[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 164 (Wednesday, December 19, 2012)]
[House]
[Pages H7335-H7336]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CECIL E. BOLT POST OFFICE
Mr. FARENTHOLD. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 4389) to designate the facility of the United States Postal
Service located at 19 East Merced Street in Fowler, California, as the
``Cecil E. Bolt Post Office''.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 4389
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. CECIL E. BOLT POST OFFICE.
(a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal
Service located at 19 East Merced Street in Fowler,
California, shall be known and designated as the ``Cecil E.
Bolt Post Office''.
(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 ``Cecil E. Bolt Post Office''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Texas (Mr. Farenthold) and the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas.
General Leave
Mr. FARENTHOLD. Mr. Speaker, I respectfully 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. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may
consume.
H.R. 4389, introduced by the gentleman from California (Mr. Costa),
would designate the facility of the United States Postal Service
located at 19 East Merced Street in Fowler, California, as the Cecil E.
Bolt Post Office. This bill was introduced on April 18, and it was
reported out favorably from the Committee on Oversight and Government
Reform on June 27.
Mr. Speaker, Cecil Bolt was drafted into the Army just prior to the
start of
[[Page H7336]]
World War II. He was assigned to the 75th Artillery Unit in the
Aleutian Islands in Alaska. After the war, Mr. Bolt returned to Fowler,
California, and was appointed postmaster in 1947. He was known for his
friendly service, especially when delivering packages on Christmas Eve,
which is something at this time of the year we can all appreciate.
Sadly, Mr. Bolt passed away on February 9, 2007, but he is fondly
remembered by many family members and friends.
Mr. Speaker, Mr. Bolt is a very worthy designee of this postal
facility naming, and I urge all Members to join me in the support of
this bill.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
As a member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government
Reform, I am pleased to join my colleagues in the consideration of H.R.
4389, which was introduced by my good friend and colleague to whom I
now yield such time as he may consume, the gentleman from the great
State of California, Representative Jim Costa.
Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4389, and I thank
the gentlelady from New York for yielding me the time to speak on
behalf of the naming of this post office in Fowler, California, on
behalf of Cecil E. Bolt, who was the postmaster there for many, many
years.
Today is a great day for the city of Fowler and for its community and
the city council, which over a year ago overwhelmingly came to me and
asked that we dedicate and name--appropriately so--the post office at
Fowler, California, on behalf of a postmaster who served the city and
the community so well for so many years.
Fowler is a wonderful community in my district of over 5,000 people,
one not unlike many communities that we have throughout the country--
with a high school and with generations of families that have lived
there for years. As a matter of fact, the mother of one of our
colleagues, Congresswoman Jackie Speier, was born in Fowler,
California.
Today, we name the post office after Cecil E. Bolt. He was born and
raised in Idaho, but like many, came to California. After graduating
from college, Mr. Bolt moved to Fowler in 1939. Just prior to World War
II, he was drafted into the U.S. Army, and as was noted, he was
assigned to the 75th Artillery Unit in Alaska.
{time} 1810
Cecil Bolt was part of, as Tom Brokaw wrote, America's Greatest
Generation. In 1942, he married the love of his life, Naomi Opal
Gourley, and together they raised two loving daughters: Dorothy Jane
and Kathy Jean.
After the war, Bolt returned to Fowler and was appointed the
postmaster, a position he held for 27 years. Known for his dedication
and friendly demeanor, many times he would personally deliver packages,
and not just during the Christmas season but throughout the year
because of course everybody knew Cecil. His decades of public service
extended far beyond the walls of the post office, which centered as a
hub of activity for the community.
Cecil volunteered every day for more than 17 years at the Marshall
Elementary School, where his service helped shape a generation of young
people. He was also a faithful and active member of the Presbyterian
Church of Fowler, where he also served as a Sunday school teacher and a
Kids Club volunteer. For his service, he received Fowler's ``Citizen of
the Year'' award in 1969 and the ``Silent Servant of the Year'' award
in 2004.
Sadly, after years and years of service, Cecil Bolt passed away in
2007. Those in the city of Fowler who knew him were undoubtedly better
off thanks to the good service of Postmaster Bolt.
So in conclusion, Mr. Speaker, the city of Fowler and its county
council and the overwhelming support of citizens of the city and
students who wrote in postcards ask that we do this in his honor
without reservation--recognize the post office in the city of Fowler to
be named after Postmaster Cecil E. Bolt in dedication to his family and
the community of Fowler as well as the United States Postal Service.
Mr. FARENTHOLD. Having no other speakers at this time, I continue to
reserve the balance of my time.
Mrs. MALONEY. Having no further speakers, I yield back the balance of
my time.
Mr. FARENTHOLD. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in
supporting H.R. 4389, the Cecil E. Bolt Post Office. I urge all Members
to join me in support of this bill.
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. 4389.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not
present.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further
proceedings on this question will be postponed.
The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.
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