[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 113 (Monday, July 16, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H7797-H7798]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                DR. KARL E. CARSON POST OFFICE BUILDING

  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (H.R. 2570) to designate the facility of the United 
States Postal Service located at 301 Boardwalk Drive in Fort Collins, 
Colorado, as the ``Dr. Karl E. Carson Post Office Building''.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 2570

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

     SECTION 1. DR. KARL E. CARSON POST OFFICE BUILDING.

       (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal 
     Service located at 301 Boardwalk Drive in Fort Collins, 
     Colorado, shall be known and designated as the ``Dr. Karl E. 
     Carson 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 ``Dr. Karl E. Carson Post Office 
     Building''.

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


                             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 
may consume.
  Madam Speaker, as a member of the House Committee on Oversight and 
Government Reform, I am pleased to join my colleague in the 
consideration of H.R. 2570, which names a postal facility in Fort 
Collins, Colorado, after Dr. Karl E. Carson. H.R. 2570, which was 
introduced by Representative Marilyn Musgrave on June 5, 2007, was 
reported from the Oversight Committee on June 12, 2007, by a voice 
vote. This measure has the support of the entire Colorado congressional 
delegation.
  Dr. Karl E. Carson served in the U.S. Navy Reserve during World War 
II. He was a communications officer on the USS Strive, a minesweeper. 
Following his military service, he attended the University of Nebraska 
and received his doctor of dental surgery degree in 1951. Dr. Carson 
started his dental practice in 1954. His practice thrived and continued 
until his retirement in 1994.
  In 1991, the Colorado Dental Association gave him its Distinguished 
Service Award. Dr. Carson was a member of the Fort Carson City Council 
from 1975 until 1973. He held the city's top post, mayor, for 5 years, 
from 1968 to 1973.
  Madam Speaker, I commend my colleague, Representative Marilyn 
Musgrave, for introducing this legislation and urge the swift passage 
of this bill.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CANNON. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, Dr. Karl Carson, a father, musician and public 
servant, led an honorable life of community service. Over the years the 
tremendous contributions he made to the City of Fort Collins, Colorado, 
certainly merit the naming of a post office in his honor.
  Dr. Karl Carson was born in 1915 in Wichita, Kansas. He was raised on 
a dairy farm and milked cows each day before leaving for school. While 
in high school, he met his wife Wilma Schull, with whom he had five 
children. Dr. Carson demonstrated a deep devotion to his family as a 
loving husband, father and grandfather.
  He attended Fort Collins State University in Kansas on a music 
scholarship and paid for his education by singing at weddings and other 
social occasions.
  After graduating, he served honorably in the U.S. Navy Reserve during 
World War II as a communications officer aboard the USS Strive. This 
service marked the beginning of a lifetime of serving his community and 
country.
  After the conclusion of his military service, Dr. Carson received a 
doctorate degree in dental surgery from the University of Nebraska. In 
1954, he moved to Fort Collins, Colorado, with his family and 
established his own dental practice. Dr. Carson enjoyed a successful 
43-year long dental career. He was recognized for his excellence in 
dentistry by the Colorado Dental Association in 1991 with a 
Distinguished Service Award.
  In 1965, Dr. Carson began his noteworthy career of public service as 
a member of the Fort Collins City Council. He was subsequently elected 
by the City Council to be mayor in 1968.
  During his mayoral term, he initiated a program called Designing 
Tomorrow Today, which was the catalyst for building the downtown 
library, city hall and the Lincoln Center. Dr. Carson also regarded his 
support of adding fluoride to Fort Collins water supply as one of his 
greatest achievements.
  Dr. Carson will be remembered for his legendary record of community 
service. Beyond serving as the director of downtown Fort Collins 
development, the Colorado League of Cities and President of the 
Colorado Municipal League, he was a member of the Kiwanis Club for over 
60 years.
  Regarded by many of the fathers of Fort Collins, Dr. Karl Carson 
undoubtedly left his mark on the Colorado community. Let us recognize 
his legacy of community service and devotion to family by naming this 
post office in his honor.
  Madam Speaker, I urge the passage of H.R. 2570.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. CANNON. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to 
the gentlewoman from Colorado (Mrs. Musgrave).
  Mrs. MUSGRAVE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to speak on behalf of H.R. 
2570, to designate the post office building at 301 Boardwalk Drive in 
Fort Collins, Colorado, as the Dr. Karl E. Carson Post Office Building.
  Madam Speaker, I am pleased to have the opportunity to honor a man 
who has given so much to the Fort Collins community. He was quoted in 
2005 saying that he lived life by a simple pledge: ``I hope when I 
leave this place, I contributed to making it a better place.''
  His legacy in Fort Collins was indeed a life of community service and 
devotion to his family. Dr. Carson passed away in February of this 
year, and I think it would be safe to say that Fort Collins was a 
better place because of Dr. Carson's service to this community.
  Karl was born on September 27, 1915, in Wichita, Kansas, to Daniel 
and Clara Helfrick Carson. He was raised on the family dairy farm, and 
every day before he went to school he milked cows and bottled milk. In 
high school, he met his lifelong sweetheart, Wilma Schull, and they 
married on August 23, 1936. To this union, five children were born: 
Allen, James, Daniel, Thomas and LuAnn. The Carsons also had eight 
grandchildren and four great grandchildren.
  Karl Carson attended Fort Hays State University in Kansas on a music 
scholarship, and he paid his way through college by singing at weddings 
and parties.

                              {time}  1500

  He served in the United States Navy Reserve during World War II. He 
was a communication officer on the USS Strive, a mine sweeper.
  Following his military service, Mr. Carson attended the University of 
Nebraska and received his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree in 1951. The 
Carson family moved to Fort Collins where Dr. Carson started his dental 
practice in

[[Page H7798]]

1954. His practice thrived and continued until retirement in 1994. 
Amazingly, for 30 of those 43 years he practiced dentistry with his 
son, Tom. In 1991, the Colorado Dental Association gave him its 
Distinguished Service Award.
  Dr. Carson was a member of the Fort Collins City Council from 1965 to 
1973. He held the city's top post, mayor, for five terms, from 1968 to 
1973 at a time when the city council elected the mayor. And he 
considered his support of adding fluoride to the Fort Collins water 
supply one of his greatest achievements. During his tenure, he started 
a program called Designing Tomorrow Today, which led to the 
construction of the Lincoln Center, city hall, and the downtown 
library.
  Dr. Carson's community service is legendary. He was the director of 
downtown Fort Collins development, President of the Colorado Municipal 
League and the Colorado League of Cities. He was also a member of 
Kiwanis since 1938. Continuing his love of music and youth, he lent his 
expertise to participants in the Kiwanis annual Stars of Tomorrow 
Talent Show.
  Madam Speaker, Dr. Karl Carson indeed fulfilled his legacy of leaving 
Fort Collins and this world a better place. The citizens of Fort 
Collins, Colorado, will never forget him. He was a man of love and 
commitment to his family and community. Upon hearing of his death in 
February of this year, the current mayor of Fort Collins, Doug 
Hutchinson, called Dr. Carson a ``City Father.''
  I urge my colleagues to join me in recognizing Dr. Karl Carson for 
his many contributions to the Fort Collins community by supporting this 
legislation.
  Mr. CANNON. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I urge passage of this 
legislation, and 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. 2570.
  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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