[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 66 (Tuesday, May 6, 2003)]
[House]
[Pages H3652-H3653]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 ROBERT P. HAMMER POST OFFICE BUILDING

  Mr. TURNER of Ohio. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (H.R. 1625) to designate the facility of the United 
States Postal Service located at 1114 Main Avenue in Clifton, New 
Jersey, as the ``Robert P. Hammer Post Office Building''.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 1625

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

     SECTION 1. ROBERT P. HAMMER POST OFFICE BUILDING.

       (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal 
     Service located at 1114 Main Avenue in Clifton, New Jersey, 
     shall be known and designated as the ``Robert P. Hammer 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 Robert P. Hammer Post Office Building.

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


                             General Leave

  Mr. TURNER of Ohio. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend 
their remarks on H.R. 1625.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Ohio?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. TURNER of Ohio. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, H.R. 1625, introduced by the gentleman from New Jersey 
(Mr. Pascrell), designates the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 1114 Main Avenue in Clifton, New Jersey, as the 
Robert P. Hammer Post Office Building. The entire delegation from the 
State of New Jersey has cosponsored this legislation.
  Madam Speaker, Robert P. Hammer was the highly regarded city manager 
of the New York City suburb of Clifton. He was credited with promoting 
rapid business expansion which helped to revitalize this northeastern 
New Jersey community. He improved countless roads, city parks, and 
single-handedly orchestrated a complex reorganization of city 
departments that greatly increased their efficiency. Unfortunately, Mr. 
Hammer's 7-year tenure as Clifton city manager and his distinguished 
life was cut tragically short when he passed away last December 20, 
just over 1 week before the beginning of his retirement.
  By scanning the news clips that covered his funeral service last 
December, the words that appear time and again to describe Mr. Hammer 
include ``wonderful,'' ``respected,'' ``friend,'' ``leader'' and even 
``hero.'' The prayers and condolences of this House go out to Mr. 
Hammer's wife, Kathleen, and their five children, Megan, Sean, Kelly, 
Staci and Brett. He was a man who was genuinely devoted to public 
service. He cared deeply about his community, his friends, and his 
family, and worked tirelessly to improve the quality of life for all 
Clifton residents.
  I urge all Members to honor Mr. Hammer by supporting the passage of 
H.R. 1625.

[[Page H3653]]

  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may 
consume to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell).
  Mr. PASCRELL. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. 
Turner) for his generous words.
  I want to also thank this Congress for moving this and putting this 
on a fast track. Hopefully next month this Post Office will open up, 
and it will be a fitting gesture from Congress.
  I rise today to speak in strong support of H.R. 1625, legislation to 
name the new postal facility in Clifton, New Jersey, after a really 
great public servant, Robert P. ``Bob'' Hammer, former city manager of 
Clifton, New Jersey.
  He was a man who understood what public service was all about. He was 
honest. His word was his bond. He had integrity. He was a fixture at 
city hall and in the community, a leader who worked each day to improve 
the life of every Clifton resident. He was a city manager for 7 years 
before succumbing to a serious health problem in December 2002 at the 
age of 54.
  In his position as city manager, Madam Speaker, Bob Hammer oversaw a 
blooming Main Avenue business district. How many towns throughout this 
landscape we call America are older towns trying to fight back and 
become part of the economic dream. It is our hope that the new downtown 
Post Office will be an anchor that holds the redevelopment together and 
brings residents down to the local businesses. This was one of his 
dreams.
  Naming this Post Office after Bob is an appropriate tribute for an 
extraordinary individual. He helped improve city parks and playgrounds 
and ushered in scores of new businesses and homes to this great city 
even during very tough economic times. He was credited with guiding 
Clifton through a period of economic growth all while maintaining 
minimal tax increases. There is no question that Robert Hammer left 
Clifton a better city than when he started.
  How often can we say that for individuals throughout this great 
country, and that is all anybody can ever ask of us, did we leave the 
place a little better than how we found it?
  A father of five, Bob Hammer developed strong friendships with his 
humor and his professionalism. He was a leader in the truest sense of 
word, and a tremendous public servant. My friend and mayor of Clifton, 
New Jersey, James Anzaldi, said that never in his 30 years of service 
in Clifton government has he known anyone with Hammer's leadership 
qualities.
  A native of Stanhope, New Jersey, Bob earned a Master's Degree in 
public administration from Farleigh Dickinson University, and a 
Bachelor's Degree in commerce from Rider College.

                              {time}  1445

  He was a member of the New Jersey and International City Managers 
Association, the New Jersey Finance Officers Association, and New 
Jersey International Clerks' Association. He was also an adjunct staff 
member of Montclair State University, which is also in the Eighth 
Congressional District.
  Before working for Clifton, Bob Hammer was a borough administrator in 
Oakland, Bergen County, and borough administrator in Bloomingdale, 
Passaic County. He was a parishioner of St. Philip the Apostle Roman 
Catholic Church in Clifton and a member of the St. Philip's Knights of 
Columbus. He was also a past president of the Clifton Rotary. He was a 
dedicated husband and a great father and son. I know how proud the 
whole family feels about him.
  Our thoughts are with his wife Kathy; his five children, Megan, 
Kelly, Sean, Brett and Staci; and his parents, Stanley and Vera Hammer, 
of Stanhope, New Jersey. My staff and I have fond memories of working 
with Bob on a host of issues over the years. He was on my 
transportation advisory committee. We worked on Clifton highway 
interchanges, access to mass transit facilities, and pedestrian safety 
measures. Government and politics is all local, as someone who stood in 
your place, Madam Speaker, said many, many times.
  Most recently, I was able to work with Mayor Anzaldi and Bob and 
other Clifton officials and representatives of the U.S. Postal Service 
to make the new postal facility in Clifton, New Jersey, a reality. The 
new postal building, which is currently in its final phase of 
construction, is on schedule to be completed next month. It will 
service the people of Clifton. The fact that this construction got done 
at all is a tribute to Bob Hammer.
  Madam Speaker, I urge the House to pass this fitting tribute to my 
friend and our friend, Bob Hammer.
  Mr. TURNER of Ohio. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I want to thank the gentleman from New Jersey for introducing this 
legislation. I urge all Members to support the passage of this measure.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  I simply join with the gentleman from New Jersey in promoting passage 
of this resolution. I think he has eloquently spoken of the tremendous 
value of Mr. Hammer to the community where he lived and worked. I 
simply join with him and urge swift passage of this resolution.
  Madam Speaker, H.R. 1625, which names a facility of the U.S. Postal 
Service, located at 1114 Main Avenue in Clifton, New Jersey, after 
Robert P. Hammer, was introduced by Representative Bill Pascrell (D-NJ) 
on April 3, 2003.
  Mr. Robert Hammer served as the Clifton City Manager for seven years 
before he passed away on December 20, 2002. Long heralded as a 
distinguished public servant, Mr. Hammer held a number of important 
positions in city government.
  A native of Stanhope, New Jersey, Mr. Hammer had a bachelor's degree 
in Commerce from Rider College and a master's degree in public 
administration from Farleigh Dickinson University. In addition, he was 
a certified municipal finance officer and a registered municipal clerk. 
He served on numerous State associations and was known throughout the 
State for his leadership ability and for being inclusive and promoting 
unity.
  Madam Speaker, the Mayor and City Council of Clifton, New Jersey, 
support this bill. As I understand it, the postal facility to be named 
after Mr. Hammer, is being built in Clifton and should be operational 
this month.
  I support this measure and urge its swift passage.
  Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. TURNER of Ohio. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. Emerson). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Turner) that the House suspend 
the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1625.
  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. TURNER of Ohio. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and 
nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  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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