[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 124 (Thursday, September 28, 2006)]
[House]
[Pages H7745-H7746]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         LANCE CORPORAL ROBERT A. MARTINEZ POST OFFICE BUILDING

  Mr. WESTMORELAND. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass 
the bill (H.R. 5108) to designate the facility of the United States 
Postal Service located at 1213 East Houston Street in Cleveland, Texas, 
as the ``Lance Corporal Robert A. Martinez Post Office Building''.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 5108

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

     SECTION 1. LANCE CORPORAL ROBERT A. MARTINEZ POST OFFICE 
                   BUILDING.

       (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal 
     Service located at 1213 East Houston Street in Cleveland, 
     Texas, shall be known and designated as the ``Lance Corporal 
     Robert A. Martinez 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 ``Lance Corporal Robert A. Martinez Post 
     Office Building''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Georgia (Mr. Westmoreland) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Georgia.


                             General Leave

  Mr. WESTMORELAND. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members 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 Georgia?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. WESTMORELAND. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, a native Texan, Robert Martinez, known as Robbie, was a 
young Marine with the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine 
Division. He was based at the Marine Corps Air Ground and Combat Center 
in Twentynine Palms, California.
  Lance Corporal Martinez was a dedicated soldier who wanted nothing 
more than to serve his country and make a difference in the world. Upon 
commencement of his senior year of high school, he had already signed 
up for the

[[Page H7746]]

Marines. Two days after his high school graduation, in 2003, he left 
for basic training.
  Before his second deployment, Lance Corporal Martinez was stationed 
for 7 months in Iraq on the border of Syria. It was late in his second 
deployment to Iraq in the city of Fallujah when he and nine fellow 
Marines were killed by an improvised explosive device. The date of this 
attack was December 1, 2005; and, tragically, he was only weeks from 
returning home to his family and friends.
  In honor of this soldier's great courage and patriotism, which will 
not be forgotten, I ask all Members to join me in supporting H.R. 5108.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
might consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5108, introduced by Representative Ted Poe, 
designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 
1213 East Houston Street in Cleveland, Texas, as the Lance Corporal 
Robert A. Martinez Post Office Building.
  This measure was unanimously reported by the Government Reform 
Committee on September 21, 2006.
  A native of Texas, Robert Martinez was a young Marine serving his 
second deployment to Iraq where he was killed by an improvised 
explosive device on December 1, 2005, while conducting combat 
operations in Fallujah, Iraq.
  Mr. Speaker, here is another instance where a young person who had 
completed one tour of duty, engaged in his second tour, gave the very 
best and the most that one could possibly give, and that is his life, 
for the benefit of creating, hopefully, a different and a better world. 
I can think of no better way to remember him than to have people in his 
community and in his hometown know of his diligence, of his exploits 
and of his courage than to name a post office in his honor.
  Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back 
the balance of our time.
  Mr. WESTMORELAND. Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume 
to my good friend and distinguished judge from the sovereign State of 
Texas (Mr. Poe).
  Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to speak on this 
very important bill. I appreciate my friend from Georgia and friend 
from Illinois for helping sponsor this bill.
  Mr. Speaker, we name buildings and monuments and libraries and roads 
after Presidents and generals, statesmen. But, today, I hope that we 
name a post office after a young 20-year-old who wore the American 
military uniform.
  Mr. Speaker, the great General Douglas MacArthur during World War II 
once commented, ``I have just returned from visiting the Marines at the 
front, and there is not a finer organization in the world'' than the 
Marine Corps.
  Lance Corporal Robert ``Robbie'' Alexander Martinez was a member of 
this fine fighting organization; and, as mentioned, he was killed in 
December, 2005, while fighting and serving our Nation in Iraq. He 
volunteered to join the Marines, and he volunteered to go to Iraq.
  He was a member of the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, the 1st 
Marine Division, based at the Marine Air Corps Ground and Combat 
Center, Twentynine Palms, California.
  Lance Corporal Martinez was 20 years of age when he died. He was on 
his second tour of Iraq, and he had spent 7 months on the Syrian 
border. He went to Iraq and Fallujah after 2004, and then he and nine 
other Marines were killed last December when a roadside bomb exploded 
next to them.
  Lance Corporal Martinez was scheduled to come home to Texas within a 
week of his death, but at the last minute his tour was extended for 
over a month and a half.
  Mr. Speaker, one out of 10 people wearing the United States military 
uniform are from the State of Texas, and enlistments and volunteers 
among those with Hispanic surname is extremely high.
  Just before his death, Robert Martinez had called his mother and 
asked her to buy him a diamond ring because he was going to propose to 
his girlfriend, Taylor Wilkenson, as soon as he got back. He called her 
his ``love at first sight.''
  He went to a little, small high school, Cleveland High School in 
Cleveland, Texas, and he graduated there in 2003. While in high school, 
he was known as the peacemaker. By the time he started his senior year, 
he had already signed up for the Marine Corps, but they would not take 
him until he was old enough. His pre-enlistment at the age of 17 would 
be activated as soon as he graduated from high school.
  He was an outstanding baseball pitcher at Cleveland High School and 
dreamed of getting a degree in education and being a high school 
baseball coach, but he put all those dreams on hold so he could join 
the United States Marine Corps. He went to basic training 2 days after 
his high school graduation.
  Lance Corporal Martinez's stepfather, Jeremy Hunt, called Robbie his 
``diamond in the rough'' and one of the greatest things that ever came 
into the life of his family. He loved being in the United States Marine 
Corps, and he was proud telling folks he was just a Marine. He knew 
there was a reason for resolving the situation in Iraq, and he looked 
forward to coming back to Texas.
  While overseas, he requested bags and bags of candy and care 
packages, but this candy was not for him because he would split it up 
and give it out to little kids in Iraq.
  Robbie's mother, Kelly Hunt, said their 14-year-old son Mikie wanted 
to be in the Marine Corps just like his brother Robbie.
  President Ronald Reagan once said, ``Some people live an entire 
lifetime and wonder if they have ever made a difference in the world, 
but the Marines don't have that problem.'' Fine words from our former 
President.
  Lance Corporal Martinez was working to make a difference in the world 
when he gave his life, and his bravery and dedication, his patriotism 
will not ever be forgotten by his friends, certainly not by his family, 
and all freedom-loving people throughout this world.
  His Nation made the call, and he responded without hesitation, and he 
served his country with honor and distinction. He wanted to be in the 
Marines since he was 12 years of age.
  So, Mr. Speaker, I ask for the adoption of this bill to name this 
small post office in Cleveland, Texas, after one of the sons of 
America.
  Mr. WESTMORELAND. Mr. Speaker, we have no other speakers, and I urge 
all Members to support the passage of H.R. 5108. I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Westmoreland) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 5108.
  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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