[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 106 (Friday, July 15, 2011)]
[House]
[Page H5126]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

           By Mr. GOSAR:
       H.R. 2561.
       Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant 
     to the following:
       Article I, Section 8, Clause 7 of the United States 
     Constitution, known as the Postal Clause, empowers Congress:
       To establish Post Offices and post Roads.
       Article I, Section 8, Clause 7. In addition, Article IV, 
     Section 3, Clause 2, provides:
       The Congress shall have Power to dispose of and make all 
     needful Rules and Regulations respecting the Territory or 
     other Property belonging to the United States; and nothing in 
     this Constitution shall be so construed as to Prejudice any 
     Claims of the United States, or of any particular State.
       The Postal Clause, an express Constitutional duty imposed 
     upon Congress, carries with it the right to establish post 
     offices, and with that right, is the concomitant right to 
     operate, name, design, refurbish, and staff such post 
     offices. This bill simply seeks to name a post office. The 
     Property Clause further buttresses the plenary right of 
     Congress to manage its properties, including implementing 
     ``needful'' rules and regulations, which would include the 
     ability to name a federal building.
       Though not of constitutional import, it is important to 
     note that this bill does not name a post office after a 
     living person. The person to be honored by this bill died 
     during combat operations in service to her country. Thus, the 
     unseemly practice of naming federal properties after living 
     persons is not implicated herein.