
only ESDP requirements, but more importantly their NATO requirements.
The House NATO PA delegation was certainly proud of Norm Sisisky's
blunt and forceful remarks, as Norm Sisisky wasn't one for beating
around the bush nor for talking just to talk--when Norm spoke we all
listened.
This was just one of the many examples of Norm Sisisky's keen
knowledge of national defense matters and his forceful personality.
This Member had great respect and appreciation for him as a person and
as a congressional colleague. He was one of this Member's favorite
people and we all miss him greatly! Therefore, this Member supports the
naming of the Post Office Building in Petersburg, Virginia, the
``Norman Sisisky Post Office Building''. It certainly is a honor well-
deserved which this Member strongly urges his colleagues to support.
Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute
to my friend and colleague from Virginia, Norm Sisisky, who served this
body with dignity, honor and extreme dedication since 1983.
Norm was a true gentleman and a great patriot. I will never forget
his kind and valuable tutelage when I first came to Congress, nor will
I forget how he demonstrated to all of us the importance of caring more
about doing good than getting credit. He certainly earned his
reputation as a hard worker and skilled negotiator.
The son of Lithuanian immigrants, Norm was born in Baltimore. The
family moved during the Depression to Richmond, Virginia where he grew
up. Upon graduating from John Marshall High School, he enlisted in the
Navy during World War II, serving through the end of 1946. Norm
described himself as a self-made businessman, turning a local soft-
drink company into one of the most successful Pepsi-Cola
distributorships in the country at the time.
During his ten years in Congress, Norm secured committee assignments
that paid great dividends to the residents and businesses in his
district. He played a leading role in reforming the Defense
Department's financial management system and worked tirelessly to
preserve the nuclear shipbuilding industrial base so vital to
employment rates in the Hampton Roads area. His was the proper and
responsible balance: Protect Virginia's military facilities, but also
make sure that military spending decisions are fiscally prudent and
fair to taxpayers nationwide. He worked tirelessly in the Congress to
improve procurement practices and streamline government to make it more
effective and efficient.
Mr. Speaker, I continue to mourn the loss of Norm Sisisky as a friend
and a colleague. Norm lived his life with exuberance and passion for
serving his beloved Virginia. He was a true leader on behalf of all
Virginians and Americans, and as a member of the Blue Dog Coalition, he
worked across partisan divides, searching for the common good. I ask
all of my colleagues to join me in support of this legislation, which
will ensure that Norm Sisisky's contributions to his community will be
remembered for generations to come.
Mr. CANTOR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2910, the
Norman Sisisky Post Office Building Designation Act. I am honored today
to pay tribute to Norman Sisisky, who was a colleague and familiar
figure in Virginia politics for many years. It is fitting and proper
that we should honor Norman today on the floor of this House where he
acted so honorably as a public servant since he was elected to Congress
in 1982 until his death earlier this year.
Norman Sisisky spent a lifetime serving Virginia and the United
States, and we are all deeply indebted to this distinguished Virginia
gentleman. Norman first displayed his love for this country when he
enlisted in the Navy as a young man during World War II. His time in
the Navy, though short, left a lasting impression and he never forgot
that we must diligently tend to the needs of the men and women serving
in the military.
At the conclusion of the war, he became a successful businessman and
well known throughout the business community for transforming a small
bottling company into a highly successful soft drink distributor. His
business background and creative thinking proved invaluable when he
later decided to enter elective politics. Norman served in the Virginia
General Assembly for several years before being elected to the House of
Representatives in 1982. Here in Washington, Norman was known as a
staunch defender of our national security and worked tirelessly on
behalf of the men and women who serve our nation in the military.
Norman was particularly effective in building coalitions in support
for key programs and reaching across the aisle on matters of importance
to Virginians. From ensuring adequate funding for aircraft carriers and
submarines to modernizing our weapons systems, he was an ardent voice
on the Armed Services Committee and an ally of every person who wears
the uniform of the United States.
In his District, and throughout Virginia, his reputation as an
outstanding Member of Congress was unparalleled. His legacy of
constituent service, consensus building and selfless service is a model
for all Members of Congress.
The people of the Fourth District, the Commonwealth of Virginia and
the United States of America have truly benefited from his dedicated
service and at this time of national crisis his military mind and
Congressional experience are sorely missed. Norman was successful in
every aspect of his life and we rightly dedicate this post office in
his memory today.
Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for
time, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. FORBES. Mr. Speaker, I have no additional requests for time, and
I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Petri). The question is on the motion
offered by the gentlewoman from Virginia (Mrs. Jo Ann Davis) that the
House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 2910.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of
those present have voted in the affirmative.
Mr. FORBES. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.

[[Page H7379]]

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be
postponed.

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