[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 58 (Tuesday, April 21, 2009)]
[House]
[Pages H4547-H4548]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   SERGEANT MARCUS MATHES POST OFFICE

  Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 1516) to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 37926 Church Street in Dade City, Florida, as the 
``Sergeant Marcus Mathes Post Office''.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 1516

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

     SECTION 1. SERGEANT MARCUS MATHES POST OFFICE.

       (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal 
     Service located at 37926 Church Street in Dade City, Florida, 
     shall be known and designated as the ``Sergeant Marcus Mathes 
     Post Office''.
       (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 ``Sergeant Marcus Mathes Post Office''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch) and the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Chaffetz) 
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 may 
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, as chairman of the House subcommittee with jurisdiction 
over the United States Postal Service, I am pleased to present H.R. 
1516 for consideration.
  This legislation will designate the United States postal facility 
located at 37926 Church Street in Dade City, Florida, as the ``Sergeant 
Marcus Mathes Post Office.''
  Introduced by my colleague, Representative Ginny Brown-Waite, on 
March 16, 2009, and reported out of the Oversight and Government Reform 
Committee on April 2, 2009, by unanimous consent, H.R. 1516 enjoys the 
support of the entire Florida House delegation.
  A resident of Zephyrhills, Florida, Sergeant Mathes bravely served 
with the 94th Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th 
Mountain Light Infantry Division out of Fort Polk, Louisiana. On April 
28, 2008, Sergeant Mathes, at age 26, and two of his fellow soldiers 
were killed in Baghdad, Iraq, when enemy forces attacked their forward-
operating base with indirect rocket fire.
  Sergeant Mathes, a graduate of Zephyrhills High School, grew up in 
the City of Sebring in Highlands County and subsequently became a 
resident of Pasco County. Stirred by the terrorist attacks of September 
11, 2001, Sergeant Mathes proudly joined the United States Army in 
2005. He left for boot camp on March 15, 2005, the date of his 23rd 
birthday. Sergeant Mathes was then deployed in support of Operating 
Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan from October 2006 until March of 2007. 
Eight months later, in November of 2007, he was deployed to Baghdad, 
Iraq, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
  As noted by his loving mother, Sue Sawyer, Sergeant Mathes was 
extremely proud of his duty. He genuinely appreciated the strangers who 
often approached him to thank him for his service to his country. 
According to his father, Ralph Mathes, his son loved the excitement, 
challenges and adventure associated with serving in the United States 
Army. His love of family and love of country were further evidenced by 
the tattoos on his body. Alongside the name of his beloved wife were 
two more tattoos, one reading ``United States Army'' and the other, the 
second, an emblem of the American bald eagle.
  Sergeant Mathes was full of promise. Just prior to his death in April 
of 2008, he had passed his Sergeant's exam and has since been 
posthumously promoted. Additionally, having married his high school 
sweetheart, Julia, 6 years earlier, he anticipated starting a family.
  Mr. Speaker, Sergeant Marcus Mathes' life stands as a testament to 
the bravery and dedication of the heroic men and women who continue to 
serve our country at home and abroad. It is my hope that we can further 
honor his service through the passage of this resolution.
  And so I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 1516 and 
dedicating the Church Street Post Office in Dade City, Florida, in 
honor of our fallen hero.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CHAFFETZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may 
consume.
  I rise in support of H.R. 1516, naming the post office after Sergeant 
Marcus Mathes.
  Army Sergeant Marcus C. Mathes was much more than a selfless and 
heroic soldier. He was a devoted husband

[[Page H4548]]

and lover of life and family. As his mother, Sue Sawyer, described him, 
he loved anything dangerous or thrilling. He was full of life. He loved 
life, and he lived it to the fullest.
  Sergeant Mathes died on April 28, 2008, in Baghdad of wounds 
sustained when enemy forces attacked his forward-operating base with 
indirect fire. Also lost in the fight were Private First Class Adam L. 
Marion and Sergeant Mark A. Stone.
  Sergeant Mathes was only 26 years old and hailed from Florida. He 
left for boot camp on his 23rd birthday on March 15, 2005, and was 
assigned to the 94th Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat 
Team, 10th Mountain Division out of Fort Polk, Louisiana. He served in 
Afghanistan from October 2006 until March 2007 and left for Iraq in 
November of 2007.
  Sergeant Mathes was a selfless hero who dedicated his life to being 
the best soldier he could possibly be. He is remembered by family and 
friends as someone who loved life and adventure and welcomed a 
challenge. He loved to hike to waterfalls, SCUBA dive and ride dirt 
bikes. His father-in-law, Chuck Ehrman, said that he will be remembered 
as fun-loving and the type to make everyone feel happy around him.
  As a loving husband to his wife, Julia, as a son and patriot, 
Sergeant Mathes made the ultimate sacrifice in April of 2008 serving 
the country he loved.
  I urge my colleagues to support this bill honoring a courageous young 
man who personified the noblest ideals of our great Nation. His lost 
life fighting for the freedom enjoyed by all of us, by loved ones back 
home and his sacrifice, shall not be forgotten.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve my time.

                              {time}  1600

  Mr. CHAFFETZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as she may consume to 
my distinguished colleague from the State of Florida (Ms. Ginny Brown-
Waite).
  Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. I thank the gentleman for yielding. 
And I also thank the gentleman from Massachusetts for the speedy 
consideration of this bill.
  I rise today in support of H.R. 1516, which is the bill that I 
introduced to rename the post office in Dade City, Florida, after 
Sergeant Marcus Mathes. Marcus was a resident in my district who gave 
his life for his country while serving in Iraq.
  Inspired by the events of September 11, Sergeant Mathes joined the 
Army and left for boot camp on his 23rd birthday. He was proud to serve 
and hoped to make a career out of his service in the Army.
  Before serving in Iraq, Marcus was deployed to Afghanistan for a year 
and a half. He volunteered in not one, but two very dangerous war zones 
to protect the freedoms that all Americans hold dear.
  While repairing an equipment truck outside Baghdad 1 year ago this 
week, Marcus was struck and killed by enemy rocket fire. His brother-
in-law, who was on patrol with Marcus at the time, recovered his torn 
Bible from the battle scene, which gave his brother-in-law strength 
throughout his multiple tours.
  Marcus leaves behind a young widow, Julia Mathes. All the people of 
Pasco County, where Dade City is located, mourn his passing. My heart 
goes out to this brave, young widow who stood behind her husband when 
he made the decision to serve our Nation in its time of need.
  Julia remembers that she used to visit the Dade City Post Office to 
mail packages to her husband in Baghdad. By passing this bill, we can 
make sure that all who visit the post office will remember Marcus and 
the sacrifices that he made. I hope that the very simple act of 
renaming this building will memorialize Marcus' brave and selfless 
life.
  Sergeant Mathes epitomized the courage and patriotism of our all-
volunteer military, and we must never forget his sacrifice. I urge my 
colleagues to support this bill.
  Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve.
  Mr. CHAFFETZ. Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support the passage 
of H.R. 1516.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, at this point, I want to thank Ms. Brown-
Waite for bringing this measure before the House. I urge all of my 
colleagues to unanimously support this bill, which would designate the 
post office in Dade City in memory of Sergeant Marcus Mathes.
  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 Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1516.
  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.

                          ____________________