[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 108 (Monday, July 21, 2003)]
[House]
[Pages H7184-H7186]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
ROBERT A. BORSKI POST OFFICE BUILDING
Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill
(H.R. 2328) to designate the facility of the United States Postal
Service located at 2001 East Willard Street in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, as the ``Robert A. Borski Post Office Building.''
The Clerk read as follows:
H.R. 2328
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. ROBERT A. BORSKI POST OFFICE BUILDING.
(a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal
Service located at 2001 East Willard Street in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, shall be known and designated as the ``Robert
A. Borski 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 A. Borski Post Office Building.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Connecticut (Mr. Shays) and the gentlewoman from the District of
Columbia (Ms. Norton) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Shays).
General Leave
Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days in 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 Connecticut?
There was no objection.
Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2328, introduced by the gentleman from
Pennsylvania (Mr. Hoeffel), designates the facility of the United
States Postal Service located at 2001 East Willard Street in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as the Robert A. Borski Post Office
Building.
Mr. Speaker, this legislation honors a devoted former Member of this
body. Former Congressman Robert Borski preceded the gentleman from
Pennsylvania as the U.S. Representative of Pennsylvania's Third
District. The citizens of the Third District in Philadelphia elected
Mr. Borski to the House 10 times before he retired after the 107th
Congress.
He continues to be a good friend to all who worked in this House
with him. It is a deserved tribute to Mr. Borski's public service that
this post office be named after him, and I am pleased the House is
considering this bill today.
Congressman Borski was most active on the House Committee on
Transportation and Infrastructure, where he was the ranking Democratic
member on the Subcommittee on Highways, Transit and Pipelines. He was
also a member of the Democratic Whip operations, serving as the
regional whip for Pennsylvania and Ohio.
Congressman Borski was known especially for his accessibility to his
constituents. He frequently utilized the town hall meeting in his
district to meet with his constituents firsthand. In addition, he
always had at least two offices in Philadelphia to save constituents
from traveling all the way to Washington.
Mr. Speaker, for all these reasons, I want to congratulate the
gentleman from Pennsylvania for his work on this measure that honors
Congressman Robert A. Borski. And just to say on a personal level, that
I have had the honor to have worked with him for most of his 10 terms,
and found him to be extraordinarily hard-working, very dedicated, very
personable, not partisan, but clearly proud to be a Democratic
Representative to this body.
It was a pleasure to serve with him. He is clearly deserving of this
recognition.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I will defer to the gentleman from Philadelphia to
offer the remarks on this former member, but I do want to note that I
served with Mr. Borski, and he was a Member who was particularly
admired in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure where he
was a leader and enjoyed the admiration of Members on both sides of the
aisle in this body.
[[Page H7185]]
Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to my the gentleman
from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Mr. Fattah).
Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from the District of
Columbia for yielding me this time. And let me thank my good friend,
someone who has ably led this Congress in a number of different
fashions, but with whom I have worked closely on the Committee on
Government Reform for many years, the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr.
Shays).
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate this opportunity.
{time} 1500
Mr. Speaker, I have had the honor of knowing Bob Borski for many
years. When I was just some 23, 24 years of age, being elected to the
State House in 1982, he was exiting the same chair that I was going to
sit in, because he was on his way to Washington, leaving the State
House and coming to represent the great city of Philadelphia and our
Commonwealth, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania here in Washington. And
so I rise in support of H.R. 2328.
Congressman Borski served here for many, many terms representing, in
particular, northeast Philadelphia; but his reach went far beyond that,
for he rose to be one of the leading Members of this Congress on
transportation issues. He worked to secure for Pennsylvania and for
many other areas of our Nation the rightful resources that were
necessary to improve and enhance our airports, particularly the
Philadelphia International Airport, our ports, our waterways. Bob
Borski worked tirelessly. He was, in my mind, the most effective Member
of Congress on transportation issues that we have ever had from
Philadelphia. He worked to expand I-95.
We could go through a lot, but one of the things I appreciated about
Bob Borski was the human qualities. He stepped aside, for instance, so
that I could go after a seat on the Committee on Appropriations when he
was the more senior Member from our city, but he felt that he was going
to have a fairly short career at that point and he thought it better
that I go forward.
Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
Mr. FATTAH. I yield to the gentleman from Connecticut.
Mr. SHAYS. I think you should get down on bended knees in gratitude
to the gentleman for doing that.
Mr. FATTAH. And I have been on bended knees many, many times, for
Congressman Borski was just extraordinarily helpful in my own career
and in the careers of other younger Members. Every day he would ask me
about how my family was doing, particularly my young daughter, Cameron.
He was concerned about where she was going to school, what she was
doing, what activities she was involved in, because he had daughters
and he was totally involved in their upbringing. He would make sure
that he made it to their soccer meets. I remember even one time there
was a debate here on the floor and Bob said, look, my daughter's in a
soccer meet, she's on a soccer scholarship over in Virginia, this is
one of her first games and I'm going to go do it.
That is the kind of person he was. He represented our city in the
finest of ways and traditions. I just wish him well as he goes forward.
It is the least that we can do to name a post office in his honor.
There are some Members who get elected to Congress, and it is an honor
for them to be able to serve. I am convinced that Bob Borski is one of
the few Members which this institution was honored by his service. I
just rise today to support this bill. I thank my friend, the gentleman
from the great State of Connecticut, and I thank the gentlewoman from
the District of Columbia for yielding me this time.
Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the
gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter).
(Mr. BEREUTER asked and was given permission to revise and extend
his remarks.)
Mr. BEREUTER. I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time.
Mr. Speaker, we have just heard a number of glowing remarks about
Congressman Robert Borski. They are not exaggerations. He was an
excellent Member of this House. My experience with him came in two
areas: the first, serving on the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure where he was a very senior member. He did perform on
that Committee in an outstanding way. He was very much bipartisan in
his approach even though, of course, he was a confirmed member of the
Democratic Party. I would say also in this respect that he went out of
his way to find a consensus whenever possible. It is often said that
there are show horses and workhorses in this Congress. Definitely Mr.
Borski was a workhorse and a very, very effective one.
The second place I knew him was in my role as the chairman of the
House delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly where Mr. Borski
was one among many Members that do not come from the Committee on
International Relations or from the Committee on Armed Services or the
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence; he came from one of the
authorizing committees that does not have that much involvement in
international affairs under most circumstances. But he played a very
valuable role in this respect. We missed him this past Congress in his
role in that respect. I want to commend him and thank his wife for all
of her patience and his family for all of their patience in giving
Robert's time for working on these international issues as well. I
strongly support the resolution.
Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 additional minute to the gentleman
from Pennsylvania (Mr. Fattah).
Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Speaker, I just wanted to say that on not just the
congressional delegation, Jack Murtha, his colleagues from
Philadelphia, Bob Brady and the sponsor of this bill, Congressman Joe
Hoeffel, that there are many others in our State. With the loss, that
is, with the leaving from Congress of Congressmen Shuster and Borski
now, our State has lost a great deal of seniority and knowledge and
expertise in the transportation areas, but we nonetheless appreciate
their service. And particularly in terms of Bob Borski, the Governor;
the mayor of our city, John F. Street; for many local officials, Bob
Borski was an experienced and practical and commonsense political
leader. We really appreciated his service. We wish him well as he moves
on into other aspects of his life.
I am reminded when he had his going-away get-together here on the
Hill, he had his family around him at the podium. It was symbolic, but
it was really substantive. That is to say that Bob Borski did so much
here in the Congress, did so much to help this country and help his
home State, but at the end of the day and most importantly for him as
he tried to make sure that I understood when he talked about my
daughter, Cameron, that family has to be the most important issue for
all of us. He was a good example of that.
Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from
Pennsylvania (Mr. Hoeffel).
Mr. HOEFFEL. I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me this time and
for her leadership in the committee and on this issue.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2328, the legislation
designating the United States postal facility located at 2001 East
Willard Street in Philadelphia as the Robert A. Borski Post Office
Building.
Congressman Robert Borski was one of the longest-serving members of
the Pennsylvania delegation, having served here for 20 years in
Congress representing the Third Congressional District of Pennsylvania.
Congressman Borski was a leader on the House Committee on
Transportation and Infrastructure where he served as Ranking Member on
the Subcommittee on Highways, Transit and Pipelines. He fought for a
strong Federal commitment to our Nation's highways and transit systems.
His efforts on the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century
resulted in major infrastructure investment for the Philadelphia
region.
Congressman Borski also worked hard to revitalize urban areas,
supporting both transportation and water infrastructure projects. From
his seat on the Subcommittee on Water Resources, Congressman Borski
pushed for legislation to promote the cleanup of brownfields and to
redevelop urban industrial sites. Congressman Borski also initiated the
effort to reclaim and revitalize the neglected areas along the North
Delaware River in Philadelphia.
[[Page H7186]]
With the support of the entire Pennsylvania congressional
delegation, I introduced H.R. 2328. I selected this specific location
because Bob Borski's late father was a postman who delivered mail from
this facility on Willard Street and his mother still lives in the
delivery area of this post office. The naming of the Borski post
office, accordingly, has a very rich symbolic value and makes this
action very meaningful and very emotional for the Borski family.
I first met Bob Borski in 1977 when we were both freshman
legislators in the Pennsylvania State House. We came from very
different backgrounds and very different political worlds, one from the
Richmond neighborhood of Philadelphia, one from suburban Abington, but
we became good friends. We served together for 6 years in the State
House. Bob got here to Congress well before I did; and when I finally
made it, he took me under his wing and served as my mentor. He would
only occasionally give me advice. Sometimes I followed it; sometimes I
did not. I learned after time I should have always followed it. He is a
good man and a good friend.
Mr. Speaker, it is not often that you find an individual with such
dedication and commitment to his community. I am pleased to honor
Congressman Bob Borski in this manner. He is truly deserving of this
honor. I urge swift passage of this legislation.
Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I would just note for the gentleman, we were trying to filibuster a
little bit to give him a chance to get to the Chamber to speak on this
important resolution.
Mr. HOEFFEL. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
Mr. SHAYS. I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania.
Mr. HOEFFEL. I thank the gentleman for yielding. I cannot think of a
more eloquent filibusterer than the gentleman from Connecticut. I thank
him for doing this honor to Bob Borski.
Mr. SHAYS. He deserves it. He is an outstanding man.
Mr. GERLACH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to
support H.R. 2328, designating the facility of the United States Postal
Service located at 2001 East Willard Street in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, as the ``Robert A. Borski Post Office Building''.
Congressman Robert Borski represented Pennsylvania's Third
Congressional District, which encompasses Northeast Philadelphia, the
River Wards, Society Hill and portions of Queen Village for 20 years.
When he retired from Congress last year, he was the third ranking
Democrat on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and was the
ranking member on the Highways and Transit Subcommittee. Congressman
Borski was also a member of the Subcommittee on Railroads, the
Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment, the Congressional
Delegation to the North Atlantic Assembly and the Ad-Hoc Committee on
Irish Affairs.
As a senior member on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
and subcommittee ranking member, Congressman Borski was a vocal
advocate of an improved national transportation system and a strong
federal commitment to public infrastructure and mass transit programs.
In Philadelphia, his legislative efforts have resulted in millions of
dollars for SEPTA, I-95, neighborhood roads, and transportation
improvements, which have benefited the Port of Philadelphia and the
surrounding area.
In addition to his committee assignments, Congressman Borski
represented the concerns of his constituency serving on the Older
Americans Caucus, the Diabetes Caucus and the Prescription Drug Task
Force.
Mr. Borski build a reputation as an accessible representative,
holding public meetings, open office hours and manning two district
offices to serve his constituents. Before being elected to Congress in
1982, Mr. Borski served three terms in the Pennsylvania State House
where he was equally successful.
Mr. Speaker, I think there is no better way to honor Congressman
Borski's 20 plus years of public service than to designate the United
States Postal Service facility located at 2001 East Willard Street in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as the ``Robert A. Borski Post Office
Building''. I urge all of my colleagues to join me today in supporting
H.R. 2328.
Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2328, a
bill to name the U.S. Postal Service facility located at 2001 East
Willard Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania the ``Robert A. Borski
Post Office Building.''
I had the privilege of serving with Bob Borski on the Transportation
and Infrastructure Committee for twenty years. I know him to be a true
public servant, dedicated to the welfare of his constituents in
Pennsylvania's 3rd District, and a steadfast friend. This designation
could not be more well-deserved, and I am proud to be an original
cosponsor of this legislation.
First elected to the 98th Congress, Bob Borski served on the
Transportation Committee for two decades until his retirement at the
end of the 107th Congress. Throughout his distinguished career,
Congressman Borski exemplified the great bipartisan tradition of the
Transportation Committee. From 1995 to 2001, he served as Ranking
Member of the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment where he
and Subcommittee Chairman Boehlert spearheaded the Committee's efforts
for bipartisan solutions to some of the Committee's most difficult
issues, such as clean water, brownfields, and superfund issues. The
Committee's good work on these issues and its ability to pass
bipartisan legislation was due in large part to Congressman Borski's
perseverance, patience, and willingness to find common ground.
In the 107th Congress, Congressman Borski served as Ranking Member of
the Highways and Transit Subcommittee. In that position, he and
Subcommittee Chairman Petri did much of the groundwork for the upcoming
reauthorization of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century
(TEA 21), holding more than a dozen hearings on issues related to the
TEA 21 reauthorization. Last year, Congressman Borski received the
``Distinguished Person of the Year Award'' from the American Public
Transportation Association (APTA) at its annual conference. It is not
often that an association, with a major reauthorization bill just
around the corner, honors a retiring Member of Congress. The fact that
APTA honored Bob Borski is a tribute to him and the work that he has
done to ensure that our communities have safe, affordable
transportation choices.
H.R. 2328 is a fitting tribute to the distinguished career of
Congressman Borski. I urge my colleagues to support it and to honor the
contributions of Bob Borski with this well-deserved designation.
{time} 1515
Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Whitfield). The question is on the
motion offered by the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Shays) that the
House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 2328.
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.
____________________