[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 110 (Tuesday, July 21, 2009)]
[House]
[Pages H8464-H8465]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                    CONRAD DeROUEN, JR. POST OFFICE

  Mr. LYNCH. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 2972) to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 115 West Edward Street in Erath, Louisiana, as the 
Conrad DeRouen, Jr. Post Office.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 2972

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

     SECTION 1. CONRAD DEROUEN, JR. POST OFFICE.

       (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal 
     Service located at 115 West Edward Street in Erath, 
     Louisiana, shall be known and designated as the ``Conrad 
     DeRouen, Jr. 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 ``Conrad DeRouen, Jr. 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. 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. Madam Speaker, I now yield myself such time as I may 
consume. As chairman of the House subcommittee with jurisdiction over 
the United States Postal Service, I'm pleased to present H.R. 2972 for 
consideration. This legislation will designate the United States Postal 
Service Facility located at 115 West Edward Street in Erath, Louisiana, 
as the ``Conrad DeRouen, Jr. Post Office.''
  Introduced by my colleague, Representative Charles Boustany of 
Louisiana, on June 19, 2009, and reported out of committee on July 10, 
2009, by unanimous consent, H.R. 2972 enjoys the support of the entire 
Louisiana House delegation.
  Born on February 12, 1921, Conrad ``Snookie'' DeRouen graduated from 
Erath High School in 1937, and subsequently attended Vanderbilt 
University, graduating with a master's degree in health and physical 
education.
  At the age of 21, Conrad DeRouen volunteered for service in the 
United States Marine Corps and was commissioned as a second lieutenant 
at Quantico, Virginia. Following additional training at Camp Pendleton, 
Second Lieutenant DeRouen was deployed to the Asiatic theatre during 
World War II, serving with the 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Division.
  In July of 1944, after serving overseas for a few months, Second 
Lieutenant DeRouen was involved in the Battle of Saipan in the Marianas 
Islands. Regrettably, Second Lieutenant DeRouen was gravely wounded in 
the neck by enemy forces and subsequently died from his wounds at the 
age of 23.
  In recognition of his distinguished service, Second Lieutenant 
DeRouen posthumously received the Navy Cross, awarded for extreme 
gallantry and risk of life in actual combat with an armed enemy force 
and going beyond the call of duty.
  As noted by the accompanying citation, Second Lieutenant DeRouen, 
despite his wounds, ``gallantly refused to be evacuated and remained 
steadfast in his station until he collapsed from pain and blood loss.''
  Additionally, the citation noted that, ``By his initiative, courage, 
and devotion to duty throughout these hazardous operations, Second 
Lieutenant DeRouen upheld the highest traditions of the United States 
Naval Service.''
  Madam Speaker, Second Lieutenant Conrad DeRouen's life stands as a 
testament to the bravery and dedication of the heroic men and women who 
have offered the ultimate sacrifice in service to our Nation.
  Let us together honor this distinguished Marine through the passage 
of this legislation to designate the West Edward Street Postal Facility 
in his honor.
  I urge my colleagues to join Mr. Boustany, the lead sponsor of this 
resolution, in supporting H.R. 2972.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CHAFFETZ. I yield such time as he may consume to my distinguished 
colleague from Louisiana (Mr. Boustany).
  Mr. BOUSTANY. I thank my friend and colleague from Utah and my friend 
from Massachusetts for this courtesy.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 2972, to 
designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 
115 West Edward Street in Erath, Louisiana, as the Conrad DeRouen, Jr. 
Post Office. I'd like to thank the Oversight and Government Reform 
Committee for bringing this bill to the floor.
  Today, it's really a distinct honor for me to celebrate the life of 
United States Marine Corps Reserve Second Lieutenant Conrad C. DeRouen, 
Jr., an extraordinary hero in World War II.
  A native of Erath, Louisiana, a small coastal town in my district, 
DeRouen graduated from Erath High School, then went on to Southwestern 
Louisiana Institute, and subsequently received a master's degree from 
Peabody College in Nashville, Tennessee.
  He married Marguerite Domingues of Abbeville, Louisiana, and at the 
age of 21 he volunteered to serve in the United States Marine Corps.

                              {time}  1915

  While fighting against the Japanese forces in Saipan, Mariana 
Islands, on July 3, 1944, Lieutenant DeRouen endured continuous 
exposure to enemy fire in order to guide tanks into areas of combat; 
and when the communications systems failed, DeRouen seated himself 
behind the turret in order to continue the resistance.
  In another assault on Japanese forces later on July 8, 1944, 
Lieutenant DeRouen, despite being wounded in the neck by shrapnel from 
an enemy grenade, refused to leave his post with the 1st Battalion to 
seek medical assistance and, instead, continued to fight at his 
station. DeRouen eventually collapsed due to pain and loss of blood and 
was carried off the field of battle by his comrades. He finally 
succumbed to his wounds on his ship and was buried at sea.
  Lieutenant DeRouen's actions were an inspiration to the marines he 
fought beside and were a contributing factor in the success of the 
campaign in the Mariana Islands. Because of his heroic death at the age 
of only 23 years of age, he was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross for 
his bravery in a combat zone, the second highest decorated Medal of 
Honor. Today I join the town of Erath in honoring this fallen hero with 
the dedication of their post office to the name of Second Lieutenant 
Conrad C. DeRouen, Jr. for being the highest decorated veteran in its 
history, a real hero and someone we should all honor.
  As we honor Lieutenant DeRouen today, we also must recognize our 
present-day heroes in Iraq and Afghanistan, those who have fallen and 
those who continue to fight, and we thank them as well as their 
families and the families of all of our troops who put on a uniform.
  I now ask my colleagues to support this resolution.
  Mr. LYNCH. Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers at this time, 
but I will continue to reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CHAFFETZ. It's an honor to stand and rise in support of H.R. 2972 
and the great American hero that we know as Conrad DeRouen. I 
appreciate bringing this to our attention, and we look forward to 
having this post office named after him. It's the least we could do 
from a country that's so grateful.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. LYNCH. 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. 2972.
  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. BROUN of Georgia. Madam 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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