[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 6 (Wednesday, January 20, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H198-H200]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     PRIVATE FIRST CLASS GARFIELD M. LANGHORN POST OFFICE BUILDING

  Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 3250) to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 1210 West Main Street in Riverhead, New York, as the 
``Private First Class Garfield M. Langhorn Post Office Building''.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 3250

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

     SECTION 1. PRIVATE FIRST CLASS GARFIELD M. LANGHORN POST 
                   OFFICE BUILDING.

       (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal 
     Service located at 1210 West Main Street in Riverhead, New 
     York, shall be known and designated as the ``Private First 
     Class Garfield M. Langhorn 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 ``Private First Class Garfield M. Langhorn 
     Post Office Building''.

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

                              {time}  1030


                             General Leave

  Mr. LYNCH. I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 
legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and 
add any extraneous materials.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Massachusetts?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. LYNCH. I 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 proud to present H.R. 3250 
for consideration. This legislation will designate the facility of the 
United States Postal Service located at 1210 West Main Street in 
Riverhead, New York, as the ``Private First Class Garfield M. Langhorn 
Post Office Building.''
  H.R. 3250 was introduced by my colleague and friend Representative 
Tim Bishop of New York, on July 17, 2009, and was favorably reported 
out of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee by unanimous 
consent on October 29, 2009. In addition, the legislation enjoys the 
support of the entire New York House delegation.
  Born on September 10, 1948, in Cumberland, Virginia, Private First 
Class Garfield Langhorn distinguished himself through his brave, 
dedicated, and selfless military service during the Vietnam War as a 
member of the United States Army's Troop C, 7th Squadron, 17th Cavalry 
Regiment, 1st Aviation Brigade.
  In recognition of his heroic actions during the Vietnam War, Private 
First Class Langhorn posthumously received the Medal of Honor, the 
highest military decoration awarded by the United States Government, as 
well as the Purple Heart. Private First Class Langhorn was one of 20 
African American soldiers to receive the Medal of Honor for their 
service during the Vietnam War.
  As noted by the citation accompanying his Medal of Honor, Private 
First Class Langhorn demonstrated ``conspicuous gallantry and 
intrepidity in action at the risk of his life and beyond the call of 
duty'' while serving as a radio operator in Troop C in Vietnam's Pleiku 
province on January 15, 1969.
  Specifically, the citation recounts that Private First Class 
Langhorn's

[[Page H199]]

platoon had been inserted into a landing zone in order to rescue two 
pilots of a downed Cobra helicopter. While members of his platoon, who 
had found the two pilots dead, attempted to take the men's bodies to a 
nearby pickup location, Private First Class Langhorn provided radio 
coordination and covering fire as the platoon came under intense fire 
from enemy forces.
  As darkness fell, an enemy hand grenade landed directly in front of 
Private First Class Langhorn and only a few feet from several wounded 
members of his platoon. In response, and without hesitation, Private 
First Class Langhorn threw himself on the grenade and absorbed the 
ensuing blast, thereby saving the lives of his comrades by sacrificing 
his own.
  Accordingly, the Medal of Honor citation further notes that, 
``Private First Class Langhorn's extraordinary heroism, at the cost of 
his own life, was in keeping with the highest traditions of the 
military, and reflects great credit on himself, his unit, and the 
United States Army.''
  Mr. Speaker, in continued tribute to Private First Class Langhorn's 
bravery and self-sacrifice, the members of the United States Army's 7th 
Squadron, 17th Cavalry, past and present, have committed themselves to 
ensuring that his legacy and his memory lives on.
  As noted by retired Sergeant Major Tony Morton, president of the 7th 
Squadron 17th Air Cavalry Association, all cavalry troopers assigned to 
the squadron must ``earn their spurs'' through the completion of a 
grueling 3-day series of tests and tasks known as the ``spur ride.'' It 
is notable that completion of one of the stations requires soldiers to 
possess a detailed knowledge regarding the service and sacrifice of 
Private First Class Langhorn, a requirement that, according to Sergeant 
Major Morton, serves to ensure that Private First Class Langhorn ``will 
go on in this squadron as long as this squadron is flying the colors.''
  In addition, in 2008, the squadron cut the ribbon on a conference 
center named after Private First Class Langhorn and the unit's other 
Medal of Honor recipient from Vietnam, Sergeant Ray McKibben. Moreover, 
the squadron also rededicated a memorial to the two soldiers that has 
been relocated from Fort Knox, Kentucky, to the unit's new headquarters 
at nearby Fort Campbell on the Kentucky-Tennessee border.
  Mr. Speaker, the life of Private First Class Garfield M. Langhorn 
stands as a testament to the lives of all those brave men and women who 
have served in the United States military and offered our Nation the 
ultimate sacrifice. Let us further honor the courageous soldiers 
through the passage of H.R. 3250, which designates the Riverhead, New 
York, Postal Service building in Private First Class Langhorn's name.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 3250.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SCHOCK. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3250, designating the 
facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1210 West Main 
Street in Riverhead, New York, as the ``Private First Class Garfield M. 
Langhorn Post Office Building.''
  Garfield M. Langhorn's selfless and heroic actions, for which he 
received the Congressional Medal of Honor, serve as an inspiration to 
all Americans.
  On January 15, 1969, U.S. Army Private First Class Garfield M. 
Langhorn of New York was serving as a radio operator in the Pleiku 
province of North Vietnam. His platoon's assignment was to rescue two 
helicopter pilots who had been shot down and were behind enemy lines. 
Langhorn coordinated with aircraft that were providing cover to his 
platoon during the rescue mission. While soldiers in the platoon were 
bringing the bodies of two helicopter pilots they were rescuing to an 
extraction site, well disguised North Vietnamese soldiers suddenly 
surrounded the platoon. Langhorn radioed the support aircraft for 
assistance and helped provide cover for the other soldiers in the 
platoon.
  As night came, the fighting continued, but the air support could no 
longer accurately pinpoint the soldiers on the ground. The enemy 
soldiers continued to close in. An enemy soldier threw a hand grenade 
near Langhorn and wounded several of his colleagues and men. According 
to his Congressional Medal of Honor citation, ``choosing to protect 
these wounded, he unhesitatingly threw himself on the grenade, scooped 
it beneath his body and absorbed the blast. By sacrificing himself, he 
saved the lives of his comrades.''
  Mr. Speaker, Garfield Langhorn was a true American hero. In his last 
dying words, he is reported to have said, ``You have to care.'' Private 
First Class Langhorn did care deeply about his fellow soldiers and he 
cared about his country. His story is an inspiration to all Americans.
  I ask my colleagues to support H.R. 3250 to honor Private First Class 
Langhorn's sacrifice for years to come.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman's kind words.
  I yield 3 minutes to the chief sponsor of this bill, Mr. Bishop of 
New York.
  Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Speaker, let me start by thanking my 
friend Mr. Lynch for his remarks with respect to this legislation. Let 
me also thank the gentleman from Illinois for his remarks and his 
support of this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise as the proud sponsor of H.R. 3250, and I thank 
the leadership for calling up this bill to name the United States Post 
Office located at 1210 West Main Street in Riverhead, New York, in my 
district on Eastern Long Island, as the ``Private First Class Garfield 
M. Langhorn Post Office Building''.
  It was a journey of a hardworking American family, looking for an 
opportunity and a better way of life, that brought the family of 
Private First Class Garfield Langhorn of the United States Army from 
Cumberland, Virginia, to Riverhead, New York, in the early 1950s.
  Private First Class Langhorn's mother still lives in this close-knit 
community--her name is Mary--where she raised her son who proudly 
answered the call of his country during the Vietnam War. He 
distinguished himself as a radio operator and as a good soldier. I am 
proud to represent Mrs. Langhorn, and I commend her for the grace and 
the dignity with which she carries her loss.
  On a hillside in Pleiku province, Private First Class Langhorn heard 
an even higher call than service and duty. His ultimate sacrifice saved 
the lives of several of his fellow soldiers by selflessly absorbing the 
explosion of an enemy grenade within his own body. It was an act of 
valor and heroism for which the Medal of Honor was created, and for 
which it is solemnly reserved.
  Today, the Medal of Honor retains pride of place on Mary Langhorn's 
wall as a tangible symbol of the respect and honor her son earned from 
the American people. Passing H.R. 3250 today affirms the pride of 
Riverhead by memorializing one of its most distinguished citizens.
  As they conduct their business each day, the people of Riverhead who 
visit the post office will be reminded of PFC Langhorn's extraordinary 
service and sacrifice and can reflect on the true value of freedom. 
They will know that PFC Garfield M. Langhorn is a national hero, and 
the values for which he gave his life, honor, loyalty, and family will 
again forever be memorialized.
  Mr. Speaker, I am grateful to all of my colleagues in the New York 
delegation for cosponsoring this legislation, and I again thank 
Chairman Towns, Mr. Lynch, and the gentleman from Illinois for their 
support.
  Mr. SCHOCK. Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support the passage of 
H.R. 3250.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I again, in closing, urge my colleagues to 
join the gentleman from New York (Mr. Bishop) in honoring Private First 
Class Garfield Langhorn through the passage of H.R. 3250.
  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. 3250.
  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. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a 
quorum

[[Page H200]]

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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