[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 87 (Monday, June 27, 2005)]
[House]
[Pages H5194-H5195]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
JOHN J. HAINKEL POST OFFICE BUILDING
Mr. DENT. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill
(H.R. 2346) to designate the facility of the United States Postal
Service located at 105 NW Railroad Avenue in Hammond, Louisiana, as the
``John J. Hainkel Post Office Building,'' as amended.
The Clerk read as follows:
H.R. 2346
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. JOHN J. HAINKEL, JR. POST OFFICE BUILDING.
(a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal
Service located at 105 NW Railroad Avenue in Hammond,
Louisiana, shall be known and designated as the ``John J.
Hainkel, Jr. 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 ``John J. Hainkel, Jr. Post Office
Building''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Pennsylvania (Mr. Dent) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Dent).
General Leave
Mr. DENT. 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 Pennsylvania?
There was no objection.
Mr. DENT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, this legislation salutes the life of an extraordinary
member of the Louisiana legislature, the late John Hainkel, Jr. John
Hainkel served 20 years in the Louisiana State house and another 25
years in the State senate until he passed away on April 15 this year. I
know he was a tremendous representative of his many constituents and
supporters.
The State of Louisiana has mourned the loss of Senator Hainkel for
several weeks, but I appreciate the House leadership's selecting this
bill for consideration so the entire Nation can acknowledge the life of
this highly respected man. I also want to especially thank the
distinguished gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Jindal) for his work on
this bill and his commitment to recognizing Senator Hainkel.
Prior to his passing, Senator Hainkel had served in Baton Rouge since
1968, when he was first elected to the State house. He clearly earned
the great respect of his colleagues because he became speaker of the
house in 1980, and he held that post through 1984. In 1988, New Orleans
voters elected him to be their State senator. He ultimately became
president of the senate from 2000 through last year. He remained in the
senate until his passing in April.
Mr. Speaker, I support this post office designation on behalf of John
J. Hainkel, Jr. and urge all Members to do the same. It seems clear his
contributions to the State of Louisiana will be long lasting. I look
forward to the words of the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Jindal),
sponsor of this legislation.
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. DAVIS of Illinois asked and was given permission to revise and
extend his remarks.)
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. 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. 2346, legislation naming a postal facility in
Hammond, Louisiana, after the late John J. Hainkel, Jr. This measure,
which was introduced by the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Jindal) on
May 12, 2005, and unanimously reported by our committee on June 16,
2005, enjoys the support and cosponsorship of the entire Louisiana
delegation.
John Hainkel was first elected to the Louisiana legislature in 1968.
He held that position for 20 years, also serving as speaker of the
house from 1980 to 1984.
{time} 1500
The voters in uptown New Orleans elected him in 1988 to the State
senate, where he served until his death representing the Sixth
District. While serving in the senate, his colleagues elected him
president of the senate in the Year 2000, a position he held until
2004. He is the only legislator in Louisiana history to hold the
leadership position in both houses.
Senator Hainkel supported the arts, was pro-business, worked hard to
clean up Lake Pontchartrain, and loved to hold legislative meetings
over the barbecue pit. He loved his district and State and served 38
years in politics working to improve the lives of his constituents.
Sadly, John Hainkel passed away this past April.
Mr. Speaker, designating the post office in Hammond, Louisiana, is an
excellent way to honor the memory of
[[Page H5195]]
one of Louisiana's political legends, John Hainkel, Jr. I commend my
colleague for sponsoring this measure and urge swift passage.
Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back
the balance of my time.
Mr. DENT. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the
distinguished gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Jindal), the author of H.R.
2346.
Mr. JINDAL. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time.
Mr. Speaker, I rise both with a grateful and also a heavy heart. I
rise with a grateful heart and I want to thank my colleagues for their
speedy consideration of this resolution. I rise with a heavy heart
because of the untimely passing of not only a colleague, but a friend.
I first met John Hainkel well over a decade ago, and at that point he
had already been involved in elected politics for well over three
decades. Senator Hainkel, as you already heard, accomplished many
significant things in his public career. Indeed, he was the only person
in Louisiana's history to be elected both speaker of the house and
president of our senate.
His broad-based appeal, however, extended beyond party lines. He was
elected as speaker of the house, serving as a Democrat, with the active
support of Louisiana's first Republican Governor elected in modern
times. He then went on to serve, when I first met him, as chairman of
the senate budget committee as a Republican, even though two-thirds of
the senate at that time was comprised of Democrats. Indeed, when he
served as president of the senate as a Republican, two-thirds of the
senate in Louisiana at the time was comprised of Democratic members. I
think that fact alone shows his bipartisan support, his broad appeal to
many senators and representatives.
The reason he commanded such respect was the fact that he brought
integrity, the fact he brought humor, wit, the fact that he brought
fashion to the daily legislative tasks.
But John was more than just a senator, he was more than just a
legislator. Indeed, he was very accomplished in those arenas. Senator
Hainkel not only worked with Pat Taylor to bring about Louisiana's TOPS
bill, which provides access for students to higher education, but he
championed many budget reforms, helping to turn deficits into
surpluses, helping to reform our State's health care system and helping
to revive our State's economy.
But his accomplishments outside the legislature were almost as
noteworthy as his accomplishments inside the legislature. John was also
not only a dedicated senator, a dedicated representative, he was also a
dedicated Tulane fan. I know that he watched from above as his Green
Wave served him well in Omaha and went on to do so well in the College
World Series. I know that he will still be watching them season after
season, just with slightly better seats than he had before.
Indeed, Senator Hainkel was known for his friendship and was known
for reaching out to new members of the bodies in which he served, to
new members of the administration. He truly brought a passion and an
attitude of public servant leadership that too often is missing from
our elected halls. He brought a spirit of bipartisanship, a spirit of
love for his home State of Louisiana.
Several things have been said about Senator Hainkel and the years of
service he offered my State. I also want to note that he is survived by
his son, John J. Hainkel, III, his daughter, Juliet Hainkel Holton, his
other daughter, Alida Hainkel Furr, and by five grandchildren. I know
his family brought him much joy. I know they, like I, am very saddened
by his untimely and his early departure.
It is hard, it would be really impossible, to overstate the amount of
affection and respect that Senator Hainkel engendered not only in his
home district, but the home State of Louisiana. Whether you were with
him or against him on a particular legislation, and I was in both
places, whether you were with him or against him in a particular
election, and I was in both places, he was always a worthy friend and a
worthy opponent.
I can certainly think of nothing that would be more appropriate than
naming, at least as a small tribute to him, this post office in
Hammond, Louisiana, that was within the district he represented in the
senate. Indeed, there is a spirited election to replace him now. Two
very distinguished women are seeking that post. Though either one of
them will serve well, neither of them will be truly able to succeed and
replace the giant that was John Hainkel.
I want to thank my colleagues again for their support.
Mr. DENT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I simply urge all Members to support the passage of H.R.
2436.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Radanovich). The question is on the
motion offered by the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Dent) that the
House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 2346, 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
105 NW Railroad Avenue in Hammond, Louisiana, as the `John J. Hainkel,
Jr. Post Office Building'.''.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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