[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 52 (Tuesday, April 26, 2005)]
[House]
[Pages H2491-H2492]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               MAYOR TONY ARMSTRONG MEMORIAL POST OFFICE

  Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 1236) to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 750 4th Street in Sparks, Nevada, as the ``Mayor 
Tony Armstrong Memorial Post Office''.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 1236

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

     SECTION 1. MAYOR TONY ARMSTRONG MEMORIAL POST OFFICE.

       (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal 
     Service located at 750 4th Street in Sparks, Nevada, shall be 
     known and designated as the ``Mayor Tony Armstrong Memorial 
     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 ``Mayor Tony Armstrong Memorial Post 
     Office''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Ohio (Mr. LaTourette) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) 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 and include extraneous material on H.R. 1236, the bill under 
consideration.
  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, this post office naming legislation honors a 
wonderful civic leader. Tony Armstrong had served as mayor of Sparks, 
Nevada, since being first elected in 1999. Sadly, Mayor Armstrong 
passed away on January 29 from complications due to a December surgery 
to remove his spleen. He was 59 years of age. H.R. 1256 will name a 
post office in his honor in his hometown of Sparks, and I support its 
passage.
  Mr. Speaker, with the exception of a 6-year stint in the Nevada Air 
National Guard during the 1960s, Tony Armstrong had lived in Sparks 
since the age of 4. In 1989, he was elected to the Sparks City Council, 
where he served until becoming mayor in 1999. He was a man whose 
passionate principles shaped his leadership. As his former colleague on 
the city council, Councilman Mike Carrigan said, ``Mayor Armstrong's 
priorities were God first, his family second, and the City of Sparks 
third.
  Mayor Armstrong is survived by his beloved wife, Debby, and his adult 
children Richard, Keith and Misti. Our hearts and prayers go out to the 
entire Armstrong family.
  Mr. Speaker, I know that my distinguished colleague, the gentleman 
from Nevada (Mr. Gibbons) was very close with Mayor Armstrong. They 
grew up together and they have served the people of Nevada together. I 
thank the gentleman for honoring his friend, Tony Armstrong, by 
dedicating this post office in his honor, and I urge all my colleagues 
to join me in supporting H.R. 1236.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume. As a member of the House Committee on Government Reform, I am 
pleased to join my colleague in consideration of H.R. 1236, legislation 
designating the postal facility in Sparks, Nevada, after the late Tony 
Armstrong, mayor of Sparks. This measure, which was introduced by our 
colleague, the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Gibbons) on March 2005, 
enjoys the support and co-sponsorship of the entire Nevada State 
delegation.
  Tony Armstrong grew up in Sparks, Nevada, and after serving in the 
Nevada Air National Guard and opening a general contracting business, 
he was elected in 1989 to the Sparks City Council, representing Ward 
Three. Ten years later, in 1999, he was elected mayor of Sparks. During 
his tenure as mayor, he worked hard to promote the image of his city. 
Sadly, he passed away on January 29, 2005. Mayor Armstrong left behind 
his wife, two sons, and a daughter.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge swift passage of this bill and note that it is 
definitely a way to honor the work of the mayor of Sparks, Nevada.
  Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.

                              {time}  1515

  Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to 
the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Gibbons).
  Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. 
LaTourette) for yielding me this time to speak on H.R. 1236.
  It is both with pride and sadness that I rise today in support of 
H.R. 1236, the Mayor Tony Armstrong Memorial Post Office Designation 
Act.
  Tony Armstrong and his family moved to Sparks, Nevada, from 
California when he was just 4 years old. Tony made Sparks his home 
until his untimely death in January of this year. Tony and I met as 
young kids, and typical of all kids, created trouble for our parents in 
Sparks, Nevada.

[[Page H2492]]

  We both graduated from Sparks High School, and while I served in the 
United States Air Force, Tony Armstrong served in the Nevada Air 
National Guard during the Vietnam War. Tony Armstrong served his 
country honorably and then turned his efforts to serving his beloved 
hometown of Sparks, Nevada.
  In 1970, Tony Armstrong served as the chief deputy building inspector 
for Washoe County, Nevada, and later opened a general contracting 
business, which would become the largest and oldest home inspection 
service in Nevada.
  In 1983, Tony was fortunate: he married Debbie Rimbey and was later 
blessed with two sons and a daughter. After a successful business 
career, Tony Armstrong turned his attention to becoming a public 
servant. He was elected to serve on the Sparks City Council in 1989 and 
was elected mayor a decade later. Over the years, no one has worked 
harder or loved that community more than Tony Armstrong.
  The day before Mayor Armstrong died, he was awarded Civic Leader of 
the Year by the Reno-Sparks Chamber of Commerce.
  Mr. Speaker, as a fitting tribute, H.R. 1236 would name the main post 
office in Sparks, Nevada, the Mayor Tony Armstrong Memorial Post 
Office. The post office that will receive this designation sits 
directly across the street from City Hall, the place where Tony 
Armstrong worked tirelessly. City Hall is a different place today 
without Tony's Hawaiian shirts passing through the hallways and his 
smiles greeting anyone and everyone who walked into his office. Mayor 
Armstrong may best be remembered for ensuring that visitors to Sparks 
City Hall would always be reminded that God blesses America. When told 
that the word God would have to be cut from all signs posted in City 
Hall, Tony made his own signs and posted them around the building. He 
declared, I guess I am just an old redneck Nevadan because I want my 
sign to say God bless America.
  The people of Sparks have lost a gentleman, a patriot, and a servant 
of the people; and I have lost a dear friend. I urge my colleagues to 
support H.R. 1236, which will honor this extraordinary man, a man who 
put God, his family, and the citizens of Sparks above himself, a man 
who went above and beyond for his country, for his State, and for his 
community. I ask all Members to support H.R. 1236.
  Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. 
Gibbons) for his reflections of his friend, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Boozman). 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. 1236.
  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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