[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 121 (Monday, September 25, 2006)]
[House]
[Pages H6980-H6981]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             CAPTAIN CHRISTOPHER PETTY POST OFFICE BUILDING

  Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules 
and pass the bill (H.R. 6102) to designate the facility of the United 
States Postal Service located at 200 Lawyers Road, NW in Vienna, 
Virginia, as the ``Captain Christopher Petty Post Office Building,'' as 
amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 6102

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

     SECTION 1. CAPTAIN CHRISTOPHER P. PETTY AND MAJOR WILLIAM F. 
                   HECKER, III POST OFFICE BUILDING.

       (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal 
     Service located at 200 Lawyers Road, NW in Vienna Virginia, 
     shall be known and designated as the ``Captain Christopher P. 
     Petty and Major William F. Hecker, III 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 ``Captain Christopher P. Petty and Major 
     William F. Hecker, III Post Office Building''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Virginia (Mr. Tom Davis) and the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Van 
Hollen) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Virginia.


                             General Leave

  Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. 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 Virginia?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 6102, as amended, a bill 
to rename the post office in Vienna, Virginia, after two American 
heroes. Major William Hecker III and Captain Christopher Petty both 
gave their lives on January 5, 2006, while serving in Iraq.
  Captain Petty began his service to our country upon entering his 
college's ROTC program. He was commissioned in the Army immediately 
after graduation; and his grandfather, an artillery officer in World 
War II, pinned his own second lieutenant's bars and insignia on his 
grandson's chest.
  Captain Petty honored both his grandfather and our country with his 
service and was stationed next to the Iranian border, where he 
coordinated the artillery for his battalion.
  Major William Hecker studied engineering management at West Point and 
in 2000 went on to earn a master's degree in English from the 
University of Oregon. He returned to West Point as an assistant English 
professor for 3 years, and he had plans to continue teaching after his 
assignment in Iraq. His love of literature was second only to his love 
of his country.
  Following in the footsteps of his father, Major Hecker knew that he 
wanted to be in the Army since he was in the third grade. He believed 
in making a difference, and he was looking forward to going to Iraq.
  We owe these men and their families a debt of gratitude that can 
never be repaid. I hope my colleagues will join me in support of H.R. 
6102. I ask that we continue to honor these two fallen soldiers and all 
of our men and women in uniform that serve this great Nation.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I think it is very important and appropriate that we 
recognize the sacrifice and service of Captain Petty and Major Hecker 
in this way.
  I urge adoption of this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I submit for printing in the 
Congressional Record a letter from Mrs. Hecker, Major Hecker's mother, 
talking about her thoughts and her son's activities in Iraq.

                                                November 18, 2005.
     Hon. John Murtha,
     Johnstown, PA.
       Dear Representative Murtha: I am the wife of a retired Army 
     officer who served this great country of ours for twenty-
     eight years, including two tours of duty in Vietnam. I am 
     also the mother of two sons, both of whom chose to serve in 
     our Armed Forces. Our older son is a Major in the 4th 
     Infantry Division and will be departing for a year's tour of 
     duty in Iraq in just a little over a week. Our younger son is 
     a 1LT in the Marine Corps currently stationed in Okinawa as a 
     C-130 pilot. He could be detailed to Iraq as well.
       I respect your service to country, as well as your right to 
     speak your mind about the situation in Iraq. But I, too, have 
     a right to an opinion and to make my voice known. Although I 
     rarely if ever write a political letter, your recent 
     statements have moved me to do so! I believe your comments 
     about Iraq have harmed our chances for success, and will only 
     serve to embolden the terrorists and encourage them to 
     continue with their violence, hoping that it will hasten our 
     retreat. Not only that, I believe it would be immoral to 
     abandon the fledgling Iraqi government before they are ready 
     to provide for their own security.
       I have faith in our military leaders and believe that they 
     are taking the necessary steps to train the Iraqi forces, and 
     provide for our eventual withdrawal. I also have faith in our 
     executive branch that they are taking the necessary steps to 
     help the new Iraqi government get a democratic style 
     government in place * * * and to give them at least a chance 
     of success. Although mistakes were made in the execution of 
     the war and its aftermath, the goal itself is worthy. And in 
     spite of all the negativity that we are constantly bombarded 
     with, I believe that there have been some remarkable 
     successes!
       Although my son would surely prefer to stay home with his 
     wife and four young children, he is both a soldier and a 
     scholar. He understands that we are in a vital long-term 
     struggle against a dangerous ideology, and he is willing to 
     make the necessary sacrifices to defeat it. It is a difficult 
     struggle that will require patience and fortitude, both on 
     and off the battlefield. If we lose our will here at home, it 
     makes the task for our soldiers all the more difficult. I 
     believe your comments were irresponsible and are contributing 
     to the loss of national will. If they were made to obtain 
     political advantages, I would find that abhorrent and 
     unworthy of a former Marine.
       Please know that our soldiers are heroes, not victims. They 
     are making great sacrifices on our behalf. They need to be 
     supported and appreciated until their mission is over. I 
     suggest you reconsider your comments and the effect they have 
     on our soldiers and their families.
       Sincerely,
                                                     Nancy Hecker.

  Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 6102, to name 
a post office in northern Virginia in honor of Captain Christopher P. 
Petty and Major William F. Hecker, III, both of whom were killed in 
Iraq on January 5, 2006, when an explosive detonated near their Humvee 
in Najav, Iraq.
  Both Captain Petty and Major Hecker attended high school in northern 
Virginia. Now we commemorate their service to America by naming the 
post office building at 200 Lawyers Road, NW in Vienna, Virginia, in 
their honor. There is no greater gift a person can give than his or her 
life to save the lives of others. I cannot imagine the grief of the 
parents, wives and children of these two courageous men and we honor 
their memory today in this way to help ensure that their sacrifice will 
not be forgotten.
  This post office will stand as a reminder of the perils faced daily 
by the thousands of Americans who serve in our armed forces overseas 
and whose devotion to duty places them in harm's way. My thoughts and 
prayers remain with the families and friends of Captain Petty and Major 
Hecker.
  Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of 
my time.
  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by

[[Page H6981]]

the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Tom Davis) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 6102, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of those present 
have voted in the affirmative.
  Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. 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.

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