[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 65 (Monday, April 23, 2007)]
[House]
[Page H3731]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    ATANACIO HARO-MARIN POST OFFICE

  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (H.R. 625) to designate the facility of the United States 
Postal Service located at 4230 Maine Avenue in Baldwin Park, 
California, as the ``Atanacio Haro-Marin Post Office''.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                H.R. 625

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

     SECTION 1. ATANACIO HARO-MARIN POST OFFICE.

       (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal 
     Service located at 4230 Maine Avenue in Baldwin Park, 
     California, shall be known and designated as the ``Atanacio 
     Haro-Marin 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 ``Atanacio Haro-Marin Post Office''.

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


                             General Leave

  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that 
all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend 
their remarks.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Illinois?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
might consume.
  As a member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government 
Reform, I am pleased to join my colleague in consideration of H.R. 625, 
which names the postal facility in Baldwin Park, California, after 
Atanacio Haro-Marin.
  H.R. 625, which was introduced by Representative Hilda Solis on 
January 22, 2007, was reported from the Oversight Committee on March 
29, 2007 by voice vote. This measure, which has been cosponsored by the 
52 members, has the support of the entire California congressional 
delegation. Army Sergeant Atanacio Haro-Marin, age 27, of Baldwin Park, 
California, was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 16th Field Artillery 
Regiment, Fort Hood, Texas. He was killed while manning the checkpoint 
when his unit came under attack from gunfire and rocket-propelled 
grenades south of Balad, Iraq on June 3, 2003.
  Sergeant Marin was born in Momax, Mexico, and lived there with his 
mother while his father worked in California picking fruit and doing 
construction jobs to support seven children. The family reunited in Los 
Angeles when Sergeant Marin was 2, and they later moved to suburban 
Baldwin Park. He will be remembered as a proud and courageous soldier 
who was living out a long-held dream of serving in the U.S. military.
  Madam Speaker, I commend my colleague for seeking to honor the 
memory, legacy, and contributions of Atanacio Haro-Marin, and urge 
swift passage of this bill.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of our time.
  Mr. ISSA. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Atanacio Marin, or as he was better known, Nacho, by his friends, 
typifies the soldiers that come from California. So many of them are 
from Los Angeles and surrounding areas, so many have stories like Nacho 
has: one in which he was born in Mexico; one in which his family came 
here for a better life; one in which he became integrated with the 
community that he grew up in; one in which he graduated from Sierra 
Vista High School and was on the track team and ran in the Los Angeles 
marathon; one in which he had a desire to serve his country; one in 
which he joined the National Guard after completing high school and 
decided to devote his life to serving the military.
  After his tour with the National Guard ended, Nacho transferred to 
the regular Army and was assigned to Battery C, 3rd Battalion, 16th 
Field Artillery Regiment at Fort Hood, Texas. In January, 2 months 
before reporting for duty in the Middle East, Sergeant Marin was able 
to spend time with his close-knit family. While he was in Iraq he 
continued to remain close to his family. He called home often and 
characteristically sent his mother a Mother's Day card that read, 
``Don't worry, be happy.'' Tragically, those uplifting words were some 
of his last.
  A checkpoint was manned by the sergeant and came under fire on June 
3, 2003. Unfortunately, this brave young man did not survive the 
attack. He was only 27 years old.
  The post office we are naming today in Baldwin Park we are naming not 
just as a tribute to this fine soldier, but as a tribute to those who 
have gone to serve their country in this war and, like so many others, 
have an American story.
  Nacho's American story is the story of California, it is a story of 
the war that is not often talked on this front, of patriotism, of 
devotion to family, of devotion to this Nation. And it is so 
appropriate that we name a post office after this fine young man from 
California. So I join with the majority in urging its swift passage.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers. I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ISSA. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I had expected that 
Representative Solis, who is the sponsor of this legislation, would 
have been here, but maybe she had some difficulty getting back from way 
out west in California today.
  Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of our time and urge passage 
of this resolution.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. Boyda of Kansas). The question is on 
the motion offered by the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) that the 
House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 625.
  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.

                          ____________________