[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 144 (Wednesday, October 15, 2003)]
[House]
[Pages H9403-H9404]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     EDDIE MAE STEWARD POST OFFICE

  Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 1883) to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 1601-1 Main Street in Jacksonville, Florida, as the 
``Eddie Mae Steward Post Office.''
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 1883

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

     SECTION 1. DESIGNATION.

       The facility of the United States Postal Service located at 
     1601-1 Main Street in Jacksonville, Florida, shall be known 
     and designated as the ``Eddie Mae Steward Post Office''.

     SEC. 2. REFERENCES.

       Any reference in a law, map, regulation, document, paper, 
     or other record of the United States to the facility referred 
     to in section 1 shall be deemed to be a reference to the 
     Eddie Mae Steward Post Office.

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


                             General Leave

  Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their 
remarks on H.R. 1883.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Ohio?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1883 was introduced by our esteemed colleague, the 
gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Corrine Brown), which designates this 
postal facility in Jacksonville, Florida, as the Eddie Mae Steward Post 
Office.

                              {time}  1515

  All Members of the Florida State delegation have cosponsored the 
legislation as is required by the rules of our committee.
  Eddie Mae Steward lived nearly her entire life in Duval County, 
Florida. She became an institution in that area. After graduating from 
Douglas Anderson High School and Edward Waters College in Jacksonville, 
she began a life of public activism. Ms. Steward became the first 
female president of the local NAACP chapter in Jacksonville and rose to 
the level of Florida State president of the NAACP. Naming this post 
office after her in Jacksonville would be a wonderful tribute to her 
life of philanthropy.
  Mr. Speaker, Eddie Mae Steward sadly passed away in March of 2001 at 
the age of 61. The gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Corrine Brown) 
introduced identical legislation to 1883 last year, and it passed the 
House, but not the Senate, before the end of the 107th Congress. With 
today's passage by the House, we would hope that H.R. 1883 can be 
presented to the President for his signature before the end of this 
Congress.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. WEXLER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
Florida (Ms. Corrine Brown).
  Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I am thrilled to see this 
bill on the floor of the House today to dedicate a post office in 
Jacksonville to Ms. Eddie Mae Steward. Eddie Mae Steward left her mark 
on her community in many ways.
  Eddie Mae Steward single-handedly launched the effort that led to the 
court-ordered desegregation of Duval County's public schools, she was 
the first female president of the Jacksonville branch of the NAACP, and 
served as the State NAACP president from 1973 to 1974.
  She also served as the secretary of the Duval County Democratic 
Executive Committee. A graduate of Edward Waters College in 
Jacksonville, she was truly a dedicated civil rights activist.
  Ms. Steward was the first to take on the fight to improve the 
infrastructure of public schools for children in Jacksonville. One 
school in particular, Boylan Haven, a private school for African 
American girls, was described to be unfit by any standard. Ms. Steward 
took on the local school board, and after a three-week battle and 
intense pressure from Ms. Steward and local civil rights activists, the 
school board decided to send the students to other area schools. Today, 
Eddie Mae Steward remains a tribute to those willing to undertake great 
risks to bring about social justice.
  Much like those before her who struggled against the injustice of 
status quo, she was referred to as a ``troublemaker.'' However, it was 
fundamental fairness, strong principles, and the strength of her 
conviction that led her to become a visionary and courageous leader.
  Ms. Steward leaves six children. And I am honored to recognize Eddie 
Mae Steward with this post office designation. I urge support for this 
measure.
  Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I would advise the gentlewoman from 
California (Ms. Watson) that we have no additional speakers. I am 
prepared to yield back when she is.
  Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, as a member of the House Committee on Government Reform, 
I rise in support of H.R. 1883 which names a postal facility in 
Jacksonville, Florida, after Eddie Mae Steward. This bill was sponsored 
by the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Corrine Brown) and has the support 
and cosponsorship of the entire Florida State delegation. The measure 
was unanimously reported out of committee on September 12, 2003.
  Eddie Mae Steward, a native Floridian and lifelong resident of the 
Jacksonville community, was well known as a community leader and civil 
rights activist. She began her career as a civil rights advocate when 
she filed the suit for desegregation for the Duval County School 
System. She continued her efforts on behalf of her community by leading 
a series of successful fights to improve run-down public schools in 
Jacksonville.
  In 1972, Eddie Mae Steward became the first female president of the 
Jacksonville branch of the National Association for the Advancement of 
Colored People, a position she held for 6 years. She also served as the 
Florida State NAACP president from 1973 to 1974, as well as secretary 
of the Duval County Democratic Executive Committee. Sadly, she passed 
away on March 5, 2000.
  Mr. Speaker, I commend my colleagues for seeking to honor the late 
Eddie Mae Steward by naming a postal facility near her family home in 
Jacksonville, Florida. I urge the swift passage of H.R. 1883.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of the bill, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.

[[Page H9404]]

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Petri). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. LaTourette) that the House 
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1883.
  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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