[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 125 (Wednesday, October 6, 2004)]
[House]
[Pages H8269-H8270]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  ADAM G. KINSER POST OFFICE BUILDING

  Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 4807) to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 140 Sacramento Street in Rio Vista, California, as 
the ``Adam G. Kinser Post Office Building''.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 4807

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

     SECTION 1. ADAM G. KINSER POST OFFICE BUILDING.

       (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal 
     Service located at 140 Sacramento Street in Rio Vista, 
     California, shall be known and designated as the ``Adam G. 
     Kinser 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 Adam G. Kinser Post Office Building.

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


                             General Leave

  Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks 
and to include extraneous material on H.R. 4807, the bill under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Tennessee?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4807 that would establish the 
Adam G. Kinser Post Office. I congratulate the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Ose) for introducing this bill and for securing the 
cosponsorship of the entire 53-Member delegation from California to 
comply with Committee on Government Reform policy.
  All Americans mourn the loss of those who die in the service of their 
country in the Armed Services. Brave, dedicated 21-year-old Specialist 
Adam Kinser was one of these tremendous Americans. Adam proudly fought 
for his country in Afghanistan as part of the war on global terror.
  In his senior year of high school, Adam felt a calling to serve his 
country and enlisted in the Army Reserves. In July 2003, the Army sent 
Specialist Kinser to Afghanistan as part of the Army Reserves' 304th 
Psychological Operations Company. On January 29, 2004, Kinser and eight 
fellow soldiers were working near a weapons cache in Ghanzi, 60 miles 
southwest of Kabul, when an explosion took the life of all nine men.
  Mr. Speaker, Adam Kinser was a loving son and brother, dedicated 
student athlete, husband, and father. He was, in short, an American 
hero. The House joins with the community of Rio Vista and the family of 
Adam G. Kinser in grieving the loss of their beloved star student 
athlete. This post office will forever commemorate Adam's sacrifice to 
his grateful Nation.
  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 colleague in consideration of H.R. 4807, 
legislation naming the U.S. postal facility in Rio Vista, California, 
after Adam Kinser.
  This measure, which was introduced by the gentleman from California 
(Mr. Ose) on July 9, 2004, was unanimously reported by our committee on 
September 15, 2004. H.R. 4807 enjoys the support and cosponsorship of 
the entire California delegation.
  Adam Kinser, a native of Rio Vista, California, joined the United 
States Army Reserve during his senior year of high school. A high 
school football player and hardworking member of his family's business, 
Adam was no stranger to hard work and dedication. He served with the 
304th Psychological Operations Company, U.S. Army Reserve, based in 
Sacramento, California.
  Last summer, Specialist Kinser was sent to Afghanistan. Earlier last 
year, he married his childhood sweetheart and learned prior to his 
deployment that his wife was expecting. Sadly, he was killed early this 
year, January 29, when an arms depot exploded in Ghanzi, Afghanistan. 
He left behind a wife and a son.
  Mr. Speaker, I commend my colleague for seeking to honor the 
sacrifice of Specialist Kinser and urge swift adoption of this bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to our 
colleague, the gentleman from California (Mr. Ose), the author of this 
bill.
  Mr. OSE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Tennessee for 
yielding me this time, and I thank the gentleman from Illinois for his 
kind remarks.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4807, the Adam G. Kinser 
Post Office Act. Adam was a national hero, a loving son and brother, a 
dedicated student, an athlete, and a proud father to be. These are just 
a few phrases that can be used to describe him. Frankly, while no list 
of descriptions can ever do justice to understanding his bravery, the 
compassion of this young man who gave his life for his country at age 
21 merits recognition.
  Adam Gareth Kinser was born in 1983, and from the age of 5 was raised 
in Rio Vista, California the very southern portion of my district. He 
and his four younger siblings grew up there. Even as a child, Adam 
stood out in his community, not only to his family and friends but also 
to his peers, teachers and teammates. He was a hardworking student. 
Adam was even a teaching assistant in some of his high school classes, 
and a former teacher described him as, frankly, the best the United 
States has to offer.
  His positive attitude, his willingness to help others, his kind heart 
made him a natural role model to his friends and classmates. He was a 
leader on the field. He was also an outstanding varsity athlete. He ran 
track, played basketball, and he started on the football team as 
quarterback for three seasons, so as a sophomore, junior and senior.
  Adam's leadership and compassion extended beyond school and the 
athletic fields into his home, where he acted as a mentor and a 
protector to his younger siblings, one of whom recalls that Adam ``was 
always protecting me, even when I didn't want it.''
  A true role model and leader in his community, Adam also wanted to 
serve and protect his country, even as such a young man. During his 
senior year in high school, he joined the Army Reserve and was 
attending boot camp at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, on September 11, 
2001. Adam was called up for active duty in July of 2003 and served in 
Afghanistan with the Army Reserves' 304th Psychological Operations 
Company.
  During Christmas 2003, Adam returned home for some well-earned R&R, 
where his wife, Tiffany, surprised him with the amazing gift of an 
ultrasound of their soon-to-be-born son. Adam was ecstatic to be a 
father, and after returning to fulfill his duty in Afghanistan, he 
literally was counting down the days until he would be reunited with 
his wife and new baby.
  As my colleagues have said, a tragic turn of events prevented Adam 
from coming home. On January 29 of this year, Adam was among nine 
soldiers

[[Page H8270]]

doing his duty working on a weapons cache near Ghanzi, 60 miles 
southwest of Kabul. An explosion took place that took his life and that 
of eight others.
  Adam's death sent the Rio Vista community into a period of mourning 
and a recognition of loss for the young man that many knew and loved. 
They had watched Adam with pride from the time he was 5 years old, 
growing up to become a strong athlete, an excellent student and a brave 
soldier. Adam was the first Rio Vistan to give his life in wartime 
since the Korean War, and he will be missed by his newborn son and his 
family as well as by the whole community of Rio Vista.
  Mr. Speaker, in order to ensure that the memory of this young man, 
this father, this brave soldier lives on, I am sponsoring this 
legislation to rename the post office in Adam's hometown in his name. 
It would be a great honor not only to his family but also to the Rio 
Vista community for this country to honor this true hero who valiantly 
gave back to his country that which is most precious, his life.
  Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, there is really no adequate way that we can show 
appreciation to this young man for giving his life in service to this 
Nation, but certainly, this is a very appropriate way to recognize the 
contributions that Adam Kinser gave to this Nation, and I guess you 
could say, in a way, it is the least that we can do.
  I know that all Members of this Congress, on both sides of the aisle, 
join me and the sponsor, the gentleman from California (Mr. Ose), in 
expressing our condolences and our appreciation and the thanks of a 
grateful Nation to the family of Adam G. Kinser, and I urge passage of 
this bill.
  Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, 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 Tennessee (Mr. Duncan) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 4807.
  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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