[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 105 (Monday, July 29, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1411]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


        TREASURY AND GENERAL GOVERNMENT APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2003

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                               speech of

                          HON. DANNY K. DAVIS

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 24, 2002

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 5120) making 
     appropriations for the Treasury Department, the United States 
     Postal Service, the Executive Office of the President, and 
     certain Independent Agencies, for the fiscal year ending 
     September 30, 2003, and for other purposes:

  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I join my colleagues today in 
support the Treasury and General Government Appropriations Act of 2003, 
H.R. 5120.
  This has been an extraordinary year for our nation, and our civil 
servants have responded with professionalism to the threats against our 
borders and assaults against our values. They certainly should be 
counted among our heroes. It is, therefore, most appropriate that all 
Federal employees, both civilians and military members, receive the 
same 4.1% pay raise in FY 2003.
  I am also pleased with the Postal Service Appropriations Act of 2003 
for it reaffirms some of the basic principles of our universal postal 
service--6-day mail delivery, rural delivery of mail, and maintenance 
of post offices in rural areas.
  Since 1912, 6-day delivery of mail has been an essential service that 
the American public has relied upon, particularly working families that 
depend on the Postal Service for the timely delivery of paychecks. 
Ending Saturday mail deliveries would not only cause delays in the 
delivery of mail, but would also cause higher postal costs, due to the 
additional overtime that would be required to handle the resulting 
backlog of mail.
  Another great efficiency in our country is the ability to send a 
letter from rural Arkansas to downtown Chicago--and have confidence in 
knowing it will get there. Whether you live or work in rural or urban 
America, the satisfaction of knowing that you can communicate provides 
peace of mind. Many of our communities have limited methods of 
communication and rely on the post office to provide the glue that 
binds people together. By maintaining rural post offices, we will 
continue to bind together our citizenry.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in support of this appropriations 
bill.

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