[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 94 (Wednesday, July 13, 2005)]
[House]
[Pages H5759-H5760]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


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                     J.M. DIETRICH NORTHEAST ANNEX

  Mr. DENT. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 2630) to redesignate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 1927 Sangamon Avenue in Springfield, Illinois, as 
the ``J.M. Dietrich Northeast Annex''.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 2630

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

     SECTION 1. J.M. DIETRICH NORTHEAST ANNEX.

       (a) Redesignation.--The facility of the United States 
     Postal Service located at 1927 Sangamon Avenue in 
     Springfield, Illinois, and known as the Northeast Annex, 
     shall be known and designated as the ``J.M. Dietrich 
     Northeast Annex''.
       (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 ``J.M. Dietrich Northeast Annex''.

  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, the distinguished gentleman from Illinois (Mr. LaHood) 
introduced H.R. 2630, which redesignates the postal facility located at 
1927 Sangamon Avenue in Springfield, Illinois, as the ``J.M. Dietrich 
Northeast Annex.'' All members of the Illinois State congressional 
delegation have cosponsored this legislation, and I support its 
passage.
  James Michael Dietrich was an earnest lifelong postal employee. He 
began his career as a letter carrier in 1970. In 1983 he was promoted 
to supervisor of Delivery and Collections, and finally he earned the 
position of Customer Service Supervisor in 1989. Regardless of his rank 
or duties with the postal service, Dietrich gained the respect of his 
peers through his friendly demeanor, leadership, and hard work.
  Mike Dietrich died in September, 2003. He was a tremendous asset to 
the postal service and a terrific individual who is worthy of this 
fitting honor by the House. So I encourage my colleagues to join with 
the distinguished gentleman from Illinois (Mr. LaHood) and me in 
renaming the Northeast Annex in Springfield, Illinois as the ``J.M. 
Dietrich Northeast Annex.''
  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. 2630, legislation 
redesignating a postal facility in Springfield, Illinois, after the 
late James Michael Dietrich. This measure was introduced by the 
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. LaHood) on May 25, 2005, unanimously 
reported by the Committee on Government Reform on June 16, 2005. H.R. 
2630 enjoys the support and cosponsorship of the entire Illinois State 
delegation.
  Mr. Speaker, it is always a pleasure to join my colleagues in 
praising the hard work of postal employees. And the late James Michael 
``Mike'' Dietrich was a postal supervisor long remembered for his 
dedication to his job, the employees, and the United States Postal 
Service.
  James Dietrich was a lifelong employee of the postal service. After 
serving in the U.S. Army, he joined the postal service as a letter 
carrier. He was promoted to supervisor of Delivery and Collections in 
1983 and later to supervisor of customer service in 1989. He handled 
daily assignments and personnel staffing. He was known for his 
patience, problem solving, and recognized as the ``go to'' man.
  Sadly, he died unexpectedly in September of 2003. Mr. Dietrich's 
colleagues have described him as a hard worker and a fantastic human 
being. I commend my colleague for seeking to honor the memory of Mr. 
Dietrich 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 such time as he may consume to the 
distinguished gentleman from Illinois (Mr. LaHood).
  (Mr. LaHOOD asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. LaHOOD. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this 
time.
  I would like to read a letter that I received from the National 
Association of Letter Carriers, Abraham Lincoln Branch No. 80, 
Springfield, Illinois:
  ``Dear Congressman LaHood: The Letter Carriers of Springfield are 
requesting that the Northeast Annex, 1927 Sangamon Avenue, Springfield, 
Illinois, be renamed the J.M. Dietrich Northeast Annex.
  ``James Michael `Mike' Dietrich died unexpectedly September, 2003, 
just over 1 month short of his retirement. Mike was a lifelong employee 
of the United States Postal Service. He served in the U.S. Army from 
1968 through 1970. After an honorable discharge from the Army, he was 
hired as a letter carrier.
  ``In May, 1983, he was promoted to supervisor, Delivery and 
Collections. He was charged with the supervision of approximately 50 
letter carriers and collectors. It was his responsibility to see that 
those in his section were properly trained and successfully functioned 
as city carriers. In 1989 he was promoted to supervisor, Customer 
Service. He managed the daily operations of a group of carriers 
numbering about 100. He also handled scheduling of day-to-day 
assignments as well as annual and incremental leave for the entire 
group of Springfield city carriers and collectors. During his service, 
he received several safety and leadership awards, and in 2002, became 
the OSHA recordkeeper.
  ``Mike was not only a great supervisor but he was a fantastic human 
being. You would be hard pressed to find a U.S. Postal Service employee 
in Springfield, Illinois, who would have a bad word to say about Mike. 
He was a man of never-ending patience. He was someone we could all go 
to with a question and know we would come away with a reasonable and 
correct answer. And if one of us had a problem, he was our sounding 
board and mentor, one who can never be replaced.
  ``Mike and his wife, Carol, raised a beautiful family of six girls 
for whom they worked hard to provide college educations. They are all 
now productive adults, some beginning families of their own. I know his 
career was important to him, but I also know that he considered his 
family to be his greatest accomplishment.
  ``Not a day goes by that Mike's name is not uttered by someone on the 
workroom floor. We all feel it is only fitting that we work in the J.M. 
Dietrich Northeast Annex.
  ``Thank you for the consideration'' of renaming the annex.
  ``Pat Kruger, letter carrier, Springfield, Illinois.''
  Mr. Speaker, I read this letter because it is the opportunity for me 
to thank the letter carriers that work with Mike, to thank them for 
recognizing all of his accomplishments and

[[Page H5760]]

thank them for bringing to my attention the opportunity to name the 
facility that they all work in and that he worked in and that he 
accomplished so much with.
  And, too, a word about the letter carriers. We have the greatest mail 
delivery system in the world, anywhere in the world, right here in our 
country. And it is thanks to the people like Mike and all the people 
who work in Springfield and all the people who work in the postal 
service that letters get delivered on time 6 days a week in a 
professional manner, and I know all Americans appreciate that. And I am 
grateful to the letter carriers of Abraham Lincoln Branch No. 80 for 
bringing this to my attention and the ability of this committee to 
bring this to the floor as a bill that will become law and to have this 
facility named in Mike's honor.
  Mr. DENT. 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 Pennsylvania (Mr. Dent) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 2630.
  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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