[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 149 (Tuesday, November 16, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H7469-H7470]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
TOM KONGSGAARD POST OFFICE BUILDING
Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 6237) to designate the facility of the United States Postal
Service located at 1351 2nd Street in Napa, California, as the ``Tom
Kongsgaard Post Office Building,'' as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 6237
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. TOM KONGSGAARD POST OFFICE BUILDING.
(a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal
Service located at 1351 2nd Street in Napa, California, shall
be known and designated as the ``Tom Kongsgaard 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 ``Tom Kongsgaard Post Office Building''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from
the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton) and the gentleman from California
(Mr. Bilbray) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia.
General Leave
Ms. NORTON. 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
gentlewoman from the District of Columbia?
There was no objection.
Ms. NORTON. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
On behalf of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, I am
pleased to present H.R. 6237 for consideration. This legislation will
designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at
1351 2nd Street in Napa, California, as the Tom Kongsgaard Post Office
Building. Introduced by our colleague Representative Mike Thompson of
California on September 28, 2010, H.R. 6237 enjoys the support of the
entire California House delegation.
Born on June 3, 1921, in Everett, Washington, a son of Norweigian
immigrants, Judge Thomas Kongsgaard began his longstanding commitment
to public service by enlisting in the U.S. Navy during World War II.
Fighting in the war, Judge Kongsgaard was severely injured, leaving him
with a replacement leg. He served in the Pacific theater and at the end
of the war was stationed at Mare Island Naval Shipyard.
Judge Kongsgaard began his judicial career as a Napa Superior Court
judge, 9 years after receiving his law degree from Stanford University.
He served from 1958 to 1984, missing just 1 day of work in his 26
years. Reflecting on his immigrant roots, he was always especially
proud to preside at naturalization ceremonies.
Being an avid student of political history and American culture,
Judge Kongsgaard organized the Halls of History project inside the
courthouse that recounts Napa County's history in words and
photographs.
That courthouse was dubbed ``Kongsgaard Square'' by the Board of
Supervisors in 1984. A bronze plaque cemented to a basalt boulder that
sits in a rose garden on the south side of the courthouse takes note of
the jurist's distinguished career. It reads: ``The Board of Supervisors
names this block Kongsgaard Square as a token of esteem for his noble
services to the citizens of Napa County.''
After retiring, Judge Kongsgaard continued his judicial career as a
visiting judge. In 1991, he was appointed by the California Supreme
Court to be one of three special masters who recommended a
reapportionment plan for the legislature and California Representatives
to Congress after the 1990 census.
Although retired, he worked with Judicial Arbitration Mediation
Services until the day before he was hospitalized with complications
from treatment of leukemia. Regrettably, Judge Kongsgaard died on June
25, 2001, at
[[Page H7470]]
the age of 80. He is survived by his daughters, Mary and Martha; son,
John; and seven grandchildren.
Mr. Speaker, let us honor Judge Thomas Kongsgaard for serving both
his country and his community through the passage of this bill to
designate the 2nd Street post office in Napa in his honor. I urge my
colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 6237.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BILBRAY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 6237, which is
appropriate, seeing I am one of the 52 original cosponsors to the item,
and I strongly urge support for the resolution.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in
supporting H.R. 6237, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. BILBRAY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentlelady from the District supporting
the bill.
Let me just point out as an interesting procedural note, for Mr.
Thompson to bring this before us he had to get 52 cosponsors. The House
rules require that everyone in the State sign on. So where Delaware may
only need one or Nevada may need only three Members, those of us in
California have a very high threshold we have to fulfill to be able to
take this, and Mr. Thompson took this action.
It is something that we should all consider in the future: Should
this judge be required to have 52 Members of the House cosponsor a bill
when someone from another State may need only two or three or four or
five? So it is an interesting part of our process here. Some people may
say that it is unfair, but it happens to be the House rules, and the
Congressmen have to live within those rules.
I strongly support the passage of this bill.
I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton) that the House
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 6237, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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