[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 45 (Monday, March 16, 2009)]
[House]
[Pages H3408-H3409]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            SPECIALIST PETER J. NAVARRO POST OFFICE BUILDING

  Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 1217) to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 15455 Manchester Road in Ballwin, Missouri, as the 
``Specialist Peter J. Navarro Post Office Building''.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 1217

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

     SECTION 1. SPECIALIST PETER J. NAVARRO POST OFFICE BUILDING.

       (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal 
     Service located at 15455 Manchester Road in Ballwin, 
     Missouri, shall be known and designated as the ``Specialist 
     Peter J. Navarro 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 ``Specialist Peter J. Navarro Post Office 
     Building''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Issa) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Massachusetts.


                             General Leave

  Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 
5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Massachusetts?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I now yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to present for consideration H.R. 1217, 
which designates the United States postal facility located at 15455 
Manchester Road in Ballwin, Missouri, as the Specialist Peter J. 
Navarro Post Office Building.
  Introduced by Representative W. Todd Akin on February 26, 2009, and 
reported out of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee on March 
10, 2009, by a voice vote, H.R. 1217 enjoys the support, the unanimous 
support of the entire Missouri House delegation.
  A resident of Wildwood, Missouri, Specialist Peter Joseph Navarro 
bravely served with the United States Army's 2nd Battalion, 70th Armor, 
3rd Brigade Combat Team out of Fort Riley, Kansas.
  On December 13, 2005, Specialist Navarro and three fellow members of 
his unit were killed in Taji, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device 
detonated near their Humvee while the soldiers were conducting combat 
operations in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Specialist Navarro, a 
member of the United States Air Force Junior ROTC Program, graduated 
from Lafayette High School in 2003. He subsequently decided to forego 
his acceptance at Truman State University in order to join the United 
States Army.
  As noted by his father, Jose, a retired chief petty officer for the 
United States Navy, Specialist Navarro was a strong-willed young man 
and a dedicated soldier who cared for the soldiers that he worked with 
and would do anything for his friends. Mr. Navarro also recounts that 
his son wanted to try and make a difference, and that being a soldier 
was what making a difference is in this time of our lives.
  Specialist Navarro's dedication to his unit and his country was 
evidenced in July of 2005 when he returned home to Wildwood to attend 
the funeral of his younger brother, Daniel, who had been killed in a 
car accident. Specialist Navarro's mother, Rowena, begged her son not 
to return to Iraq in the summer. As Mrs. Navarro recalls her son 
telling her, ``Mom, they would be a man short. Somebody's taking my 
place, and that's not fair. They'd do the same thing for me.''
  Mr. Speaker, Specialist Peter J. Navarro's life stands as a testament 
to the bravery and dedication of the heroic men and women who have 
served and continue to serve our Nation at home and abroad. It is my 
hope that we can further honor his service through the passage of this 
legislation.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 1217 and dedicate 
the Manchester Road Post Office in Ballwin, Missouri, after this 
outstanding American soldier.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of designating the 
facility of the United States Postal Service located at 15455 
Manchester Road in Ballwin, Missouri, as the Specialist Peter J. 
Navarro Post Office Building. As you may know, in the previous 
Congress, we had voted to name this post office and, unfortunately, the 
term ended before we were able to pass this.
  But the failure of the Senate to act should not diminish what 
happened in the summer of 2005 when Specialist Peter J. Navarro 
returned home from duty in Iraq to join his family at their home in 
Wildwood, Missouri, not for a joyful reunion, but to bury his younger 
brother, who had died in a car accident.
  After Daniel's funeral, Peter's mother, distraught over the loss of 
her middle son, begged him not to return to Iraq. This young man's 
response to his grieving mother is nothing short of heroic. He had to 
go back. He said,

[[Page H3409]]

``Mom, they would be a man short. Somebody's taking my place, and 
that's not fair.''

                              {time}  1615

  This selfless devotion to his comrades and his country exemplifies 
the character of this tremendous young man.
  Forgoing his acceptance to Truman State University, Specialist 
Navarro enlisted in the Army right after his graduation from Lafayette 
High School in 2003.
  This young man believed in the mission, men, and country he served. 
Tragically, on December 13, 2005, just 1 month before he was scheduled 
to end his deployment, Specialist Navarro lost his life while on patrol 
in Iraq.
  Specialist Navarro has been awarded the Good Conduct Medal, the 
Purple Heart, and the Bronze Star for his service. Specialist Navarro's 
father, a veteran of the Navy, remembers his strong-willed son with 
admiration: ``He died because he was trying to make a difference, and 
being a soldier was what was making a difference in this time of 
life.''
  Like many young men and women in uniform today serving our country, 
Specialist Navarro in fact has made the decision to go into harm's way 
to help another people far away--people he never met, people he knows 
nothing about, and people who he only knows he's going because our 
country is there and because we are trying to make a difference.
  I join with the majority today and with Congressman Akin, who could 
not be here, for passage of his bill, in saying this is the right name 
in this town for the right individual who gave so completely to the 
American people, and I urge support.
  Mr. AKIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1217, a 
bill I introduced to honor the life of Peter J. Navarro by designating 
the post office in Ballwin, Missouri, as the ``Specialist Peter J. 
Navarro Post Office Building.'' A resident of Wildwood, Missouri, 
Specialist Peter J. Navarro was part of Company A, 2nd Battalion, 70th 
Armor Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division. On 
December 13, 2005 Specialist Navarro was one of four soldiers killed 
when a roadside bomb detonated near their Humvee during combat 
operations in Taji, Iraq.
  A graduate of Lafayette High School, Peter declined his acceptance at 
Truman State University so he could join the Army right after 
graduation.
  When Peter returned home for his younger brother's funeral, he was 
faced with the undeniable risks of serving his country. However, he 
returned to Iraq telling friends and family, ``They need me there.''
  Peter was a dedicated soldier, willing to give the ultimate sacrifice 
to protect his county and the men and women who reside there. As 
Peter's father, Jose Navarro said, ``He cared for the soldiers he 
worked with. He would do anything for his friends. And he told me he 
believed in what the mission was.''
  As the father of two Marines, one of whom has served in Iraq; it is a 
privilege to stand here today to honor one of our fallen soldiers. 
Peter's commitment and dedication to his country is a shining example 
of how our military men and women are the finest our nation has to 
offer. His and his family's sacrifice should serve as a reminder to all 
that the freedom we enjoy as Americans is not free but the result of 
the tremendous bravery and selfless service of men and women willing 
put themselves in harms way for freedom's cause.
  Our nation will be forever indebted to Specialist Peter Navarro. Mr. 
Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me today in honoring Peter.
  Vote ``yes'' on H.R. 1217.
  Mr. ISSA. I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. LYNCH. Again, Mr. Speaker, I'd like to thank the gentleman from 
Missouri (Mr. Akin) for authoring the measure at hand. I urge my 
colleagues to support the passage of H.R. 1217.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1217.
  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. ISSA. 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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