[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 166 (Tuesday, October 30, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H12197-H12198]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                MICHAEL W. SCHRAGG POST OFFICE BUILDING

  Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 3446) to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 202 East Michigan Avenue in Marshall, Michigan, as 
the ``Michael W. Schragg Post Office Building''.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 3446

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

     SECTION 1. MICHAEL W. SCHRAGG POST OFFICE BUILDING.

       (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal 
     Service located at 202 East Michigan Avenue in Marshall, 
     Michigan, shall be known and designated as the ``Michael W. 
     Schragg 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 ``Michael W. Schragg Post Office 
     Building''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Missouri (Mr. Clay) and the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Duncan) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Missouri.


                             General Leave

  Mr. CLAY. Mr. 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 Missouri?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. CLAY. 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. 3446, which names a postal facility in Marshall, 
Michigan, after Michael W. Schragg.
  H.R. 3446, which was introduced by Representative Timothy Walberg on 
August 3, 2007, was reported from the Oversight Committee on October 
23, 2007, by voice vote. This measure has the support of the entire 
Michigan congressional delegation.
  Mr. Speaker, Michael W. Schragg served as postmaster of Marshall, 
Michigan, for 23 years. In June 1970 he began as a substitute clerk 
carrier, and in May 1979 he became the postmaster of Marshall.
  During Marshall's 1987 annual historic home tour, Mr. Schragg began 
displaying a number of old postal artifacts throughout the post office. 
Due to the many artifacts displayed, tourists thought the post office 
was a museum rather than an official working post office. He decided to 
develop an extensive collection of postal antiques in the basement of 
the post office and in an annex building. Currently, he is known for 
his noteworthy accomplishment in the creation of the Marshall Postal 
Museum. Everyone in Marshall knows Mr. Mike Schragg as the man who 
knows everyone's zip code by heart.
  Mr. Speaker, I commend my colleague, Representative Timothy Walberg, 
for introducing this legislation and urge the swift passage of this 
bill.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, Michael Schragg grew up on his family's farm in Ceresco, 
Michigan. In 1967, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and served in Germany 
for 3 years. After this period, he returned to Michigan and began his 
career in the postal service in 1970. Within 5 years he was promoted to 
postmaster for the Olivet office, and in 1979 became the postmaster for 
Marshall, Michigan. During his tenure, the Marshall office was named 
the All-American Post Office.
  Beyond the postal service, Mr. Schragg has always been active in his 
community. He is a past president of the Marshall Rotary Club and 
continues to serve on the Marshall Historical Society.
  However, his most noteworthy accomplishment is the creation of the 
Marshall Postal Museum. The Marshall Postal Museum is the second 
largest in the U.S., behind the Smithsonian Postal Museum here in 
Washington, D.C. The museum is now one of the cornerstones of the 
immensely popular Marshall historical home tour. In fact, in 2003, the 
New York Times called the postal museum the town's piece de resistance. 
The article went on to say, ``If you think you have no interest in 
postal history, a tour conducted by the ebullient Mr. Schragg will 
change your mind.''
  Beyond the New York Times, Mr. Schragg and his museum have also been 
featured in Michigan magazine. Mr. Schragg even drove a vintage 1931 
Model A mail delivery truck in the 2001 inauguration parade.

                              {time}  1515

  Considering his devotion to preserving the past and his work to 
develop the future of the Postal Service, it is fitting that we name 
the building where he toiled for so long in his honor. This is 
especially true since the Marshall Postal Museum is housed in

[[Page H12198]]

the basement of the same Marshall Post Office.
  I ask my colleagues to join me in support of this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman 
from Michigan (Mr. Walberg).
  Mr. WALBERG. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today in support of naming the 
Marshall, Michigan Post Office, a prominent post office in my district, 
the Seventh District of Michigan, the Michael W. Schragg Post Office.
  Michael's life story has been recounted to some degree by my 
colleagues thus far, but he is one that is beloved in his community, 
family, and the American postal service. Michael served as Marshall's 
postmaster for 23 years and was the force behind the creation of the 
Marshall Postal Museum, the second largest postal museum in the United 
States, behind only the Smithsonian, as has been represented thus far.
  Michael was born in Calhoun County and raised on the family farm in 
Ceresco, Michigan. He attended a one-room country school, the Francisco 
School in Ceresco, through the seventh grade, and he then went on to 
graduate from Marshall High School. Michael met his wife, Loretta, 
while working at the Robinson's department store as he attended Kellogg 
Community College.
  Michael enlisted in the U.S. Army Post Office in June 1967 and served 
in Germany for 3 years. Michael and Loretta went on to have three 
children, two of whom embarked on postal careers of their own.
  Michael started his postal career in Marshall, Michigan, as a 
substitute clerk carrier and quickly earned a promotion to supervisor. 
The following year he became the postmaster for Olivet, Michigan, only 
to return to Marshall, serving as the town's postmaster for 23 years. 
During his tenure in Marshall, the U.S. Postal Service named the 
Marshall Post Office an All-American Post Office.
  Michael Schragg has been active in the Marshall community throughout 
his lifetime. He is a past president of the Marshall Rotary Club and 
continues to serve on the Marshall Historical Society. Michael's most 
noteworthy accomplishment is the creation of the Marshall Postal 
Museum. It is second only to the Smithsonian Postal Museum in size and 
is housed in the basement of the historic Marshall Post Office.
  The Marshall Post Office building, a Greek revival architectural 
style with copper roof, was constructed in 1932 out of Marshall 
sandstone. The idea for the downstairs museum occurred during 
Marshall's 1987 Historic Home Tour. At that time Postmaster Schragg 
displayed a number of old postal artifacts throughout the building, 
which was on the historic tour that year. Many people thought the 
entire post office was a museum rather than an official working U.S. 
Post Office. After the tour Michael began organizing the collection of 
postal antiques in seven rooms in the basement and in an annex building 
behind the post office.
  The Marshall Postal Museum has since become one of the cornerstones 
of the annual Marshall Historic Home Tour. It was part of a New York 
Times article about places in America worth visiting, and Michael and 
the museum have also been featured in Michigan Magazine.
  Michael has taken some of the museum's displays on the road and, as 
has been mentioned, toured numerous States. Michael drove a vintage 
1931 Model A mail delivery truck in President George W. Bush's first 
inaugural parade in Washington, DC.
  Because of Michael's countless hours of work on the Marshall Postal 
Museum, his years of service to the United States Postal Service in 
Michigan, and his dedication to the Marshall community, naming the 
Marshall Post Office in his honor is a fitting tribute, and I urge the 
House to join me in support of H.R. 3446.
  Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to fully support H.R. 
3446. 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 
gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Clay) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the bill, H.R. 3446.
  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. CLAY. 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 motion will be 
postponed.

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