[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 35 (Monday, March 5, 2012)]
[House]
[Pages H1139-H1140]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                ROY SCHALLERN ROOD POST OFFICE BUILDING

  Mr. FARENTHOLD. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 3637) to designate the facility

[[Page H1140]]

of the United States Postal Service located at 401 Old Dixie Highway in 
Jupiter, Florida, as the ``Roy Schallern Rood Post Office Building''.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 3637

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

     SECTION 1. ROY SCHALLERN ROOD POST OFFICE BUILDING.

       (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal 
     Service located at 401 Old Dixie Highway in Jupiter, Florida, 
     shall be known and designated as the ``Roy Schallern Rood 
     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 ``Roy Schallern Rood Post Office 
     Building''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Farenthold) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Crowley) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas.


                             General Leave

  Mr. FARENTHOLD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may 
consume.
  I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days 
in 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. H.R. 3637, introduced by the gentleman from Florida 
(Mr. Rooney), would designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 401 Old Dixie Highway in Jupiter, Florida, as the 
Roy Schallern Rood Post Office Building.
  The bill was favorably reported by the committee on Oversight and 
Government Reform on February 7 of this year.
  Mr. Speaker, it is altogether fitting and proper that we name this 
post office in Jupiter, Florida, for Roy Rood, a servant to his local 
community and a veteran who served in World War II.
  Recently, Mr. Speaker, I had the tremendous honor of awarding a World 
War II veteran in my own district that I represent, Sergeant Arthur 
Nowakowski, his Silver Star for heroics he displayed over 60 years ago.
  To Sergeant Nowakowski and Roy Rood and all of those who risked their 
lives and fought for the freedoms we hold dear today, thank you. 
Whether we present commendation medals or name post offices to honor 
our courageous veterans, these are small thanks and the very least that 
we can do for those who have sacrificed so much for our Nation.
  I would now like to yield as much time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Rooney).
  Mr. ROONEY. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of the legislation 
designating the United States Postal Service located in my district at 
401 Old Dixie Highway in Jupiter, Florida, as the Roy Rood Post Office 
Building.
  Roy was a longtime resident and a founding father of my hometown of 
Tequesta, Florida. Roy was born in 1918 on a farm in Jupiter, Florida, 
one of 11 children. Roy's childhood was spent working on his family's 
dairy farm where he learned the value of a hard day's work and fostered 
his love of the outdoors. The Rood farm was also home to Tequesta's 
first post office.
  Rood joined the U.S. Navy in 1941, following the attack on Pearl 
Harbor. He served with dignity and honor as a trained instructor and 
aviation mechanic throughout World War II. Rood was stationed on the 
USS Hollandia C 97, a jeep aircraft carrier that was part of the fleet 
that participated in the Battle of Guam. By the end of the war, Roy had 
risen to the rank of aviation mate first class and was an acting chief 
petty officer.
  Following the war, Roy returned home to Florida where he started a 
landscaping business that continues today. Before his death in October 
of last year, Roy Rood helped found American Legion Post 271, of which 
I'm a member; the local Kiwanis Club; the First Bank of Jupiter; and 
Jupiter Christian School.
  Tequesta has seen many changes over the last 60 years and has grown 
due to the hard work and dedicated lives of people like Roy Rood. He 
was a fixture in my own hometown of Tequesta and in the many 
philanthropic organizations along the Treasure Coast, and they are 
directly attributed to his efforts. The residents of Tequesta are lucky 
to call Roy Rood our town's founding father. It would be a fitting 
tribute to Roy Rood's legacy and service to name the post office in 
Jupiter in his honor.
  Mr. Speaker, over the last several years, I got to know Mr. Rood and 
his wife personally. I can honestly say there is no better, gentler, 
and kinder man than Mr. Rood. He will truly be missed.
  Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  On behalf of the minority of the Committee on Oversight and 
Government Reform, I rise in support of the consideration of H.R. 3637, 
a bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service 
located at 401 Old Dixie Highway in Jupiter, Florida, as the Roy 
Schallern Rood Post Office Building.
  The measure before us was introduced by my good friend, 
Representative Tom Rooney, on December 12 of last year in accordance 
with committee requirements. H.R. 3637 is cosponsored by all Members of 
the Florida delegation and was favorably reported out of the Oversight 
and Government Reform Committee by unanimous consent on February 7, 
2012.
  H.R. 3637 honors the life and legacy of Roy Rood, a Navy chief petty 
officer and business pioneer from Tequesta, Florida.
  Shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Mr. Rood elected to join 
the fight for freedom by enlisting in the U.S. Navy in 1941. During his 
tour of duty with the U.S. Navy in World War II, Mr. Rood served with 
dignity and honor as a trained instructor and aviation mechanic. Mr. 
Rood was stationed on the USS Hollandia C 97, which was part of the 
fleet that participated in the Second Battle of Guam in 1944.
  After his service in World War II, Mr. Rood returned to his home in 
south Florida where he started a successful landscaping business that 
actually continues to operate and thrive to this day. As the founder of 
the town of Tequesta, Florida, Mr. Rood has been a philanthropic and 
valuable member of that community.
  That said, Mr. Speaker, let us honor the service and life of this 
fine American citizen by renaming the Old Dixie Highway Post Office in 
Jupiter, Florida, as the Roy Schallern Rood Post Office Building.
  With that, Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. FARENTHOLD. Mr. Speaker, we can never do enough for our veterans, 
men like Roy Rood who have sacrificed and risked it all in the name of 
freedom.
  While it has been over 60 years since World War II, we must never 
forget the sacrifices made by these people and so many others during 
that time. To those who have fought and served, to those who protect 
and defend our great country each and every day, thank you. Remember, 
Mr. Speaker, freedom is not free.
  I urge all Members to join me in strong support of this bill, H.R. 
3637, and 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. 3637.
  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, further 
proceedings on this question will be postponed.

                          ____________________