[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 164 (Thursday, November 5, 2009)]
[House]
[Pages H12394-H12395]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             CORPORAL JOSEPH A. TOMCI POST OFFICE BUILDING

  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (H.R. 3788) to designate the facility of the United 
States Postal Service located at 3900 Darrow Road in Stow, Ohio, as the 
``Corporal Joseph A. Tomci Post Office Building''.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 3788

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

     SECTION 1. CORPORAL JOSEPH A. TOMCI POST OFFICE BUILDING.

       (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal 
     Service located at 3900 Darrow Road in Stow, Ohio, shall be 
     known and designated as the ``Corporal Joseph A. Tomci 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 ``Corporal Joseph A. Tomci Post Office 
     Building''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Davis) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Bilbray) 
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, on behalf of the House subcommittee with jurisdiction 
over the United States Postal Service, I am very proud to present H.R. 
3788 for consideration. This measure will designate the facility of the 
United States Postal Service located at 3900 Darrow Road in Stow, Ohio, 
as the ``Corporal Joseph A. Tomci Post Office Building.''
  H.R. 3788 was introduced by my colleague Representative Steven 
LaTourette of Ohio on October 13, 2009, and favorably reported out of 
the Oversight Committee by unanimous consent on October 29, 2009. 
Additionally, this legislation enjoys the overwhelming support of the 
Ohio House delegation.
  After graduating from Stow-Munroe Falls High School in 2003, Corporal 
Tomci joined the U.S. Marine Corps and was assigned to the 3rd 
Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine 
Expeditionary Force out of Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.
  Tragically, on August 2, 2006, while conducting combat operations 
during

[[Page H12395]]

his second tour in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Corporal Tomci 
was killed in a roadside bomb in al Anbar province, Iraq. He was only 
21 years old at the time.
  Although Corporal Tomci is no longer with us, his spirit will endure 
in the memory of his mother, Gayle, his stepfather, Phil, his friends, 
and all those who were fortunate enough to know this brave young man. 
In fact, every year since his death, a group of Corporal Tomci's 
friends gather together in Silver Springs Park in Stow, Ohio, to 
remember the life of their friend and hero. Affectionately called ``Joe 
Tom Day'' after Corporal Tomci's nickname, about 150 joined in this 
year's commemoration and wore black T-shirts with Corporal Tomci's 
quote, ``You guys will be telling your kids about me,'' on their backs.
  And so, Mr. Speaker, let us, as a body, take this opportunity to 
recognize the life of Corporal Tomci, which stands as a testament to 
the bravery and dedication of the heroic men and women who serve our 
great Nation.
  I urge all of our Members to join in support of this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BILBRAY. Mr. Speaker, at this time, I would like to yield as much 
time as he may consume to the distinguished gentleman from Ohio (Mr. 
LaTourette).
  Mr. LaTOURETTE. I thank my friend from California for yielding.
  I want to thank the Chair and ranking member of the Government Reform 
and Oversight Committee for moving this bill in such an expedited 
manner. I want to thank my friend and colleague from Illinois (Mr. 
Davis) and from California (Mr. Bilbray) for bringing this bill to the 
floor today.
  I am proud to be the lead sponsor of H.R. 3788. It is going to honor 
a marine and native of Stow, Ohio, who gave his life in the line of 
duty, Corporal Joseph A. Tomci, and I urge my colleagues to support the 
bill. This bill will name the post office at 3900 Darrow Road in Stow 
as the Corporal Joseph A. Tomci Post Office Building.
  As has been mentioned, Joe Tomci, a graduate of Stow-Munroe Falls 
High School, was killed in a roadside bombing on August 2, 2006. It was 
his second tour of duty in Iraq, and he happened to be only 21.
  While I didn't have the pleasure of knowing Joe Tomci when he was 
alive, I have been awed by the impact that he had on those who did have 
the privilege of knowing him, loving him, and calling him a friend. 
There were thousands of people, Mr. Speaker, at his funeral. And every 
year since his death, friends and family have gathered to remember Joe 
on the anniversary that he died.
  There is also a tree planted at Fish Creek Elementary School. And you 
may think, well, maybe that's where Joe went to school, but the reason 
the tree is there is that Joe was a pen pal of the students for 2 
years, and the students would chart Joe's progress in Iraq on a map to 
reflect his experiences.
  Joe Tomci was a great son, a great friend, and a great leader. And I 
honestly can't think of many people at the age of 21 who have made such 
a mark on the world in such a short amount of time.
  He loved his family and his friends, he loved serving his country, 
and he loved being a marine. He told his mother, Gayle, that he 
believed in what he was doing and that he believed that his service was 
a benefit to the world.
  I've had the privilege, as most of our colleagues have, of travelling 
to Iraq to witness firsthand the important work of servicemen and -
women like Joe and what they're doing every day, as well as the 
selfless sacrifices that they and their families make. Some, like Joe, 
have made the ultimate sacrifice, but their deaths have not been in 
vain.
  Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the work of the committee in approving this 
legislation, and I urge my colleagues to support the bill.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BILBRAY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, my words on this quite appropriate bill would pale in 
comparison to the fine words from the gentleman from Ohio and the 
gentleman from Chicago. I think they said it quite well and eloquently, 
so at this time I think it's appropriate that I just urge all Members 
to support H.R. 3788.
  I rise today in support of this bill designating the United States 
Postal Facility, located at 3900 Darrow Road in Stow, Ohio as the 
``Corporal Joseph A. Tomci Post Office Building.''
  A native of Ohio, Corporal Joseph Tomci was a ``humble, determined 
and athletic'' man. A football player and avid outdoorsman, Corporal 
Tomci graduated from Stow-Munroe Falls High School located in Stow, 
Ohio in 2003.
  As a teenager he was determined to join the Marines. After the 
September 11th attacks, his decision was reinforced and he enlisted in 
the United States Marine Corps just a few months after graduating from 
high school. Corporal Tomci was inspired by his favorite quote ``the 
only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do 
nothing''. He was assigned to the 2nd Marine Division, 3rd Battalion, 
8th Marines, Lima Company based in Camp Lejeune and quickly rose to a 
leadership position. He was deployed three times--Haiti in 2004, 
Fallujah, Iraq in 2005, and Ramadi in 2006.
  When on leave from Iraq, Corporal Tomci often told friends ``I'm 
doing this so you guys don't have to.'' As a squad leader, Corporal 
Tomci had great concern for the 12 Marines under his command. He was 
especially conscious of training the soldiers who had just been 
deployed to Iraq, once telling his mother that now he knew what it felt 
like to be a parent.
  Tragically, while serving his 3rd deployment in Ramadi, he was killed 
by a roadside bomb on August 2, 2006.
  After his death, one of Corporal Tomci's friends put it best when he 
said Corporal Tomci was a patriot and ``he was made to be a Marine.''
  I urge the passage of this bill in honor of an ambitious, caring, and 
dedicated American who sacrificed his life while serving his country.
  Mr. BILBRAY. 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. 3788.
  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. DAVIS of Illinois. 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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