[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 17 (Monday, January 29, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H955-H956]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1445
                       GALE W. McGEE POST OFFICE

  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 335) to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 152 North 5th Street in Laramie, Wyoming, as the 
``Gale W. McGee Post Office''.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                                H.R. 335

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

     SECTION 1. GALE W. MCGEE POST OFFICE.

       (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal 
     Service located at 152 North 5th Street in Laramie, Wyoming, 
     shall be known and designated as the ``Gale W. McGee 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 ``Gale W. McGee Post Office''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Baird). Pursuant to the rule, the 
gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton) and the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Issa) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia.
  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I am pleased to join my colleagues in the consideration of H.R. 335, 
a bill naming a postal facility in Laramie, Wyoming, after former 
Senator Gale W. McGee.
  As a three-term Democrat from Wyoming, Senator McGee played an 
important role in improving the Post Office and securing deserved 
benefits for Federal workers. He was an expert on foreign policy and 
helped push our country into its current role as a world power. During 
his senatorial tenure that stretched from 1958 to 1976, Senator McGee 
served on the Interstate and Foreign Commerce, Appropriations, Foreign 
Relations, and Post Office and Civil Service Committees. He went on to 
be appointed by President Carter as U.S. Ambassador for the 
Organization of American States, where he was a strong advocate for the 
1978 Panama Canal Treaty. He later started a consulting firm that 
helped Caribbean and Latin American countries facilitate economic 
growth.
  Prior to his political career, Senator McGee taught high school 
history and eventually became a professor at the University of Notre 
Dame. His dedication to service should be remembered by the Congress of 
the United States.
  I urge swift passage of this bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I, too, would like to echo the praise of Senator Gale 
McGee. The gentlewoman from Wyoming has unfortunately been detained and 
will not be able to speak on the floor, but she authored this bill 
because, in fact, he did have a long career of service to this body in 
the sense of the Congress, and it is appropriate to name this post 
office after the Senator.
  Certainly it is clear that the Congress often names post offices and 
other bodies after their own Members. But I think today on all three of 
these bills we picked appropriate candidates, candidates who, in fact, 
exemplify what this body on both sides of the Dome are about, a body of 
dedication and service by people who come here to work in a bipartisan 
way, who come here to make America better, who bring the values of 
their home State here but who recognize the value of the entire country 
is what we seek when we come here to meet together to debate and to 
vote.
  Mrs. CUBIN. Mr. Speaker, today we are considering H.R. 335, a bill I 
authored to designate a facility of the United States Postal Service 
located in Laramie, Wyoming, as the ``Gale W. McGee Post Office.'' Gale 
W. McGee first came to my home State of Wyoming in 1946, to serve as an 
American History professor at the University of Wyoming. Gale and his 
wife Lorraine had three of their four children during his time in 
Laramie. His classes were said to be so popular that the students would 
``hang from the rafters'' to be able to attend. He was a respected 
member of the community.
  That respect was never more evident than 12 years later, in 1958. It 
was then that Gale McGee began a new chapter in his service to Wyoming, 
by being elected to the U.S. Senate in his first-ever attempt at public 
office. His accomplishments didn't stop there. During his entire 18-
year tenure in the Senate, McGee served on the Appropriations 
Committee. In fact, he was the first Freshman in Senate history to be 
granted this coveted assignment. He also served as Chairman of the 
Senate Post Office and Civil Service Committee--a fitting position 
considering the designation I am asking you to support today. As 
Committee Chairman, he was widely credited with preventing a nationwide 
rail strike in 1973, and for spearheading the Postal Reorganization Act 
of 1970. After his Senate career was over, McGee later served as U.S. 
Ambassador to the Organization of American States from 1977 to 1981.

[[Page H956]]

  As a professor and Senator, Gale McGee dedicated 30 years of his life 
serving the people of Wyoming. In August of 2006, the Laramie City 
Council recognized that service by passing a resolution supporting the 
naming of their local post office after Senator McGee. Due to that 
local support, I was proud to introduce H.R. 335, and I am even prouder 
that the entire House will recognize this fine man's service to Wyoming 
and our Nation when it passes the bill today.
  Gale McGee died on April 9th 1992, and his wife Lorraine passed just 
last March. Through the passage of this bill, we grant not only his 
family, but the State of Wyoming an official remembrance of our thanks.
  I ask for your support of H.R. 335.
  Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. NORTON. 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 
gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton) that the House 
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 335.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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