[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 57 (Wednesday, May 4, 2005)]
[House]
[Pages H2887-H2888]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1030
               FRANCIS C. GOODPASTER POST OFFICE BUILDING

  Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 1082) to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 120 East Illinois Avenue in Vinita, Oklahoma, as the 
``Francis C. Goodpaster Post Office Building.''
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 1082

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

     SECTION 1. FRANCIS C. GOODPASTER POST OFFICE BUILDING.

       (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal 
     Service located at 120 East Illinois Avenue in Vinita, 
     Oklahoma, shall be known and designated as the ``Francis C. 
     Goodpaster 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 ``Francis C. Goodpaster Post Office 
     Building''.

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


                             General Leave

  Mr. SHAYS. 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. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Connecticut?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Committee on Government Reform and its 
chairman, I rise to begin the consideration of H.R. 1082. This 
legislation honors a caring community leader who personifies much of 
what is good about America. Francis Goodpaster was a veteran, 
postmaster, philanthropist, teacher, church elder, and lifelong 
resident of the northeast Oklahoma town of Vinita. All members of the 
Oklahoma State delegation have joined the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. 
Boren), the sponsor, as cosponsors of H.R. 1082.
  Born in Vinita, Oklahoma in 1909, Francis Goodpaster became employed 
by the Post Office Department in 1937. He left his job and his home to 
serve our Nation in the Army in World War II. He retired from the Army 
as a lieutenant colonel. In 1964 he became Postmaster in Vinita until 
his retirement in 1973.
  In addition to his postal and military career, Mr. Goodpaster was 
very active in his native community. He served as Craig County 
Commissioner, President of the Vinita Lions Club, commander in the 
local American Legion, Red Cross board member, and he was even an elder 
at the Pilgrim Presbyterian Church.
  Mr. Speaker, Francis Goodpaster passed away on March 3, 2002. We 
support this legislation that will memorialize his contributions to his 
hometown of Vinita, Oklahoma.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may 
consume to the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Boren), the sponsor of this 
legislation.
  Mr. BOREN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Illinois for 
yielding me this time.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to voice my support for H.R. 1082, which 
will name the Vinita, Oklahoma Post Office after Francis C. Goodpaster.
  Francis Goodpaster was a lifelong resident of Vinita, only leaving 
his hometown briefly to attend Oklahoma A&M and to serve his country 
during World War II. He was also a man who dedicated his life to public 
service. His service, however, was not only to the people of the great 
State of Oklahoma, but to the people of our Nation as well.
  Mr. Goodpaster first entered service with the United States Postal 
Department in 1937. He remained in his post delivering mail to the 
people of Vinita until his retirement in 1973. In fact, his great 
service to the postal system and the people it serves earned him the 
position of Postmaster for the Vinita Post Office during the last 
decade of service. From what I am told, Francis Goodpaster put the 
``service'' in the postal service, and he was proud to do so. In fact, 
I understand that several Christmases and several of those celebrations 
were put on hold in the Goodpaster household until all the packages 
were delivered to all the residents of Vinita. Again, this just shows 
the value that Francis Goodpaster saw in serving the public and making 
sure that his friends, neighbors, and community members were happy.
  In addition to serving his community of Vinita, Francis Goodpaster 
was also a public servant for the State of Oklahoma. Upon returning 
from Oklahoma A&M, Mr. Goodpaster was elected by his peers to represent 
them as a representative in the Oklahoma State legislature. Having 
previously served in the Oklahoma legislature myself, I understand the 
respect that this deserves when the district sends someone to the State 
capital, and they did that with Francis Goodpaster.
  Even more selflessly than being a public servant to his community and 
to his State, Francis Goodpaster was a public servant to his Nation. 
For a time during his early years in the postal service, Mr. Goodpaster 
served our Nation as part of the Greatest Generation in World War II. 
As a lieutenant colonel in the United States Army, he did his part to 
help ensure the freedoms that we enjoy here today. I feel that such 
selflessness should not go unacknowledged.
  These are only a few of the many accomplishments in Francis 
Goodpaster's life. I could go on and on with many more examples of the 
great gifts of service that he gave to the State and the Nation, from 
filling a term as Craig County Commissioner to serving on the board of 
the Red Cross, to being a part of the State's Silver Hair Legislature 
for two terms. In the end, though, I

[[Page H2888]]

think that what needs to be said is that Francis Goodpaster was a good 
man who loved his hometown, who loved his State, and loved his Nation 
and showed his appreciation through public service. For this reason I 
believe we should now show our appreciation to him.
  Mr. Speaker, I can think of very few people that are as deserving to 
have this honor bestowed upon them. Therefore, I urge my colleagues to 
join me in supporting H.R. 1082 to show our appreciation for all of 
Francis Goodpaster's public service.
  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 the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Shays) and the gentleman 
from Oklahoma (Mr. Boren) in consideration of H.R. 1082, legislation 
naming a postal facility in Vinita, Oklahoma after the late Francis C. 
Goodpaster. This measure, of course, was introduced by the gentleman 
from Oklahoma (Mr. Boren) on March 3, 2005, and unanimously reported by 
our committee on April 13, 2005, and it enjoys the support and 
cosponsorship of the entire Oklahoma delegation.
  As we have heard, Mr. Goodpaster was indeed a ``man for all 
seasons,'' very active in his community, totally committed to his 
country, and I join with my colleagues in suggesting that there is no 
better person to name a United States postal facility after than Mr. 
Francis Goodpaster. So I join with my colleagues in urging swift 
passage.
  Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I urge all Members to support this legislation introduced by the 
gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Boren) and urge the passage of H.R. 1082.
  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 Connecticut (Mr. Shays) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 1082.
  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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