[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 41 (Monday, March 29, 2004)]
[House]
[Pages H1600-H1601]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   VAUGHN GROSS POST OFFICE BUILDING

  Mr. CARTER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 3723) to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 8135 Forest Lane in Dallas, Texas, as the ``Vaughn 
Gross Post Office Building''.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 3723

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

     SECTION 1. VAUGHN GROSS POST OFFICE BUILDING.

       (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal 
     Service located at 8135 Forest Lane in Dallas, Texas, shall 
     be known and designated as the ``Vaughn Gross 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 Vaughn Gross Post Office Building.

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

                              {time}  1415


                             General Leave

  Mr. CARTER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Boozman). Is there objection to the 
request of the gentleman from Texas?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. CARTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  On behalf of the Committee on Government Reform, I am pleased to rise 
in support of H.R. 3723. This meaningful legislation designates the 
Dallas Postal Service facility as the ``Vaughn Gross Post Office 
Building.''
  Vaughn Gross has spent 35 years educating children in Texas and more 
than 30 of those years working in the Richardson Independent School 
District outside of Dallas. She began her career in the district by 
teaching special education classes at Skyview and Canyon Creek 
Elementary Schools in the 1970s. She later taught second grade students 
for 5 years at Northlake Elementary.
  Ultimately, Vaughn Gross worked her way up to become Assistant 
Principal at Aiken Elementary in 1989. In 1992, she held the same 
position at Brenfield Elementary School. A year later, she was elevated 
to Principal, a capacity in which she served for 6 years. In 1999, 
Vaughn Gross moved over to Hamilton Park Magnet School to act as 
principal there. Today, Ms. Gross is Assistant Superintendent For 
Curriculum and Instruction in the Richardson School District.
  Mr. Speaker, Vaughn Gross is a respected, appreciated leader in the 
Dallas area. She earned a Teacher of the Year Award from the Richardson 
Association of Children with Learning Disabilities in 1977 and PTA life 
membership status in 1999. She is precisely the type of quality 
individual after whom the Congress ought to name post offices in our 
great Nation.
  I commend the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Sessions) for introducing 
H.R. 3723. I know the gentleman from Texas genuinely wanted to be 
present, and I will be submitting a statement for the Record on behalf 
of the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Sessions).
  Mr. Speaker, I strongly urge every Member of the House to support 
H.R. 3723.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, as a Member of the House Committee on Government Reform, 
I am pleased to join with my colleagues in consideration of H.R. 3723, 
legislation naming a postal facility in Dallas, Texas, after Vaughn 
Gross. This measure, which was introduced by the gentleman from Texas 
(Mr. Sessions) on January 21, 2004, and unanimously reported by our 
committee on March 4, 2004, enjoys the support and cosponsorship of the 
entire Texas delegation.
  A graduate of the University of Texas with a degree in special 
education, Mrs. Gross has dedicated her life to teaching and working 
with children with learning disabilities. Her vast teaching experience 
has not gone unnoticed or unappreciated. Mrs. Gross has won the 
distinguished Teacher of the Year from the Richardson Association of 
Children with Learning Disabilities and has achieved the Parent Teacher 
Association life membership status.
  Currently, Mrs. Gross is serving as the Assistant Superintendent in 
the Richardson Independent School District. She is involved in a number 
of community organizations such as the Psychoanalysis Professional 
Development and Appraisal System, the District Instructional Strategies 
Committee, the Central Math Textbook Committee, and the Richardson 
Independent School District Professional Development Strategic Action 
Team.
  And, finally, Mrs. Gross has received her school district's Silver 
Cup Award for Community on Campus and has been nominated for the YMCA 
Women of Achievement Award.
  Mr. Speaker, it is obvious that Mrs. Gross has a distinguished record 
of

[[Page H1601]]

community service, and although it is oftentimes unusual while people 
are still available to achieve these kinds of recognitions to see that 
the people of her community and that the gentleman from Texas (Mr. 
Sessions), her representative in Congress, thinks enough of her 
dedication to name this postal facility in her honor, I am pleased to 
join with him and urge swift adoption of this measure.
   Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to an 
exceptional educator in the 32nd Congressional District of Texas with 
this legislation H.R. 3723, ``To designate the facility of the United 
States Postal Service located at 8135 Forest Lane in Dallas, Texas, as 
the `Vaughn Gross Post Office Building.' ''
   I am pleased to honor Vaughn Gross with the naming of this post 
office. It is a fitting tribute to a career educator who has served 
children with special needs and disabilities with excellence and 
distinction.
   As a father of a child with special needs, I know firsthand that it 
takes an extraordinary person to educate children with disabilities. It 
requires both love and passion to be able to accomplish this tough 
task, and I admire Mrs. Gross for her drive and determination to 
improve the lives of children with disabilities.
   Vaughn Gross began her career in education 36 years ago as an 
innovative classroom teacher for children with special needs and 
disabilities at Wooten Elementary School in Austin, Texas. For the past 
30 years, she has served with the Richardson Independent School 
District. From 1993 until 1999, Mrs. Gross held the position of 
Principal of Brentfield Elementary School. From 1999 until 2003, she 
was the Principal of Hamilton Park Pacesetter Magnet School. Mrs. Gross 
currently serves as the Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and 
Instruction.
   Few in school administrations come from special education 
backgrounds, so it is notable that Mrs. Gross has been able to continue 
her commitment to improving special education as she transitioned from 
the classroom into her current administrative position.
   All too often, we as a society do not give the appropriate 
recognition to dedicated teachers who go above and beyond the call of 
duty to educate those children with disabilities and special needs. 
Mrs. Gross has dedicated her life to furthering the education of the 
countless children who have benefited from her years of experience.
   I believe that this legislation not only honors Mrs. Gross, but also 
pays a fitting tribute to the scores of educators in Texas and 
throughout the country who specialize in teaching our children with 
disabilities and special needs.
   In addition to teaching her students, Mrs. Gross has made tremendous 
efforts to share her successful techniques with other educators in 
Texas to help improve the teaching of students outside of her home 
school district. I have always been impressed with her abilities, and I 
sincerely wish her all the best as she continues her career with the 
Richardson Independent School District.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for 
time, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. CARTER. Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support the passage of 
H.R. 3723. I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Carter) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the bill, H.R. 3723.
  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. CARTER. Mr. 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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