[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 148 (Wednesday, September 17, 2008)]
[House]
[Pages H8331-H8332]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                 CEECEE ROSS LYLES POST OFFICE BUILDING

  Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules 
and pass the bill (H.R. 6772) to designate the facility of the United 
States Postal Service located at 1717 Orange Avenue in Fort Pierce, 
Florida, as the ``CeeCee Ross Lyles Post Office Building''.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 6772

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

     SECTION 1. CEECEE ROSS LYLES POST OFFICE BUILDING.

       (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal 
     Service located at 1717 Orange Avenue in Fort Pierce, 
     Florida, shall be known and designated as the ``CeeCee Ross 
     Lyles 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 ``CeeCee Ross Lyles Post Office 
     Building''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Minnesota (Ms. McCollum) and the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. 
Foxx) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Minnesota.


                             General Leave

  Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota. 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 
gentlewoman from Minnesota?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota. 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 rise in support of H.R. 6772 which aims to rename 
the postal facility in the city of Fort Pierce, Florida, after CeeCee 
Ross Lyles, who was a flight attendant aboard United Airlines Flight 93 
during the horrible attacks of 9/11.
  H.R. 6772, which was introduced by the gentleman from Florida (Mr. 
Mahoney) on August 1, 2008, was reported from the Committee on 
Oversight and Government Reform on September 10, 2008, by voice vote. 
The measure has the support of Florida's entire House congressional 
delegation and recognizes Mrs. Lyles for the upstanding life she lived 
and the legacy she leaves behind.
  CeeCee Ross Lyles has been described as a strong, smart, street-savvy 
young lady. Before becoming a flight attendant, she spent 6 years on 
the Fort Pierce Police Department where she worked her way from patrol 
officer to detective and was respected widely by her colleagues.
  Although CeeCee enjoyed working as a law enforcement officer, on 
October 11, 2000, she walked away from her job as a cop to pursue a 
lifelong goal of hers, which was to become an airline flight attendant. 
It was this decision that would lead her to join the ranks of United 
Airlines on the morning of September 11, 2001. Along with other crew 
members and passengers, she would be faced with the unthinkable, a 
hijacked airline carrier.
  Moments before Flight 93 went down in the field of Shanksville, 
Pennsylvania, CeeCee dialed home twice on a cell phone to tell her 
husband, Lorne, of the hijacking and to send her love to her boys, 
Javon, Jerome, Justin and Jordon.
  A devout wife and mother to her sons, CeeCee lost her life far too 
early, like so many others on that tragic day in history. While last 
week the country stopped to remember the victims of 9/11, today we take 
a moment to acknowledge one individual in particular, and that is 
CeeCee Ross Lyles, crew member of Flight 93.
  Mr. Speaker, I hope my colleagues will join me in supporting H.R. 
6772, which renames the Orange Avenue Post Office in Fort Pierce, 
Florida, after Ms. Lyles, an honor certainly befitting of this fallen 
hero. Again, I urge passage of the bill.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise today in support of this bill designating the facility of the 
United States Postal Service located at 1717 Orange Avenue in Fort 
Pierce, Florida, as the CeeCee Ross Lyles Post Office Building.

                              {time}  1500

  Born and raised in Fort Pierce, CeeCee Ross Lyles was a role model in 
her community. She worked several jobs to support her family and still 
found time to volunteer at a local Christian women's shelter.
  For 6 years Lyles served at the Fort Pierce Police Department. During 
that

[[Page H8332]]

time she became known for her willingness to tackle fleeing criminals, 
worked her way up to detective, and was up for a promotion to sergeant.
  In October 2000, Lyles saw a chance to pursue a lifelong dream and 
left the Fort Pierce Police Department. Through employment with United 
Airlines as a flight attendant, Lyles found new experiences and 
opportunities to travel.
  Sadly, her life ended less than a year later, on September 11, 2001. 
Lyles was among the heroic crew on United Flight 93, which, along with 
the passengers on board that day, overtook the terrorists and prevented 
them from completing their diabolical plot.
  Ultimately, the plane crashed in a field in Shanksville, 
Pennsylvania, killing the 44 people on board, but saving an untold 
number of American lives, including, perhaps, many of us as that plane 
almost certainly was headed for this building. Moments before the plane 
went down, Lyles called her husband and prayed for her family, herself 
and everyone aboard the plane.
  CeeCee Ross Lyles was a loving wife and mother and a devoted member 
of her community whose life was cut short by the tragic events on 
September 11, 2001. I urge my colleagues to support this bill in her 
memory.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the 
gentleman from Florida, Representative Mahoney.
  (Mr. MAHONEY of Florida asked and was given permission to revise and 
extend his remarks.)
  Mr. MAHONEY of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6772, 
my bill to name the United States Post Office at 1717 Orange Avenue in 
Fort Pierce, Florida after CeeCee Ross Lyles, a true hero from my 
district who died tragically on September 11, 2001.
  I would like to thank Chairman Waxman and his staff for their help in 
moving this very important piece of legislation to the floor. I would 
also like to acknowledge my distinguished colleague, Mr. Hastings, who 
also represents Fort Pierce, for his support of the bill, and all the 
other colleagues who represent the State of Florida who unanimously 
support this important piece of legislation.
  CeeCee Ross Lyles was a flight attendant on United Airlines Flight 
93, which crashed in a Pennsylvania field on September 11. Passengers 
on the flight, along with CeeCee and other flight attendants, fought 
back against the hijackers after learning that other planes had been 
flown into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.
  Shortly before Flight 93 crashed, CeeCee called her husband, Lorne, 
and told him she loved him and she loved her children.
  CeeCee was born and raised in Fort Pierce where she served as a 
police officer for 6 years. In those years as a police officer, she had 
worked her way from patrol officer to detective, and was respected for 
her willingness to tackle fleeing criminals.
  Fulfilling a lifelong goal to travel, she became a United Airlines 
flight attendant in 2000, where she served with distinction.
  CeeCee had a true and giving spirit. She loved her volunteer work at 
a women's shelter that two of her aunts helped found in Fort Pierce. 
Through her work at the shelter she served as a role model, showing 
women that they could make their own way if they tried hard enough.
  I am proud to name this post office in honor of a true American hero, 
CeeCee Ross Lyles. I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring this 
most worthy hero.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of 
H.R. 6772, a resolution designating the post office located at 1717 
Orange Avenue in Fort Pierce, Florida, as the ``CeeCee Ross Lyles Post 
Office Building.'' As a cosponsor of this legislation, I would like to 
like to express my appreciation for the effort of my good friend from 
Florida, Congressman Tim Mahoney, for introducing this important 
legislation. He and I share the privilege of representing Fort Pierce 
in the House.
  Through the designation of this post office we honor the memory of 
Ms. CeeCee Ross Lyles. Ms. Lyles was a flight attendant aboard United 
Flight 93 on that fateful day, 9/11 over 7 years ago. Shortly before 
the plane crashed, Ms. Lyles called her husband to tell her that she 
loved him. While her time on earth was cut short by terrorists, her 
memory will live on in our community. This post office designation will 
forever commemorate the life of Ms. Lyles.
  Ms. Lyles was a true Fort Pierce Floridian through and through. She 
was born and raised in Fort Pierce and later served as a police officer 
for 6 years there. In 2003, the City of Fort Pierce erected a statue of 
Ms. Lyles in the Liberty Garden at Veteran Memorial Park.
  The legislation before us today ensures the memory of Ms. Lyles and 
all other 9/11 victims live on in our collective memory. I urge swift 
passage of this legislation to properly recognize and memorialize the 
heroes of 9/11 and the life of Ms. CeeCee Ross Lyles.
  Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support the passage of 
H.R. 6772, and yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of 
my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms. McCollum) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 6772.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a 
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not 
present.
  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.
  The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.

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