[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 175 (Tuesday, November 13, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H13812-H13813]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       MARINE CORPS CORPORAL STEVEN P. GILL POST OFFICE BUILDING

  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (H.R. 3974) to designate the facility of the United 
States Postal Service located at 797 Sam Bass Road in Round Rock, 
Texas, as the ``Marine Corps Corporal Steven P. Gill Post Office 
Building''.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 3974

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

     SECTION 1. MARINE CORPS CORPORAL STEVEN P. GILL POST OFFICE 
                   BUILDING.

       (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal 
     Service located at 797 Sam Bass Road in Round Rock, Texas, 
     shall be known and designated as the ``Marine Corps Corporal 
     Steven P. Gill 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 ``Marine Corps Corporal Steven P. Gill 
     Post Office Building''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Davis) and the gentleman

[[Page H13813]]

from California (Mr. Issa) 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 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. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, once again we have a member of the Armed Services who 
gave the true devotion of service and we seek to honor him by naming 
this post office in his honor.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, it is my great honor to yield such time as he 
may consume to the author of this bill, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. 
Carter).
  Mr. CARTER. I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I thank the 
committee for all they have done on this bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this resolution honoring the 
memory of United States Marine Corps Corporal Steven Patrick Gill of 
Round Rock, Texas.
  In January of 2002, Steven Gill placed his college education on hold 
to enlist in the United States Marine Corps. The events of September 11 
moved Steven to take up arms to defend his country. On July 21, 2005, 
he paid the ultimate sacrifice while deployed in Iraq doing that duty 
of defending his country.
  Steven Gill was born on November 3, 1980, to Bill and Rose Gill of 
Houston, Texas. After moving to Round Rock, my hometown, in 1993, 
Steven attended Westwood High School. He was an active member of King 
of Kings Lutheran Church, and took part in numerous mission trips to 
help those in need.
  After high school, Steven enrolled at Concordia Lutheran College in 
Austin, Texas, where he studied towards his goal of becoming a youth 
minister in the Lutheran Church. As it did for so many Americans, the 
tragic events of September 11 changed the course of Steven's life.
  Upon completion of basic training, Steven received follow-up training 
to become an infantry marine rifleman at the School of Infantry, Camp 
Pendleton, California. He also attended Amphibious Reconnaissance 
School at Naval Amphibious Base, Norfolk, Virginia. On July 21, 2005, 
Steven was serving as a reconnaissance man with Echo Company, Third 
Reconnaissance Battalion, Regimental Combat Team 8, Second Marine 
Division in Zaidon, Iraq, when he was killed in action.
  Steven served one tour in Iraq and was awarded a Purple Heart, Combat 
Action Ribbon, Selected Marine Corps Reserve, National Defense Service 
Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, two GWOT Service Medals, and an Armed 
Forces Reserve Medal.
  Steven Gill gave his life so we can enjoy the freedoms that we have 
today in this great Nation. It is my honor as his Congressman and a 
resident of Round Rock, Texas, to honor the sacrifice of Steven Gill 
for his country here today and to honor his family who gave us their 
son. As Congress returns to work after honoring our Nation's war 
heroes, I am proud to offer this small tribute to one of those heroes 
from Texas.
  Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3974.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge passage of this bill to designate 
the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 797 Sam 
Bass Road in Round Rock, Texas, as the ``Marine Corps Corporal Steven 
P. Gill Post Office Building'' in honor of the late Marine Corporal 
Steven P. Gill, a 24 year old Marine Corps reservist killed near 
Zaidon, Iraq by an IED on July 21, 2005.
  A native of Round Rock, Corporal Gill was not only a model soldier, 
but also a model citizen.
  After graduating from Westwood High School in 1999, he enrolled in 
Concordia University. Corporal Gill planned to enter the seminary, but 
his work with children and church youth groups inspired him to pursue a 
life as a youth minister.
  Then, on September 11, 2001, his life, like so many other American's, 
changed dramatically. In the words of his father, Bill Gill, ``When he 
saw those towers crashing, he had to do something.''
  Convinced by his father to finish the semester, Corporal Gill 
enlisted in the Marines in January, 2002, later assigned to the 4th 
Marine Division, 4th Reconnaissance Battalion, based in San Antonio, 
the same unit his father served in years ago.
  Corporal Gill is a shining example of an individual who continually 
and selflessly served those around him, both through his work for his 
community and his country. His spirit lives on through the work of his 
mother, Rose Gill, who, despite losing her job in wake of his death, 
continues to promote the Marines and the sacrifice of her son.
  Three months after his death she ran in the Marine Corps Marathon and 
has run in his honor every year since, raising money for wounded 
soldiers.
  ``He knew the sacrifice he might be called to make, and he accepted 
that,'' his father said. I urge you to honor that sacrifice and the 
amazing life of this genuine American hero.
  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. 3974.
  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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