[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 49 (Wednesday, March 26, 2003)]
[House]
[Pages H2331-H2333]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   FLOYD SPENCE POST OFFICE BUILDING

  Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 917) to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 1830 South Lake Drive in Lexington, South Carolina, 
as the ``Floyd Spence Post Office Building''.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                                H.R. 917

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

     SECTION 1. FLOYD SPENCE POST OFFICE BUILDING.

       (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal 
     Service located at 1830 South Lake Drive in Lexington, South 
     Carolina, shall be known and designated as the ``Floyd Spence 
     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 Floyd Spence Post Office Building.

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


                             General Leave

  Mr. DUNCAN. 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 under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Tennessee?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, it is a real honor and privilege for me to bring this 
particular legislation to the floor at this time because Floyd Spence 
was a close, personal friend of mine and one of the greatest Members 
this body has ever seen. I had the privilege of traveling several 
different places with Congressman Spence and working with him on many 
different pieces of legislation.
  H.R. 917, introduced by the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. 
Wilson), a great and honorable replacement for Congressman Spence, 
designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 
1830 South Lake Drive in Lexington, South Carolina, as the Floyd Spence 
Post Office Building. The entire House delegation from the State of 
South Carolina has signed on as cosponsors of this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, Congressman Floyd Spence served for 16 terms in this 
House and was unquestionably one of its most influential and devoted 
Members. Congressman Spence was first elected to this body in 1970 and 
was re-elected 15 times by the citizens of South Carolina's 2nd 
District before sadly passing away on August 16, 2001. His diligence 
for his constituents, the people of South Carolina, indeed all of 
America, was legendary.
  As a Member of this House, Congressman Spence chaired the Committee 
on Armed Services for 6 years. Chairing the Committee on Armed Services 
was one of the most appropriate congressional positions Congressman 
Spence could have held because for much of his adult life he served in 
the United States Naval Reserves.
  After graduating from the University of South Carolina in 1952, where 
he had a great athletic career, he initially was commissioned as an 
ensign and later served as the group commander of all naval reserve 
units in his hometown of Columbia, South Carolina. In 1988, Congressman 
Spence retired from the naval reserves as a captain.
  During his career in the House, he made no mistake about his priority 
to protect all Americans by being one of the strongest advocates for a 
strong national defense. Furthermore, many have looked back and 
credited Congressman Spence for his presence in recognizing the threat 
that terrorism posed against our country, despite the fact that he 
passed away less than one month before September 11, 2001.
  This House will always miss the contributions of Congressman Floyd 
Spence, as well as the wonderful person with a great sense of humor and 
great kindness and compassion that he had for all people.
  Mr. Speaker, for these reasons I urge all Members to support the 
adoption of H.R. 917. I thank my colleague from South Carolina for 
introducing this important measure.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
might consume.
  (Mr. DAVIS of Illinois asked and was given permission to revise and 
extend his remarks.)
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 917, which names a postal 
facility located at 1830 South Lake Drive in Lexington, South Carolina, 
after Floyd Spence, was introduced on February 25, 2003, by the 
gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Wilson).
  Floyd D. Spence, a former Member of Congress, was born in Columbia, 
South Carolina, in 1928. He was a graduate of Lexington High School and 
the University of South Carolina. He served in the United States Navy 
first as an ensign and later as group commander before he retired as a 
captain from the U.S. Naval Reserve in 1988.
  As a Democrat, Floyd Spence was first elected to public office in 
1956 as a member of the South Carolina State House of Representatives. 
He later switched to the Republican party and went on to serve in the 
State Senate. He was first elected to the U.S. House of 
Representatives, representing the 2nd Congressional District of South 
Carolina, in 1970. He served as chairman of the House Committee on 
National Security from 1995 to 1999 and as Chairman of the House 
Committee on Armed Services from 1991 to 2001. In the last Congress, he 
served on the House Committee on Armed Services and Committee on 
Veterans Affairs.
  Mr. Speaker, Representative Floyd Spence represented his district for 
31 years until his untimely death on August 16, 2001. He truly is 
deserving of this honor, and I urge swift passage of this measure.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all remaining 
time on this legislation on our side be controlled by the gentleman 
from Connecticut (Mr. Shays).
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Tennessee?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I might consume, 
which will not be much because we have already put on the record that 
Floyd Spence was a tremendous Member of Congress and an outstanding 
public servant; and we are just eager to move forward on this piece of 
legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman 
from South Carolina (Mr. Wilson).
  Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for 
yielding me the time.
  It is a great honor for me to be the author of this particular bill 
to name the postal facility of the city of Lexington, which is located 
in the Red Bank community, which is the central part of Lexington 
County. It is very appropriate, and I want to thank my colleagues, the 
balance of the South Carolina delegation, Mr. Brown, Mr.

[[Page H2332]]

DeMint, Mr. Barrett, Mr. Spratt and Mr. Clyburn, for joining with me as 
cosponsors of this bill.
  It is very appropriate that the Lexington Post Office be named in 
honor of Congressman Floyd Spence. The reason is that he was the 
favorite son of Lexington County. He ran for public office in the 20th 
century and was elected and reelected more times than any other elected 
official in our county and actually in our region in the midlands of 
South Carolina.
  Additionally, he, by becoming Chairman of the Committee on National 
Security, which is the Committee on Armed Services, he achieved the 
highest position in national government of any person ever from the 
midlands of South Carolina. We are very grateful for his service; and 
it is just so appropriate, again, to give him this recognition.
  Congressman Spence was born April 9, 1928, in Columbia, our capital 
city, and he passed away on August 16, 2001. He was the son of James 
Wilson Spence and Addie Jane Lucas Spence of Lexington County. He was 
married to the late Lula Hancock Drake of Drake, South Carolina, in 
Marlboro County in 1952; and they had four sons, who are all 
outstanding in our community, David, Zack, Benjamin and Caldwell.
  When the Congressman was elected in 1970, Lu was so special. She 
truly raised the four boys. In fact, their home was known as Lexington, 
District of Columbia. She, in effect, really with the four sons had 
virtually on the shores of Lake Marion a recreation center where she 
was the surrogate mother for dozens of young people in our community; 
and she was quite beloved until she passed away in 1978.
  Then Congressman Spence married 10 years later Deborah Ellen Williams 
of Lexington. Debbie Spence indeed is another very dear lady; and she 
has been given such due credit as being the person who helped 
Congressman Spence in his recuperation from a very historic operation, 
being a double lung transplant.

                              {time}  1245

  Mr. Spence is believed to be the fifth person in the United States to 
have this experimental operation, and it is due to her loving care that 
he recuperated and continued his service in Congress.
  Congressman Spence began his leadership career very early. He was 
president of the student body at Lexington High School. He then went to 
play All-State Football. He was on the South Carolina Shrine Bowl team, 
and he went to the University of South Carolina where he was president 
of the student body. He was recognized by ODK Fraternity as one of the 
great leaders of the school. He received the Algernon Sidney Sullivan 
Award as the outstanding male graduate. He was on the football and 
basketball teams and was captain of the track team. He was also a 
member of Kappa Sigma Kappa fraternity. He then went on to the 
University of South Carolina Law School where he achieved the highest 
position available at the law school, and that was to be editor of the 
law review.
  His military service includes service in the U.S. Navy during the 
Korean Conflict. Then he returned to South Carolina and became the 
commanding officer of all Naval reserve units in South Carolina. He 
retired in 1988 as a captain in the U.S. Navy, but still devoted to the 
Reserves.
  He was a former church councilmember and Sunday school teacher at St. 
Peter's Lutheran Church in Lexington, he was the first president of the 
Lexington Historical Society, and he was chairman of the Lexington 
County Mental Health Association.
  In his political career, he was first elected in 1956 as a very young 
person, as a Democrat to the House of Representatives in South 
Carolina. Then in 1962 he switched to the Republican Party beginning a 
very historic realignment and political revolution in South Carolina. 
He was the first elected official to switch parties. This was very 
historic and brave on his part in that in the 20th century prior to his 
switching parties, there had only been one Republican in the House of 
Representatives in the entire 20th century, and that was in 1961, 
Charles Boineau was elected to the House of Representatives from 
Richland County in a special election. And so by his switching parties, 
he immediately doubled the number of elected Republicans in public 
office.
  That has led to the realignment which was completed this year where 
now the Republican Party in South Carolina has a majority in the State 
House, the State Senate and Governor for the first time since 1877, and 
many of us credit the late Congressman Floyd Spence and his integrity 
in switching to the Republican Party.
  In the General Assembly, he ultimately was elected to the State 
Senate in 1966 and served for 4 years. He was a leader in establishing 
the technical college system in South Carolina, which has been so 
instrumental in our efforts to recruit industry to South Carolina and 
provide good jobs for the people of South Carolina.
  Additionally, he was one of the lead authors of the bill which 
established the Lexington Medical Center, which is one of the largest 
hospitals in all of South Carolina. In Congress, he was elected in 
1970. He was very proud of his service on the Committee on Veterans 
Affairs. He worked very hard as the ranking member of the House 
Committee on Official Standards, which is the ethics committee. I 
remember so well his feeling so strongly about serving on that 
particular committee which gets no real public attention.
  Then of course we were so proud he was selected and elected as the 
chairman of the Committee on National Security, which is now the 
Committee on Armed Services, where he led the effort to warn against 
terrorism. He pointed out that steps needed to be taken. He was a 
leader on that effort, and he was also a leader in promoting a 
ballistic missile defense system, working very closely with President 
Reagan.
  In terms of his community service, we are pleased he was active with 
the Boy Scouts. At the age of 17, he was a scout master. He was awarded 
by Governor Jim Edwards and Governor Campbell of South Carolina the 
highest honor of a citizen of South Carolina, being the Order of 
Palmetto.
  He received a Doctor of Law degree from the Citadel in Charleston and 
also a Doctor of Public Service degree from the University of South 
Carolina.
  When I think of Congressman Floyd Spence, I think of the political 
courage he had and also the personal courage. In 1988, he had a double-
lung transplant. He had been suffering from a disease which had 
affected his lungs to the point he was near imminent death; but thanks 
to a wonderful doctor, Dr. Seshadri Laju, of Jackson, Mississippi, 
Congressman Spence was the beneficiary of a double-lung transplant. He 
survived from this and then in fact in the year 2000 had a kidney 
transplant. In South Carolina, we are very proud of Congressman Floyd 
Spence as the miracle Congressman, and it is with great pleasure that I 
urge adoption of the resolution.
  Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. 
Wilson) for introducing this legislation. I want to say to the 
gentleman that I am certain that Floyd Spence would be very proud of 
the job he is now doing for the people of his district, which is the 
district Floyd Spence represented before.
  Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, Floyd Spence was a true Southern gentleman, 
a good friend, a dedicated Congressman, and a champion of a strong 
national defense. I had the pleasure of serving with him on the Armed 
Services Committee during his chairmanship, and I found that he always 
worked for the betterment of our men and women in uniform and of our 
national security. I miss him very much.
  About 2 years ago, an overflow crowd gathered in the House Armed 
Services Committee hearing room for the unveiling of Floyd's portrait 
as chairman of committee. Often we do not have the chance to let 
friends know how we feel about them before they are gone, so I am very 
grateful that we had that evening together to enjoy Floyd's company and 
let him know how much he meant to us.
  Floyd Spence began serving his country as an active duty member of 
the U.S. Naval Reserve during the Korean conflict. That service 
continued until the end of his life. Our former chairman understood 
that our Nation needs a strong national defense, and he worked 
tirelessly with Members on both sides of the aisle to strengthen our 
Armed Forces, and to take care of our men and women in uniform and 
their families. No one spoke out more forcefully on the need to 
maintain readiness. On rare occasion, we disagreed. But never 
disagreeably. Our relationship was one of mutual

[[Page H2333]]

respect based on values which we both learned in small towns named 
Lexington--one in South Carolina and one in Missouri.
  During the years Floyd Spence served on the House Armed Services 
Committee, he blessed us with his leadership; honored us with his 
friendship; and inspired us with his courage. Floyd Spence was 
courteous, thoughtful, respectful of others. It was a pleasure for me 
to serve in Congress with this decent, fair, and honorable man. We are 
all the richer for his years of dedicated service to the Armed Services 
Committee, the Congress, the people of South Carolina, and the Nation. 
It is so fitting that we act to name the post office in Floyd Spence's 
hometown in his honor.
  Mr. JEFF MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker. I rise today in support of 
H.R. 917, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service 
located at 1830 South Lake Drive in Lexington, South Carolina, as the 
``Floyd Spence Post Office Building.''
  Floyd Spence began his political career as a Democrat in the South 
Carolina House of Representatives in 1956, but he is remembered for 
having the foresight and the courage to switch parties. In 1962, he 
became the first member of the General Assembly to switch to the 
Republican Party, which helped pioneer the development of the two-party 
system in South Carolina. In 1966, he was elected as a Republican to 
the South Carolina Senate where he served as the Senate Minority 
Leader.
  In 1971, Congressman Spence was elected to the Ninety-second 
Congress, and represented South Carolina's Second Congressional 
district for thirty years. During his tenure, he served in a numerous 
positions of leadership: For thirteen years, he was the Ranking Member 
of the Ethics Committee. In the 104th Congress, he was elected to 
represent the Tidewater Region on the Republican Policy Committee. He 
also served as Chairman of the Committee on National Security and after 
serving as Ranking Member, became Chairman of the Armed Services 
Committee following the 1995 Republican takeover of the House.
  One of the longest-serving Republicans in the House of 
Representatives, Floyd Spence maintained one of the highest voting 
attendance records, while consistently supporting a strong national 
defense and fiscal integrity. Spence once said, ``I make no bones about 
the fact my Number One priority is defending this country.''
  He drew his passion for the military from his own experiences. After 
graduating from the University of South Carolina in 1952, Spence was 
commissioned as an ensign in the U.S. Navy and served aboard the USS 
Carter Hall (LSD-3) and the LSM-397. He was the Group Commander of all 
Naval Reserve Units in Columbia, South Carolina, and was the Commanding 
Officer of a Naval Reserve Surface Division. After more than 40 years 
in the United States Naval Reserve, the Congressman retired as a 
Captain in 1988. Spence was a member of the American Legion, Sons of 
Confederate Veterans, and Veterans of Foreign Wars.
  Congressman Spence was a longtime Pentagon booster from a state that, 
like my home state of Florida, benefited greatly from his advocacy. He 
supported the Reagan administration military buildup and opposed the 
size of post-Cold Ware defense cuts made during the Clinton 
administration.
  Congressman Spence was known for his amiable ways. Although opponents 
often criticized the lack of his own legislation, Spence was a proud 
voice against big Washington government and he resisted introducing 
federal legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, Floyd Spence was recognized around the world as an 
authority on defense issues and Communism. His tireless efforts on 
behalf of our national defense are a testimony to his enduring will to 
serve and to triumph in the face of adversity. Here is Washington and 
at home, he was recognized as a man of fiscal integrity and true 
legislative restraint. As President Bush stated upon his death in 2001, 
Floyd Spence will be remembered as a true friend of the men and women 
in our armed services and as a servant of his fellow South Carolinians. 
He was a leader of great courage and determination.
  Mr. Speaker, although I did not have the opportunity to serve with 
Congressman Spence, I learned a great deal from his example. It is with 
great admiration that I today support the dedication of the Floyd 
Spence Post Office Building to a true American patriot.
  Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Stearns). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Duncan) that the House 
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 917.
  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.

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