[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 87 (Monday, June 27, 2005)]
[House]
[Pages H5195-H5196]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              MAYOR JOSEPH S. DADDONA MEMORIAL POST OFFICE

  Mr. DENT. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 2490) to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 442 West Hamilton Street, Allentown, Pennsylvania, 
as the ``Mayor Joseph S. Daddona Memorial Post Office''.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 2490

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

     SECTION 1. MAYOR JOSEPH S. DADDONA MEMORIAL POST OFFICE.

       (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal 
     Service located at 442 West Hamilton Street, Allentown, 
     Pennsylvania, shall be known and designated as the ``Mayor 
     Joseph S. Daddona 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 Joseph S. Daddona Memorial Post 
     Office''.

  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 H.R. 2490.
  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, H.R. 2490 honors Joseph S. Daddona for his respected 
service to the community, my hometown, Allentown, Pennsylvania. Mr. 
Daddona was born in 1933, the son of Italian American immigrants. He 
grew up in the Second Ward of Allentown, in an ethnically diverse 
neighborhood.
  Too poor to attend college after graduating from what was then 
Allentown High School, he enlisted in the United States Navy and served 
his country during the Korean War. After safely returning from 
overseas, Mr. Daddona put himself through Lehigh University and 
received an engineering degree.
  Although he began his career as a planning engineer for the Western 
Electric Company, he found himself increasingly drawn to politics in 
the City of Allentown. In the mid-1960s, as a member of the Allentown 
Jaycees, Joe Daddona spearheaded the effort to create a Charter Study 
Commission for the city. He subsequently won a seat on that commission, 
helped draft the city's strong mayor form of government, and later 
served a term as an Allentown city councilman.
  In 1973, Daddona was elected mayor for the first time. During his 
tenure,

[[Page H5196]]

Allentown was designated an All-American City, one of his proudest 
accomplishments and something he spoke of often. He stood for 
reelection in 1977, but lost by 121 votes. Undeterred, Joe Daddona ran 
again in 1981 and won. He also triumphed in 1985 and 1993, making him 
the longest serving mayor in the city's history, along with Malcolm W. 
Gross.
  Mayor Daddona's other endeavors include establishing parks, fire 
stations, and high-rise apartments for the elderly. He also improved 
environmental conditions at the local sewage treatment facility and was 
responsible for numerous modifications to local traffic patterns.
  Daddona was a relentless booster for the city of Allentown. He was 
constantly in touch with his constituents and worked tirelessly to 
solve neighborhood problems. He loved to show off the city during Super 
Sunday and Mayfair events.
  After his political career ended, he appeared on various local 
television and radio shows, in part to extol the virtues of the city. 
Daddona died after a long battle with cancer on June 5, 2004. He is 
survived by his wife Ann and their children.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to join me in support of H.R. 
2490 in recognition and memory of my friend, the late Mayor Joe 
Daddona.
  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 my colleague in 
consideration of H.R. 2490, legislation naming the postal facility in 
Allentown, Pennsylvania, after the late Joseph S. Daddona, the former 
mayor of Allentown.
  This measure, which was introduced by the gentleman from Pennsylvania 
(Mr. Dent) on May 19, 2005 and unanimously reported by our committee on 
June 16, 2005, enjoys the support and cosponsorship of the entire 
Pennsylvania delegation.
  Born and raised in Allentown, Joseph Daddona served 8 years in the 
U.S. Navy during and after the Korean War. From 1966 to 1994, he served 
as the mayor of Allentown, the longest serving mayor in the town's 
history. As mayor, Joseph worked hard to improve the lives of his 
constituents. He established parks, housing for seniors, and improved 
environmental conditions.
  Sadly, he passed away last June.
  Mr. Speaker, I commend my colleague for seeking to honor the legacy 
of Joseph Daddona and urge swift passage of this bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. DENT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank all my colleagues for their support of this 
effort to honor my late friend, Joe Daddona.
  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 Pennsylvania (Mr. Dent) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 2490.
  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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