[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 89 (Tuesday, June 21, 2011)]
[House]
[Pages H4340-H4341]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SERGEANT CHRIS DAVIS POST OFFICE
Mr. FARENTHOLD. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 1632) to designate the facility of the United States Postal
Service located at 5014 Gary Avenue in Lubbock, Texas, as the
``Sergeant Chris Davis Post Office''.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 1635
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. DESIGNATION.
The facility of the United States Postal Service located at
5014 Gary Avenue in Lubbock, Texas, shall be known and
designated as the ``Sergeant Chris Davis Post Office''.
SEC. 2. REFERENCES.
Any reference in a law, map, regulation, document, paper,
or other record of the United States to the facility referred
to in section 1 shall be deemed to be a reference to the
``Sergeant Chris Davis Post Office''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Texas (Mr. Farenthold) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Cuellar) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Farenthold).
General Leave
Mr. FARENTHOLD. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 days within which to revise and extend their remarks and
include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Texas?
There was no objection.
Mr. FARENTHOLD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1632, introduced by the gentleman from Texas, Mr.
Neugebauer, would designate the facility of the United States Postal
Service located at 5014 Gary Avenue in Lubbock, Texas, as the Sergeant
Chris Davis Post Office. The bill is cosponsored by the entire Texas
delegation; and, Mr. Speaker, I am proud to be an original cosponsor
myself.
Mr. Speaker, it is altogether fitting and proper that we name this
post office in Lubbock for Army Sergeant Davis to honor a true American
hero and his service to our country.
Sergeant Davis was born on October 25, 1971, in Lubbock; and
according to his sister Margaret, he was always helping people and
serving, even from a young age. She recalled that ``he was always
helping and serving and always thinking of someone else. That was
Chris.''
With his passion for service, Chris joined the Army in 1999 and was
eventually assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, 3rd
Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, based out of Fort Benning,
Georgia.
While deployed in Iraq, Sergeant Davis was tragically killed on June
23, 2007, when his unit was attacked by insurgents using an improvised
explosive device and small arms fire in Baghdad. He was 35 years old
and left behind his wife, Debbie, and two children.
[[Page H4341]]
As a Representative from Texas, it is my honor to stand in this
Chamber and pay tribute to fellow Texans who have made the ultimate
sacrifice courageously defending our country's freedom. I am truly
grateful for the service of Sergeant Chris Davis and for all those who
serve and protect us each day. I urge all Members to join me in strong
support of this bill.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. CUELLAR. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the House Committee on Oversight and
Government Reform minority, I am pleased to join my colleagues in
consideration of H.R. 1632, which would rename the United States Postal
Service facility at 5014 Gary Avenue in Lubbock, Texas, as the Sergeant
Chris Davis Post Office.
The bill before us was introduced by my good friend and colleague
Representative Randy Neugebauer of Texas on April 15, 2011. In
accordance with the committee requirements, the bill is cosponsored by
all 32 Members of the Texas delegation. Further, H.R. 1632 was
unanimously reported out of the House Committee on Oversight and
Government Reform.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to briefly highlight the achievements and
the honorable service of Sergeant Davis. After graduating from Estacado
High School in Lubbock, Texas, Sergeant Davis enlisted in the Army and
was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, 3rd Brigade
Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, stationed out of Fort Benning,
Georgia. Sergeant Davis was killed while serving in Baghdad, Iraq, when
insurgents attacked his unit with small arms fire and an improvised
explosive device.
From his early childhood, Sergeant Davis was always described as
being a server, whether it was helping out in his community or looking
out for friends and family. His decision to enlist in the Army and
serve his Nation would be the crowning achievement of his ability to
give back to his community. Always described as a happy-go-lucky
individual, Sergeant Davis will be forever remembered by his ultimate
sacrifice to our Nation.
I ask that we pass the underlying bill without reservation and pay
tribute to the honor and value this young man displayed and so others
understand his commitment and sacrifice to protect our Nation.
I also join my good friend from south Texas, and I urge the passage
of H.R. 1632.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. FARENTHOLD. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to
the gentleman from Lubbock, Texas (Mr. Neugebauer), the sponsor of this
legislation, who represents Texas Tech University and a fine area of
west Texas.
Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman.
I rise today to honor a fallen soldier from the United States Army.
Sergeant Chris Davis of Lubbock, Texas, was assigned to the 2nd
Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry
Division at Fort Benning, Georgia. He joined the Army in September of
1999 and proudly served four tours in Iraq, 2002, 2003, 2005 and 2007.
On June 23, 2007, while deployed in Iraq, Sergeant Davis was killed in
action when his unit was attacked by insurgents using improvised
explosive devices and small arms. He was only 35 years old.
The bill currently under consideration, H.R. 1632, would designate
the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 5014 Gary
Avenue in Lubbock, Texas, as the Sergeant Chris Davis Post Office. I
believe it is important for Congress to honor the sacrifice of this
soldier and his family, and I urge my colleagues to support this
measure.
Chris was born October 25, 1971. He grew up in Lubbock, Texas, and
graduated from Estacado High School. He later enlisted in the Army in
1999. Before enlisting, Chris was a welder in a machine shop.
Sergeant Davis wanted to serve his country from a very young age.
According to his father, Ray Davis, he said that while Chris was in
school, he expressed a desire to join the Army. His family remembers
that he used to say, I want to fight for my country. I want to do
something for my country and this is what I will do. And he said, So if
something happens, don't be mad at anyone.
Chris earned quite a few awards during his honorable service to our
country: one Army Commendation Medal, three Army Achievement Medals,
one Presidential Unit Citation, one Good Conduct Medal, one National
Defense Service Medal, one Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, one
Southwest Asia Service Medal, one Iraqi Campaign Medal, one Global War
on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, and one Global War on Terrorism
Service Medal.
Sergeant Davis will be remembered as a valiant soldier and a
wonderful son, father, husband, and brother. He loved his family and
was known to always place others before himself. His sister Margaret
remembers that Chris loved to have barbecues just for the opportunity
to give him time to spend time with his family. He was known to make
people laugh. He had the knack for cheering up anyone around him who
was having a bad day. Chris was proud to be an American, and he bravely
served his Nation that he loved.
Chris is survived by his wife, Debbie; his daughter, Taylor; his son,
Zachary; his parents, Raymond and Herminia; and nine siblings, who I am
sure are watching today.
{time} 1740
On behalf of the United States Congress, we thank you for your
sacrifice. As I speak these words, I'm reminded of the words Abraham
Lincoln used in his famous letter to Mrs. Bixby, the mother of five
sons who were killed during the Civil War:
``I feel how weak and fruitless must be any words of mine which
should attempt to beguile you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming.
I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your
bereavement, and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and
lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours to have laid so costly a
sacrifice upon the altar of freedom.'' Abraham Lincoln, November 21,
1864.
Mr. Speaker, with the 4-year anniversary of Sergeant Davis' death
just a few days away, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1632, in
honor of Sergeant Chris Davis, and designate the facility of the United
States Postal Service located at 5014 Gary Avenue in Lubbock, Texas, as
the Sergeant Chris Davis Post Office.
Mr. CUELLAR. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. FARENTHOLD. Mr. Speaker, along with my Texas colleagues, I would
like to urge all Members to support passage of H.R. 1632.
I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Farenthold) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 1632.
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. FARENTHOLD. 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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