[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 98 (Monday, June 18, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H6594-H6596]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     MAJOR SCOTT NISELY POST OFFICE

  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (H.R. 2563) to designate the facility of the United 
States Postal Service located at 309 East Linn Street in Marshalltown, 
Iowa, as the ``Major Scott Nisely Post Office''.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 2563

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

     SECTION 1. MAJOR SCOTT NISELY POST OFFICE.

       (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal 
     Service located at 309 East Linn Street in Marshalltown, 
     Iowa, shall be known and designated as the ``Major Scott 
     Nisely 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 ``Major Scott Nisely Post Office''.

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


                             General Leave

  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days 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. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, as a Member of the House Committee on Oversight and 
Government Reform, I am pleased to join my colleagues in the 
consideration of H.R. 2563, which names the postal facility in 
Marshalltown, Iowa after Major Scott Nisely.
  H.R. 2563, which was introduced by Representative Tom Latham on June 
5, 2007, was reported from the Oversight Committee on June 12, 2007, by 
voice vote. This measure has the support of the entire Iowa 
congressional delegation.
  Major Scott Nisely was killed in combat near Al Asad, Iraq on 
September 20, 2006. He served in the Marines as an officer on Active 
Duty and as a reservist with the 133rd Infantry Battalion Charlie 
Company.
  He worked 12 years for the U.S. Postal Service in Marshalltown, Iowa. 
Due to his strong desire to serve his country, he accepted an enlisted 
rank in order to fill a vacancy in the Iowa Army National Guard. Major 
Scott had served a tour of duty during Operation Desert Storm as a 
marine, in addition to Operation Iraqi Freedom as a guardsman. He will 
be fondly remembered for his patriotism and love of family.
  Mr. Speaker, I commend my colleague, Representative Tom Latham, for 
introducing this legislation, and urge its passage.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SALI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, Major Scott Nisely, a father, athlete and musician, made 
the ultimate sacrifice for his country on the field of battle and 
deserves the honor of having his name on the post office in 
Marshalltown, Iowa, where he worked for 12 years.
  Scott was born in Syracuse, Nebraska in 1958, and excelled in track 
and cross country. He attended Doane College on a track scholarship and 
pursued a degree in biology.
  He showed a passion for his country and did not shy away from the 
duty of serving his Nation. While in college, he enlisted in the United 
States Marine Corps ROTC, and after completing his Bachelor's degree in 
1981, he was commissioned an Infantry Second Lieutenant in the U.S. 
Marine Corps.

                              {time}  1530

  He rose to the rank of captain and commanded an infantry company 
during Operation Desert Storm. After his tour in Kuwait and Iraq, he 
returned to the Reserves, where he was promoted to the rank of major.
  Scott continued to serve his community even when out of the military. 
In 1994 he began working for the U.S. Postal Service in Marshalltown. 
He participated in his church's music ministry program and was active 
at the local tae kwon do. Above all, he worked tirelessly to serve 
others.
  Even with such an impressive record of service under his belt, he 
could not ignore the call of duty. When his country went to war again, 
he enlisted in the Iowa Army National Guard and accepted the rank of 
staff sergeant in order to do so. In 2005, he returned to Iraq with C 
Company of the Iowa National Guard's 133rd battalion.
  On September 30, 2006, he was providing security for a convoy in Al 
Anbar Province, Iraq, when his company came under insurgent small arms 
fire. He and a fellow member of the Guard were killed.
  His decorations include the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Bronze Star 
Medal, the Oak Leaf Cluster, the Purple Heart, the Army Achievement 
Medal, and a dozen others.

[[Page H6595]]

  Let us pay our respect to Major Scott E. Nisely and remember his 
commitment to serving this Nation by naming the Marshalltown post 
office in his honor.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance 
of my time.
  Mr. SALI. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Latham).
  Mr. LATHAM. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this 
time.
  First of all, I would like to thank the committee and the gentleman 
from Illinois, Chairman Davis, for moving this piece of legislation as 
quickly as they have through the committee and for the opportunity to 
bring this I think most appropriate legislation to the floor today.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to encourage my colleagues to support 
legislation that I introduced to honor Major Scott E. Nisely of 
Marshalltown, Iowa, one of America's heroes who was killed in combat on 
September 30, 2006, while serving our country in Iraq.
  Scott Nisely served 22 years in the Marines as an officer on active 
duty and as a Reservist, retiring with the rank of major. During his 
time in the Marines, he served as an infantry company commander in 
Operation Desert Storm. And following his active duty, Scott worked 12 
years for the U.S. Postal Service in Marshalltown, Iowa.
  Due to Scott's strong desire to serve his country, he accepted an 
enlisted rank in order to fill a vacancy in the Iowa Army National 
Guard in 2002.
  According to letters I have received from soldiers in Scott's unit, 
he did not broadcast the fact that he was a former Marine major, but 
humbly served his fellow soldiers. One officer also said he was a 
``natural born leader of soldiers.''
  Scott served with the Iowa National Guard on the Multinational Forces 
Observer mission in the Sinai, and finally in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
  Scott's friends, family, coworkers, fellow soldiers and marines 
attest to the positive and lasting impact he had on their lives. 
Numerous letters from these individuals were sent to me, and I include 
them for the Record.
  Scott's life was a shining example of dedication to service, a strong 
commitment certainly to his family, his faith, and his country. This 
legislation will name the post office located at 309 East Linn Street 
in Marshalltown, Iowa, the Major Scott Nisely Post Office.
  I want to thank Scott's co-workers at the Marshalltown post office 
who initiated this proposal, and I am proud to help them make this 
timely and appropriate honor a reality. I also want to thank my 
colleagues from Iowa, Leonard Boswell, Steve King, Bruce Braley and 
Dave Loebsack for their support in moving this legislation forward. I 
strongly urge all Members to pass H.R. 2563.
                                           Department of the Army,


                    Headquarters, 1st Battalion 133D Infantry,

                                   Al Asad Ab, Iraq, June 8, 2007.
     Congressman Tom Latham,
     Ames, Iowa.
       Dear Mr. Latham: I am responding to an inquiry to determine 
     if my unit would support the consideration of naming the 
     United States Post Office in Marshalltown, Iowa after one of 
     my soldiers, Scott Nisely.
       The bottom line on this is yes, I, and my entire unit fully 
     support this effort, and see this as a fitting tribute to 
     this fallen citizen soldier.
       As a Battalion Commander, I have many soldiers that are 
     under my command. I have deployed in the service of our 
     country 3 times since September of 2000, I have been 
     entrusted with some of the finest young people that our State 
     and our Nation have to offer. Let me share with you a little 
     bit about Scott Nisely from my perspective.
       Scott joined the Iowa National Guard after completing a 
     full military career in the Marine Corps, retiring from the 
     Marine Corps as a Field Grade Officer. He then joined the 
     National Guard as an enlisted soldier in the rank of a Buck 
     Sergeant, because this was what was offered to him. On my 
     second deployment, and my first with Scott Nisely, I asked 
     him what motivated him to do this; his reply was that he felt 
     he could make a difference in the lives of these young men, 
     and he still felt a strong desire to serve his country in 
     whatever capacity he could. He didn't care about the rank, he 
     didn't care about the job, as long as he was working with 
     young soldiers, and serving our country. To me this was 
     evident during our OEF deployment, and in our current mission 
     in Iraq.
       Scott was a man that was respected by all those around him, 
     not because of the words he said, but because of the way that 
     he lived his life and by the example he set for others. We 
     all lost something the day we lost SFC Nisely and SGT 
     Sourivong. We cannot change the events that happened on that 
     day, but we can honor these men, and the sacrifice that they 
     have made. I believe by naming the Marshalltown Post Office 
     in honor of Scott Nisely, we will always have a visible 
     reminder of this sacrifice, and are honoring a great American 
     who lived his life in a manner that we should all strive to 
     pattern. He lived his life with honor and integrity, love for 
     his family, and love for his country.
           Sincerely,

                                           Benjamin J. Corell,

                                     Lieutenant Colonel, Infantry,
                                                       Commanding.
                                  ____
                                  


                                                  Don Douglas,

                                  Marshalltown, IA, June 12, 2007.
     To: Representative Tom Latham, R-IA.
       I did not know Maj. Scott Nisely. But I am a veteran of the 
     Vietnam era, who served my country in the Navy during the 
     Vietnam era, 1961 to 1966. But my outfit anti subsquadron 25 
     North Island San Diego, CA served aboard USS Aircraft 
     Carrier, USS Yorktown, CVS-10 off coast of Vietnam a couple 
     of tours to that area. I am also a member of VFW Post 839 
     Marshalltown a life member, and I support our troops. Like I 
     said I didn't personally know Maj. Nisely. But have heard his 
     wife talk about him at hospice meetings I attend since my 
     wife passed away in Feb. 07. It would be a great tribute to 
     him and his family if legislation could be passed as soon as 
     possible renaming Marshalltown Post Office after him.
       Since Maj. Nisely put his life on line serving his country 
     defending freedom and doing something he believed in this 
     would be the right thing to do to honor him.
           Thank you,
     Don Douglas.
                                  ____


       Letter for the Record, in Support of H.R. 2563 (06/18/07):

       I support naming the Marshalltown Post Office after Major 
     Scott Nisely. He is a true American hero. I had the privilege 
     of serving with him in the 1-133 Infantry in Iraq. He was a 
     very dedicated soldier, always caring for his soldiers and 
     everyone around him. I really looked up to him as a man.
       He is a soldier that was dedicated to public service, 
     serving our great nation in 2 wars, both in the Marine Corps 
     and the U.S. Army. He also worked as a Postal Worker, which 
     is a hard job for any American. I appreciate the sacrifices 
     that he has made for our country, especially giving the 
     ultimate sacrifice.
       I feel that naming the Marshalltown Post Office in his 
     honor is the least we can do to honor this great American. 
     Please name the Marshalltown Post Office to the Major Scott 
     Nisely Post Office. It will be a great memorial of a great 
     American and great Iowan.

                                  First Lieutenant Kyle W Obrecht,
     1-133 Infantry, Iowa Army National Guard.
                                  ____

       I had the honor of working directly with ``SSG'' Nisely 
     during our deployment to Iraq. I am sending this message of 
     support from Iraq as we are still in theater performing our 
     mission. As a squad leader and leader of men SSG Nisely 
     always ensured the vehicles in his command were mission ready 
     and that his soldiers were constantly on top of the readiness 
     of their equipment.
       As former NCO turned officer, I understood his role and his 
     rank in the troop leading arena. SSG Nisely was one of the 
     best NCOs I have ever had the experience of serving with. The 
     funny part, and oftentimes told, part of his exemplary 
     service is the fact that he was a former Marine Major before 
     becoming a NCO in the Iowa National Guard. Not once did this 
     fact ever come from him. He was always humble and loved 
     serving his country and even more he honored our country by 
     serving his men.
       As a field grade officer in any service one trends to wane 
     away from direct troop leading duties. SSG Nisely was a 
     natural born leader of soldiers. I hope I can take this 
     example and use it in my career.
       Scott's sacrifice will never be forgotten by me or any 
     soldier he served with in this war on terrorism. I hope the 
     resolution will pass so that all Americans that come to use 
     the facility being recommended for the name change will know 
     that an American hero is honored and forever remembered.

                                          First Lieutenant (P)

                                              Marcus A. Smoot, OD,
     1-133 Infantry, Iowa Army National Guard.
                                  ____

       I strongly support naming the Marshalltown Post Office 
     after my friend Major Scott Nisely. This would be a nice 
     reminder to patrons of the post office that Scott dedicated 
     his life to serving the people. He did that through his 
     selfless service in the Marine Corps, the Iowa National 
     Guard, and his civilian career at the postal service. Scott 
     was a great man; this has been a great loss to his family, to 
     the military and to the Marshalltown community. Please 
     support the initiative to name the Marshalltown post office 
     in memory of Major Scott Nisely.
                                           Captain Jeffrey Staker,
     1-133 Infantry, Iowa Army National Guard.
                                  ____

       I strongly endorse the naming of a Post Office in 
     Marshalltown, Iowa after Major Scott Nisely. I knew him from 
     deployments to Sinai, Egypt and Iraq. I had several 
     conversations with him and they were always

[[Page H6596]]

     pleasant. He was one of the friendliest guys I have ever 
     met--always positive. Scott was a dedicated family man and a 
     fine soldier. This would be a great way to honor him and his 
     family. He deserves it--he was a hero. Thank you for 
     addressing this.
                                                    Michael Smith,
     1-133 Infantry, Iowa Army National Guard.
                                  ____

       My husband is currently serving in Iraq and was there with 
     Sgt. Nisely. What a hero this man was! I fully support the 
     post office being named after this brave, wonderful man.
                                          Mrs. Doug (Barb) Krause,
     Waverly, Iowa.
                                  ____

       He was there for his soldiers, always doing something for 
     people.
                                                     John Fortune,
     Specialist, Army National Guard.
                                  ____

       I think that this would be a fitting remembrance for a 
     great man and urge you to accept this proposal (H.R. 2563).
                                          Specialist Curtis Olson,
         134th Brigade Support Battalion, Minnesota Army National 
                                                            Guard.
  Mr. SALI. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. 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. 2563.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. 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.

                          ____________________