[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 119 (Tuesday, September 28, 2004)]
[House]
[Pages H7712-H7713]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 SERGEANT RIAYAN A. TEJADA POST OFFICE

  Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 4046) to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 555 West 180th Street in New York, New York, as the 
``Sergeant Riayan A. Tejada Post Office,'' as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 4046

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

     SECTION 1. SERGEANT RIAYAN A. TEJEDA POST OFFICE.

       (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal 
     Service located at 555 West 180th Street in New York, New 
     York, shall be known and designated as the ``Sergeant Riayan 
     A. Tejeda Post Office''.
       (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 Sergeant Riayan A. Tejeda Post Office.

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


                             General Leave

  Mr. MICA. 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 H.R. 4046, the bill under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Florida?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, tonight I rise in support of H.R. 4046. This measure 
designates a postal facility in New York city as the Sergeant Riayan 
Tejeda Post Office. Each member of the New York State delegation 
cosponsored this tribute to one of America's fallen heroes.
  On April 11, 2003, 26-year-old Sergeant Riayan Tejeda of the 3rd 
Battalion, 5th Marines, was tragically killed in combat in Baghdad. He 
was a true American hero, despite not being a United States citizen.
  Riayan was born in the Dominican Republic and moved with his family 
to the United States as a child. From the time he first arrived in 
America, he dreamed of becoming a United States marine. Upon graduation 
from high school in upper Manhattan, he enlisted in the Marine Corps 
where he served for some 8 years.
  Sergeant Tejeda worked hard as a soldier, and he became the best 
sniper in his regiment. He proudly served in Thailand, South Korea, the 
Philippines, Australia, East Timor and Iraq.
  Sergeant Tejeda never earned United States citizenship during his 
life but he was awarded posthumously that citizenship of this great 
Nation.
  Sergeant Tejeda is survived by a mother, a father, and two young 
daughters, ages 3 and 6.
  Riayan Tejeda loved being a marine. He loved America. For these 
reasons and for his service and for his patriotism to his adopted 
native homeland, I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring Sergeant 
Riayan A. Tejeda by naming this post office after this hero.
  Mr. Speaker, I wish to thank the distinguished gentleman from New 
York, the sponsor of H.R. 4046, for honoring this tremendously brave 
young man.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
might consume.
  Mr. Speaker, as a member of the House Committee on Government Reform, 
I am pleased to join my colleague in consideration of H.R. 4046, 
legislation naming a United States postal facility in New York, New 
York, after Sergeant Riayan Tejeda.
  This measure, which was unanimously passed by our committee on 
September 15, 2004, was introduced by the gentleman from New York (Mr. 
Rangel) on March 25, 2004. H.R. 4046 enjoys the support and 
cosponsorship of the entire New York delegation.
  Riayan A. Tejeda was a Dominican citizen who came to the United 
States at the age of 12. He graduated from the Fashion and Design High 
School in New York and joined the United States Marines. He was 
assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment in Camp Pendleton, 
California.
  Sadly, Staff Sergeant Tejeda was killed in a battle that followed the 
fall

[[Page H7713]]

of Baghdad on April 11, 2003. He was awarded the Silver Star, and he 
later received his citizenship posthumously.
  Sergeant Tejeda left behind a wife and two young children.
  Mr. Speaker, I commend my good friend and colleague for seeking to 
honor the sacrifice of Marine Staff Sergeant Riayan Tejeda by naming a 
United States postal facility in his honor. I know that the gentleman 
from New York (Mr. Rangel) had hoped to be here to make some comments 
relative to this legislation. Unfortunately, he was unable to do so.
  Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield back the balance 
of our time.
  Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume in 
concluding.
  Mr. Speaker, tonight we rise to recognize another fallen hero, one 
not a native of the United States, a native of the Dominican Republic, 
but someone who gave his life in service to this Nation, someone who 
gave his life so that others may live in freedom.
  This is a small token of recognition by the Congress to name this 
post office in New York after Sergeant Riayan Tejeda, but it is an 
important recognition of his service. It is also important to recognize 
that he did love this country and that posthumously he was made a 
citizen of the United States.
  So, on behalf of the New York delegation, on behalf of the sponsor, 
the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel), it is my honor to present to 
the House this resolution naming the Sergeant Riayan Tejeda Post Office 
again in New York.
  I urge passage of this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mica) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the bill, H.R. 4046, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  The title of the bill was amended so as to read: ``A bill to 
designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 
555 West 180th Street in New York, New York, as the 'Sergeant Riayan A. 
Tejeda Post Office'.''.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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