[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 12 (Tuesday, February 12, 2002)]
[House]
[Pages H245-H247]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     BOB DAVIS POST OFFICE BUILDING

  Mr. PUTNAM. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 2577) to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 310 South State Street in St.

[[Page H246]]

Ignace, Michigan, as the ``Bob Davis Post Office Building.''
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 2577

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

     SECTION 1. BOB DAVIS POST OFFICE BUILDING.

       (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal 
     Service located at 310 South State Street in St. Ignace, 
     Michigan, shall be known and designated as the ``Bob Davis 
     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 Bob Davis Post Office Building.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Florida (Mr. Putnam) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Putnam).


                             General Leave

  Mr. PUTNAM. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their 
remarks on the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Florida?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. PUTNAM. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, H.R. 2577, introduced by our distinguished colleague, 
the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Stupak), designates the facility of 
the United States Postal Service located at 310 South State Street in 
St. Ignace, Michigan, as the Bob Davis Post Office Building. Members of 
the entire House delegation from the State of Michigan are cosponsors 
of this legislation.
  Madam Speaker, Bob Davis served in the House of Representatives for 
14 years, from 1979 to 1993. He was a member of the House Committee on 
Armed Services and was also ranking member of the Committee on Merchant 
Marine and Fisheries.
  Among his final acts was sponsorship of the law that created the 
Calumet Historic Park on Michigan's Keweenaw Peninsula. Madam Speaker, 
I urge adoption of H.R. 2577.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Madam Speaker, as a member of the House Committee on Government 
Reform, I am pleased to join my colleague in consideration of H.R. 
2577, legislation naming a post office after former Representative 
Robert W. Davis of Michigan, H.R. 2577, introduced by the gentleman 
from Michigan (Mr. Stupak) on July 19, 2001. This legislation has met 
the committee requirement and is supported and cosponsored by the 
entire Michigan delegation.
  Former Representative Bob Davis began his political career in local 
and State politics. He served on the St. Ignace City Council and in the 
Michigan house and senate. Elected to Congress in 1978, Bob Davis 
represented the 11th Congressional District and served until the end of 
the 102nd Congress. A member of House Committee on Armed Services and 
the Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, former Representative 
Bob Davis worked hard to promote funding for the Coast Guard and to 
assist local businesses to secure Federal contracts.
  He was an ideal Representative, always looking after the needs of his 
constituents.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. PUTNAM. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
Indiana (Mr. Burton), the distinguished chairman of the Committee on 
Government Reform.
  Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Madam Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman from 
Florida (Mr. Putnam) for yielding me time; and I appreciate the 
gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Stupak) for introducing this legislation.
  I think the achievements of Bob Davis have been covered and will be 
covered by the colleagues of mine from the Michigan delegation, but one 
thing I would like to say is that I was a personal friend of Bob Davis 
while he was a Member of the House. We participated in sports 
activities as well as cosponsored legislation here on the floor of the 
House. There was no finer Representative from the State of Michigan 
than Bob Davis.
  He was an outstanding Member. He really cared about his constituents, 
and he worked very, very hard. He continues to work hard here in 
Washington, D.C., advising Members of Congress about legislation that 
he has an interest in.
  So if Bob Davis is watching, we are glad to do this today. We are 
very happy to name this post office after you. I hope all the people of 
his district appreciate the work you have put forth on their behalf.
  Bob Davis was born in Marquette, Michigan. He graduated from high 
school in St. Ignace, Michigan.
  He attended Northern Michigan University and Hillsdale College, and 
graduated from Wayne State University in 1954 with a degree in Mortuary 
Science.
  After working as a mortician and funeral director in St. Ignace, Bob 
was elected to the City Council in 1964 and to the Michigan House of 
Representatives in 1966.
  Bob served in the Michigan House of Representatives from 1966 until 
170, when he was elected to the Michigan Senate.
  Bob served in the Michigan Senate until 1978. He was Senate 
Republican Leader from 1974 until 1978.
  Bob was first elected to the United States House of Representatives 
in 1978. He was elected to six more terms before retiring in 1992.
  Bob served on the Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee and the 
Armed Services Committee. He was a tireless advocate for his district's 
interests, and a great supporter of the United States Coast Guard.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may 
consume the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Stupak).
  Mr. STUPAK. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. 
Davis) for yielding me time.
  Madam Speaker, I am pleased to offer H.R. 2577, to designate the 
facility of the United States Postal Service located at 310 South State 
Street in St. Ignace, Michigan, as the Bob Davis Post Office.
  Nearly 30 years of public service is a record that Bob Davis has 
compiled to the people of northern Michigan, and I think that years of 
service deserves recognition. The designation of this post office will 
be a fitting tribute to a person who worked to improve the quality of 
life for the people not only of northern Michigan, but all of Michigan.
  Mr. Davis started out as a funeral director, much like Mr. Bliley who 
we just honored a few minutes ago. He was the head of the Davis Funeral 
Home in St. Ignace. After that, he got involved in local politics and 
became councilman on the St. Ignace City Council from 1964 to 1966.
  Bob Davis was devoted to the St. Ignace community, as we have heard, 
by serving as president of the St. Ignace Area Chamber of Commerce, 
president of the St. Ignace Area Industrial Development Corporation. He 
has been a member of the local Lions Club, the Masonic Lodge, the Royal 
Arch Masons, Shriner and Eagles Lodge.
  It was through this civic involvement that Bob Davis was then elected 
to State representative in 1966 and elected State senator in 1970, 
becoming the senate majority leader of the Michigan Legislature in 
1974.
  Bob Davis went on and served as a delegate to the Michigan State 
Republican Convention in 1966 through 1978.

                              {time}  1445

  Mr. Davis continued his public service by being elected to Congress, 
serving from January 3, 1979, to January 3, 1993.
  As has been stated, he was the ranking member on the House Committee 
on Armed Services and was especially involved in the Subcommittee on 
Military Research and Development. He was also ranking member on the 
merchant marine and fisheries committee.
  Among one of his final acts, a project we all continue to work on and 
Mr. Davis was very proud of, was the sponsorship of the law that 
created the Calumet Historical Park on the beautiful Keweenaw 
Peninsula.
  His district office, he was the first one to start putting forth 
district offices, focused on case work and economic development, 
proving his devotion to constituent service and economic development in 
a very tough area of northern Michigan.
  He returned home to Michigan virtually every other weekend, 
crisscrossing a district that is one of the

[[Page H247]]

largest in the United States. Madam Speaker, I know how big this 
district is. Twice now it has been reapportioned, and twice it has 
gotten larger each time, and right now it is one of the largest in the 
United States. So just getting back and forth and traversing that large 
district in and of itself is a chore that we undertake. As I said, Mr. 
Davis did it every other weekend.
  So I think, Madam Speaker, a fitting tribute to Bob Davis' service to 
northern Michigan would be naming the St. Ignace Post Office after him, 
the Bob Davis Post Office, and I would like to thank the chairman of 
the Committee on Government Reform, the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. 
Burton); and the gentleman from California (Mr. Waxman), the ranking 
member; the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Putnam); and the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Davis) for their courtesies, and I ask all my colleagues 
to support this bill.
  Mr. PUTNAM. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  We have no further speakers on this side. It is clear that Mr. Davis 
again enjoys broad support and respect from both sides of the aisle, 
and we appreciate the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Stupak) bringing his 
accomplishments to the attention of the House. Madam Speaker, I urge 
adoption of this measure.
  Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, we have no further speakers, 
and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. Biggert). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Putnam) that the House 
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 2577.
  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.

                          ____________________