[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 153 (Tuesday, October 28, 2003)]
[House]
[Pages H9836-H9837]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    DAVID BYBEE POST OFFICE BUILDING

  Mrs. JO ANN DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the 
rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2744) to designate the facility of the 
United States Postal Service located at 514 17th Street in Moline, 
Illinois, as the ``David Bybee Post Office Building''.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 2744

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

     SECTION 1. DAVID BYBEE POST OFFICE BUILDING.

       (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal 
     Service located at 514 17th Street in Moline, Illinois, shall 
     be known and designated as the ``David Bybee 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 David Bybee Post Office Building.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Virginia (Mrs. Jo Ann Davis) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. 
Davis) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Virginia (Mrs. Jo Ann 
Davis).


                             General Leave

  Mrs. JO ANN DAVIS of Virginia. 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 
gentlewoman from Virginia?
  There was no objection.
  Mrs. JO ANN DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time 
as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, my esteemed colleague, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. 
Evans), introduced H.R. 2744, a bill that honors the life of a diligent 
and admired member of the U.S. Postal Service family, David Bybee. Mr. 
Bybee served the Postal Service for 33 years as a letter carrier in 
Moline, Illinois. He was an active member of the National Association 
of Letter Carriers, representing thousands of postal employees in 
Illinois as the NALC's National Business Agent for the Chicago area. 
Away from work, Mr. Bybee was a fire chief, school board member, Elks 
Club member, and he enjoyed, most of all, spending as much time as he 
could with his family.
  Mr. Speaker, David Bybee sadly passed away on May 31, 2002. He is 
survived by his wife, Judy; his two sons, Michael and John; his mother, 
Marilla; his brother, Richard; and three grandchildren, Ryan, Brandon 
and Jennifer. I want to join with the gentleman from Illinois to offer 
the best wishes of this House to the family of David Bybee.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to express gratitude to the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Evans) for his valuable work on H.R. 2744, and I urge all 
Members to support its passage.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
might consume.
  As a member of the Committee on Government Reform, I rise in support 
of H.R. 2744, legislation naming a postal facility located at 514 17th 
Street in Moline, Illinois, after David Bybee. H.R. 2744, introduced by 
the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Evans) on July 15, 2003, was 
unanimously approved by our committee on October 8, 2003. The bill has 
met the Committee on Government Reform policy and has the support and 
cosponsorship of the entire Illinois State delegation.
  Mr. David Bybee began his career with the Postal Service as a letter 
carrier. He was later elected president of the Letter Carriers Local 
318. Mr. Bybee worked as the National Association of Letter Carriers' 
National Business Agent in Chicago, Region 3, for the last 25 years of 
his service, and in September of 2000, he retired after 33 years of 
working at the Moline Post Office.
  A family man, David Bybee was active in the union and in his 
community. He served as a vice president of the Illinois AFL-CIO, was a 
fire chief, school board member and active in the Moline Elks Club. 
Sadly, he passed away on May 31, 2002.
  Mr. Speaker, I commend my colleague for seeking to honor the legacy 
of David Bybee and urge the swift adoption of this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he might consume to the gentleman 
from Illinois (Mr. Evans).
  Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2744, designating 
the post office in Moline, Illinois, after my good friend Dave Bybee, 
who passed away in May of last year.
  Dave served as a letter carrier and union leader for 33 years within 
the very building I seek to name after him. He became a letter carrier 
for the postal service in 1967, and after only 2 years on the job, was 
elected president of Letter Carriers Local 318.
  Dave Bybee held various positions within the Illinois State Letter 
Carriers Association from 1971 to 1977. He was elected National 
Business Agent for the National Association for Letter

[[Page H9837]]

Carriers for the entire Chicago region in 1980. He held this position 
and also served as vice president of the AFL-CIO until his untimely 
death on May 31, 2002.
  Dave worked hard on behalf of America's letter carriers, traveled 
thousands of miles to fight for them and advocate for their interests. 
He was well respected by retirees, who knew they had a good friend 
fighting for their interests and benefits.
  Dave Bybee's dedication to his fellow workers did not interfere with 
his devotion to his wife and two sons, Michael and John. In addition to 
a full and rewarding family life, he also found time to serve his 
community as the fire chief of Carbon Cliff and as a school board 
member, and to remain active on the Moline Elks Club. He had a 
wonderful sense of humor; and no matter how tired he was from work and 
travel, he could always manage to make any group he was visiting or 
speaking to laugh and smile. When he passed away, letter carriers and 
postal officials from across the State and the Nation traveled to pay 
their respects to Dave Bybee.
  Mr. Speaker, I am proud to sponsor this legislation in honor of Dave 
Bybee, a nationally known letter carrier, who served not only his 
fellow workers but also his community and friends. It is my hope his 
name will forever be identified within the institution to which he 
dedicated so much time and energy. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 
2744, to rename the U.S. post office in Moline, Illinois, after my good 
friend, Dave Bybee.
  Mr. Speaker, today we will address legislation to name the United 
States Post Office at 514 17th Street in Moline, Illinois after my 
friend, David Bybee, who passed away in May of last year.
  Dave Bybee served as a letter carrier and union leader for 33 years 
within the very building I seek to name after him. It is my hope that 
his name will forever be identified with the institution to which he 
dedicated so much time and effort.
  Dave became a letter carrier for the Postal Service in 1967 and after 
only two years on the job was elected President of Letter Carriers 
Local 318. He then became the Regional Administrative Assistant and 
concurrently the Secretary to the Illinois State Association of Letter 
Carriers from 1971 to 1977. In 1980, Mr. Bybee was elected the National 
Business Agent to the National Association of Letter Carriers for the 
17,000 strong Chicago Region. He held that office and concurrently 
served as a Vice President of the Illinois AFL-CIO until his death on 
May 31, 2002.
  Dave worked tirelessly on behalf of Illinois' letter carriers, 
traveling thousands of miles in Illinois and across the nation to 
represent them. Dave was also well-respected by retirees, who knew they 
had a good friend and leader fighting for their benefits. In 1992, 
recognizing Dave's hard work and lifetime of dedication, the building 
housing Letter Carriers Local 318 was named the David M. Bybee Branch 
of the National Association of Letter Carriers in his honor.
  David Bybee was also civically active, and had many friends within 
the Illinois Congressional delegation and state legislature on both 
sides of the aisle. He served as a member of the Electoral College in 
two national elections.
  His dedication to his fellow workers did not interfere with his 
devotion to his wife, Judy, and their two sons, Michael and John. In 
addition to a full and rewarding family life, he still found time to 
serve his community as the fire chief of Carbon Cliff and as a school 
board member, and remain active in the Moline Elks Club.
  Dave had a wonderful sense of humor and no matter how tired he was 
from work and travel, he could always manage to make any group he was 
visiting or speaking to laugh and smile. When he passed away, letter 
carriers and postal officials from all over the state and nation 
traveled to Moline to pay their respects.
  Mr. Speaker, I am proud to sponsor this legislation in honor of David 
Bybee, a national labor leader who served not only his fellow workers, 
but also his community and family. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 
2744, to rename the U.S. Post Office in Moline, Illinois after my 
friend David Bybee.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for 
time, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mrs. JO ANN DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance 
of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from Virginia (Mrs. Jo Ann Davis) that the House suspend 
the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 2744.
  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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