[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.
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