[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 142 (Tuesday, November 1, 2005)]
[House]
[Pages H9444-H9446]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
ALBERT HAROLD QUIE POST OFFICE
Mr. GUTKNECHT. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 3989) to designate the facility of the United States Postal
Service located at 37598 Goodhue Avenue in Dennison, Minnesota, as the
``Albert Harold Quie Post Office,'' as amended.
The Clerk read as follows:
H.R. 3989
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. ALBERT H. QUIE POST OFFICE.
(a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal
Service located at 37598 Goodhue Avenue in Dennison,
Minnesota, shall be known and designated as the ``Albert H.
Quie 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 ``Albert H. Quie Post Office''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Minnesota (Mr. Gutknecht) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Gutknecht).
General Leave
Mr. GUTKNECHT. 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 Minnesota?
There was no objection.
Mr. GUTKNECHT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
I rise in support of H.R. 3989, as amended. I offer this bill
together with my colleague from Minnesota (Mr. Kline). This bill would
designate the post office in Dennison, Minnesota, as the Albert H. Quie
Post Office Building.
Let me tell you a little bit about Al Quie. I am privileged to know
Al and have known him for a very long time. Al Quie was born on a farm
in Wheeling Township in Rice County near Dennison, Minnesota, on
September 8, 1923. He attended the grade schools in Nerstrand and high
school in Northfield. He graduated from St. Olaf College in 1950.
Mr. Quie served as a pilot in the United States Navy from 1943 to
1945. He later became the owner and operator of a dairy farm there in
Rice County. He was the clerk of the District 43 School Board from 1949
to 1952 and a supervisor for the Rice County Soil Conservation District
from 1950 until 1954.
Al Quie was elected to the Minnesota State Senate in 1955, and he was
elected as a Republican to the 85th Congress by a special election to
fill the vacancy caused by the death of United States Representative
August Andresen. He was reelected to the succeeding Congresses for 10
consecutive terms. In 1978, he left the Congress to run for Governor of
Minnesota where he served from 1979 until 1983.
You cannot talk about Al Quie without talking about his wife,
Gretchen, a very special woman, a loving and tender woman; and I
remember her so well as the First Lady of the State of Minnesota.
But Al Quie is so many things. He was a true patriot, a very
committed Christian, a loving father and husband. He was a principled
public servant; and in many respects, he embodied all of the qualities
that we in this House should emulate. I think naming a post office
after him in his hometown of Dennison, Minnesota, is a very, very small
tribute.
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. Speaker, as a member of the House Government Reform Committee, I
am pleased to join my colleague in consideration of H.R. 3989,
legislation naming the postal facility in Dennison, Minnesota, after
Albert Harold Quie. This measure, which was introduced by
Representative John Kline on October 6, 2005, and unanimously reported
by our committee on October 20, 2005, enjoys the support and
cosponsorship of the entire Minnesota delegation.
Harold Quie, a native of Minnesota, was born on a farm, educated in
the State, and served in the U.S. Navy for 2 years. He served in the
Minnesota State Senate from 1955 to 1958, before serving in the U.S.
House of Representatives in 1958. Representative Quie was reelected and
served until 1979 when he was elected Governor of Minnesota. He served
as Governor until 1983.
After 25 years in government as a public servant, Representative Quie
continued to be a man of the people. He became a lecturer, teacher, and
director, and vice president of Prison Fellowship, both in Minnesota
and North Dakota. Representative Quie is currently retired, living in
Minnesota.
Mr. Speaker, I commend my colleague for seeking to honor the
contributions of former Representative and Governor Quie, and I urge
swift passage of this bill.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. GUTKNECHT. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield such time as he may
consume to my colleague from Minnesota (Mr. Kline).
Mr. KLINE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this
time and for his leadership on this bill. I think it was Mr.
Gutknecht's original idea, and I am very pleased that he had it.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3989, this resolution
which pays tribute to an outstanding Minnesotan through the designation
of the Albert H. Quie Post Office. I express my appreciation to my
colleague from Minnesota, as I said, for his leadership, for his
initiative in this bill, and for helping us pull the entire Minnesota
delegation together. We have unanimous bipartisan support for this
resolution.
Mr. Speaker, Al Quie is a lifelong Minnesotan who is guided by a
strong faith and the principle of selfless service. Residents of
Minnesota's Second Congressional District can be proud of this native
son who was born on a farm in Rice County, was educated in Nerstrand
and Northfield, and graduated from St. Olaf College in 1950, all
institutions in the Second District of Minnesota.
[[Page H9445]]
Throughout his life, Al demonstrated his Minnesota values and earned
the respect of his fellow citizens. As a pilot in the U.S. Navy, he
served his Nation bravely in the final days of the Second World War.
Returning to Minnesota, he continued to serve as a member of the
District 43 School Board, the Minnesota State Senate, the U.S. House of
Representatives, and as Governor of our great State, all
accomplishments which have already been mentioned and probably cannot
be mentioned enough for this great American.
In his life, faith has always been a clear and guiding principle. As
one of the founders of the bipartisan National Prayer Breakfast, Al is
responsible for a meaningful tradition which continues today. Attended
by every President for the past 50 years, the National Prayer Breakfast
unites men and women from across the political spectrum in every area
of the country in a common purpose, and, Mr. Speaker, I might add, from
countries around the world as this prayer breakfast has grown in
participation.
The National Prayer Breakfast was an outgrowth of Al's work in the
bipartisan Congressional Prayer Breakfast. Considered ``the best hour
of the week'' by many of us, there are many of my colleagues here in
this room today who regularly attend this Members-only gathering, it is
still held weekly, providing a welcome opportunity for prayer and
fellowship.
Closely intertwined with Al's faith is his love of nature and
adventure. Over the course of nine summers, accompanied by friends,
colleagues, and his sons, Al traveled the length of the Continental
Divide on horseback, journaling along the way.
{time} 1445
Considering it his greatest triumph, he detailed the experience in a
book, Riding the Divide, which I highly commend to all of my
colleagues. It is a personal account of his adventure and a testimony
of his faith journey.
Though the ride to Canada to Mexico may have been his biggest
personal triumph, Al's greatest impact on the lives of others may be
his work with Prison Fellowship Ministries, a volunteer organization
which ministers to prisoners, ex-prisoners, victims and their families,
and promotes biblical standards of justice in the criminal justice
system.
Through this group, Al's faith has impacted individuals and changed
lives. Al Quie's life reflects faith, dedication to service and an
enduring commitment to the people of Minnesota. It is an honor as a
Minnesotan to pay tribute to him today.
Mr. GUTKNECHT. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to
the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Kennedy).
Mr. KENNEDY of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues for
bringing forth this resolution.
It would be great to have the opportunity to visit all of those for
whom we name post offices, but I think if you really knew Al Quie, you
would know that he would be a standard against which we would judge the
others.
A lot has been talked about the great things he has done in public
service as well as for the community. I first got a chance to interact
with him when I started to get involved in the process of politics in
1978 when he ran for Governor. What an amazing man he is. The last two
times I saw Governor Quie were in church and in a prison. You might
think that is a little bit unusual combination, but he really has
brought his faith to those that are in prison and really dedicated
himself to that.
This is a person that not only served in many capacities in the State
legislature, as a U.S. Congressman and as Governor, but through his
work with Prison Fellowship and the Minnesota School Readiness Business
Advisory Council, helping people be prepared for school, he has
committed himself to the community.
It has already been mentioned about the fact that he has just a gem
of a spouse. Those that meet Gretchen know how much that contributes to
his strength. If you are known by your fruits, their five children,
Fredric, Jennifer, Daniel, Joel and Ben, speak highly of them.
A true leader, a man dedicated to his faith, family State and
country. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to support this bill, pleased to
support a bill to name a post office after someone who makes Minnesota
nice personified.
Denison, Minnesota, deserves to have their post office named after
Governor Quie. I applaud my colleagues for bringing this forward.
Mr. GUTKNECHT. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues. I would just add
one thing to the comments of my colleague (Mr. Kline) and that is that
when he rode the Continental Divide, he was in his 70s. An amazing
tribute. He is now in his 80s. He and Gretchen still are living happily
in Minnesota. I believe that naming this post office is just a small
way for us to say thank you for his many, many years of selfless public
service.
Mr. Speaker, I hope the Members will join us in supporting this
important resolution.
Mr. RAMSTAD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a great
public servant, a man of great faith and good works, a great American--
and a friend to all Minnesotans and many who have served in this House.
Al Quie is a truly honorable man, a ``servant leader'' of the highest
order. I urge my colleagues to support the legislation before us to
honor this dedicated public servant. This legislation would designate
the post office in Dennison, Minnesota, as the ``Albert Harold Quie
Post Office.''
Mr. Speaker, this is a truly fitting and well-deserved honor for an
outstanding former Member of Congress and great Governor of the State
of Minnesota. As my friend since I was first elected to the Minnesota
Senate in 1980 when Al was Governor, I consider him one of the most
honorable people I've known in my 25 years of public service.
Mr. Speaker, Al Quie is truly one of the all-time ``greats'' of
Minnesota government and politics. His record of unquestioned
integrity, leadership, legislative accomplishments and public service
will forever rank Al Quie as a ``giant'' in Minnesota history.
Al Quie was born on a farm in Wheeling Township, Rice County, near
Dennison, Minnesota, on September 18, 1923. Al Quie's many
accomplishments as a Navy pilot, dairy farmer, legislator, Member of
Congress, Governor, religious leader and all-star citizen make this
honor, the naming of his hometown post office, a truly fitting
recognition of his public service.
Al Quie completed all of his formal education within a few miles of
the Dennison Post Office; he attended grade school in Nerstrand, high
school in Northfield and graduated from St. Olaf College in Northfield
in 1950.
Governor Quie served as a pilot in the United States Navy from 1943-
1945 and later became the owner and operator of a dairy farm. He was
the clerk of District 43 School Board from 1949-1952 and a supervisor
for the Rice County Soil Conservation District from 1950-1954. Al Quie
was a member of the Minnesota State Senate from 1955-1958 and was
elected to the 85th U.S. Congress and served 20 years here in this
chamber. He served as the 35th Governor of Minnesota from January 1,
1979, until January 3, 1983.
Mr. Speaker, Al Quie's tireless work to help others since he left the
Governor's office with such wonderful organizations as Prison
Fellowship has been truly inspirational. His strong faith also serves
as a powerful force and profound example for me in my life.
Al Quie has continued his public servlce in too many ways to fully
emunerate here. Al has served on many boards--not only Prison
Fellowship Ministries, but Lutheran Brotherhood Mutual Funds, Lutheran
Health Systems, Tentmakers, Vesper Society, Nobel Peace Prize Forum,
Search Institute, Council on Crime and Justice, Urban Ventures and
AGORA.
Al Quie was a member of the Commission on Excellence in Education
that wrote ``A Nation at Risk.'' Today, Al is a sought after speaker
and mentor as well as a voting member of the Evangelical Lutheran
Church in America Church-Wide Assemblies.
Al has also been busy seeing this great nation he served so ably.
After completing his service as Governor of Minnesota, he was able to
take time to fulfill his life-long dream of riding horseback along the
Continental Divide from Canada to Mexico--and write a best-selling book
about it, ``Riding the Divide.'' Al Quie has had quite a ride, serving
others and leading our state and nation. I am proud to say that today
he resides in Minnetonka, Minnesota, my home town in the 3rd
Congressional District, which I am privileged to represent.
Al personifies both the greatness and goodness of Minnesota. Above
all, Al has been a good friend over the years, and I love, admire and
respect him and his wonderful family.
Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote on this fitting tribute to a great
leader and a truly good man, Al Quie.
Mr. SABO. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3989 and join my
Democratic and Republican colleagues from Minnesota in their unanimous
support for designating the post office in Dennison, Minnesota as the
``Albert Harold Quie Post Office.''
[[Page H9446]]
Albert Quie is a well-respected former Minnesota Governor, U.S.
Representative, and state senator. He grew up on a farm near his
hometown of Dennison.
Al Quie was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in a special
election in 1958 and served here for over 20 years.
Governor Quie left the U.S. House in late 1978 to return to Minnesota
after his successful gubernatorial bid. While I never served alongside
Governor Quie, I've always respected his integrity and humility in his
commitment to public service.
Again, I rise in support of naming the Dennison, MN, post office
after Albert Harold Quie.
Mr. GUTKNECHT. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Gingrey). The question is on the motion
offered by the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Gutknecht) that the House
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3989, as amended.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of
those present have voted in the affirmative.
Mr. GUTKNECHT. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this question will
be postponed.
____________________