[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 132 (Tuesday, September 28, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H7093-H7094]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
RAY DAVES AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL TOWER
Mr. SCHAUER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 5591) to designate the facility of the Federal Aviation
Administration located at Spokane International Airport in Spokane,
Washington, as the ``Ray Daves Air Traffic Control Tower,'' as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 5591
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. DESIGNATION.
The airport traffic control tower located at Spokane
International Airport in Spokane, Washington, and any
successor airport traffic control tower at that location,
shall be known and designated as the ``Ray Daves Airport
Traffic Control Tower''.
SEC. 2. REFERENCES.
Any reference in a law, map, regulation, document, paper,
or other record of the United States to the airport traffic
control tower referred to in section 1 shall be deemed to be
a reference to the ``Ray Daves Airport Traffic Control
Tower''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Michigan (Mr. Schauer) and the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mario Diaz-
Balart) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Michigan.
General Leave
Mr. SCHAUER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their
remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 5591.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Michigan?
There was no objection.
Mr. SCHAUER. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I support H.R. 5591, and I urge support of this bill.
I reserve the balance of my time.
{time} 1910
Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida. I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I also rise in support of H.R. 5591, introduced by my
colleague from Washington, Representative McMorris Rodgers, which, as
the gentleman has just said, designates the airport traffic control
tower located at Spokane International Airport as the Ray Daves Air
Traffic Control Tower.
Again, I urge all our colleagues to also support it.
Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5591, as
amended, introduced by the gentlewoman from Washington (Mrs. McMorris
Rodgers), which designates the airport traffic control tower located at
Spokane International Airport in Spokane, Washington, as the ``Ray
Daves Air Traffic Control Tower''.
The air traffic controllers in Spokane, Washington, were so inspired
by the biography of Ray Daves, a World War II radioman and civilian air
traffic controller, that they began urging to have the airport traffic
control tower where he had worked named after him.
Ray Daves was a radioman for the U.S. Navy during World War II. He
survived the bombing of Pearl Harbor. During the attack, he carried
ammunition to a machine gun on the second-story roof of the U.S.
Pacific Fleet Headquarters on Oahu, Hawaii. Later, Daves volunteered
for service aboard the USS Yorktown aircraft carrier, where he was
assigned to the emergency radio room. He was present during the Battle
of the Coral Sea and the sinking of Yorktown during the Battle of
Midway in 1942.
During the rest of World War II, Daves served his country in Alaska
as a radioman at Cold Bay, Alaska, for the U.S. Navy's air fields in
the Aleutian Islands and flew ``second seat'' as gunner for aerial
search-and-destroy missions against Japanese submarines in Alaskan
waters. He also served as a liaison for the Soviet Air Force pilots who
acquired U.S. bombers and fighter planes for the war in Europe. Daves
taught at the Navy's school for radiomen in Gulfport, Mississippi, from
1945 until the end of the war.
When the war was over, Daves became a civilian air traffic controller
at Geiger Field, later known as the Spokane International Airport in
Spokane, Washington. He worked as an air traffic controller there for
almost 30 years (from 1946 to 1974). Currently, Daves volunteers by
educating other veterans about the Honor Flight program, which helps
World War II veterans visit the memorial in their honor located in
Washington, DC.
I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 5591.
Mrs. McMORRIS RODGERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of
H.R. 5591, to designate the Federal Aviation Administration facility at
the Spokane International Airport in Spokane, Washington, as the ``Ray
Daves Air Traffic Control Tower.'' I thank Chairman Oberstar and
Ranking Member Mica for bringing the bill to the floor today.
As the sponsor of this bill, it is with great pride I stand here
today. Ray Daves is a Purple Heart recipient and Pearl Harbor survivor
who served our nation aboard the USS Yorktown throughout the Pacific
during World War II.
[[Page H7094]]
While Ray's military service alone warrants this dedication, his
commitment to his country and community since leaving the military
justifies it as well. For the last 65 years, Ray has made Spokane his
home--first working as an air traffic controller and still to this day
volunteering his time to educate others about the Honor Flight Program
for World War II veterans.
This recognition not only commemorates Ray's sacrifices and
accomplishments, but also those made by the greatest generation, whose
sacrifices to our country will never be forgotten.
I urge all of my colleagues to support H.R. 5591 and join me in
thanking Ray Daves and those like him for his life of service.
Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida. I yield back the balance of my
time.
Mr. SCHAUER. 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 Michigan (Mr. Schauer) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 5591, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
The title was amended so as to read: ``A bill to designate airport
traffic control tower located at Spokane International Airport in
Spokane, Washington, as the `Ray Daves Air Traffic Control Tower'.''.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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