[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 172 (Tuesday, January 1, 2013)]
[House]
[Pages H7527-H7528]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           LIEUTENANT RYAN PATRICK JONES POST OFFICE BUILDING

  Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(S. 3662) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service 
located at 6 Nichols Street in Westminster, Massachusetts, as the 
``Lieutenant Ryan Patrick Jones Post Office Building''.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                S. 3662

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

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Lieutenant Ryan Patrick 
     Jones Post Office Designation Act''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress finds the following:
       (1) First Lieutenant Ryan Patrick Jones volunteered to 
     serve the United States in the Army.
       (2) Lieutenant Jones earned his rank, the Army Achievement 
     Medal, the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star, the Iraqi Freedom 
     Medal, the Combat Action Badge, and the War on Terrorism 
     Badge through his dedication to the highest ideals of the 
     United States.
       (3) Lieutenant Jones chose from a young age to generously 
     volunteer his talents to his community, and was recognized 
     with academic, social, and athletic leadership positions 
     throughout his life.
       (4) Lieutenant Jones committed himself to excellence in all 
     aspects of his life, including earning a Bachelor of Science 
     degree, with honors, in civil and environmental engineering.
       (5) While earning his engineering degree at Worcester 
     Polytechnic Institute, Lieutenant Jones was awarded a Reserve 
     Officers' Training Corps scholarship.
       (6) Lieutenant Jones faithfully and expertly led his fellow 
     soldiers as a platoon leader in the Army's First Infantry 
     Division while deployed to Iraq in 2007.
       (7) Lieutenant Jones made the ultimate sacrifice for the 
     United States on May 2, 2007, when he was killed in action by 
     an improvised explosive device set by the enemy.
       (8) Lieutenant Jones' life of service, courage, and honor 
     was made possible by his dedicated parents, Mr. Kevin Jones 
     and Mrs. Elaine Jones, who reside in Westminster, 
     Massachusetts.
       (9) Mr. and Mrs. Jones organized the shipment of supplies 
     to soldiers serving alongside their son, thereby supporting 
     the morale of the members of the Armed Forces.
       (10) Before entering combat, Lieutenant Jones made 
     arrangements to ensure that his life insurance policy 
     proceeds would become a scholarship fund to benefit others, a 
     request that Mr. and Mrs. Jones fulfilled.
       (11) Lieutenant Jones is remembered by his family, his 
     friends, and the people of the United States as a role model 
     for his fellow citizens to emulate.
       (12) Lieutenant Jones' spirit of generosity has been 
     commemorated by organizations ranging from the Commonwealth 
     of Massachusetts to the Boston Celtics.
       (13) It is fitting that the life of Lieutenant Jones should 
     be further memorialized for future generations by naming the 
     post office in Westminster, Massachusetts, in his honor.

     SEC. 3. LIEUTENANT RYAN PATRICK JONES POST OFFICE BUILDING.

       (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal 
     Service located at 6 Nichols Street in Westminster, 
     Massachusetts, shall be known and designated as the 
     ``Lieutenant Ryan Patrick Jones 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 ``Lieutenant Ryan Patrick Jones Post 
     Office Building''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Issa) and the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Connolly) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.


                             General Leave

  Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous materials on the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, on this second-to-last day of this Congress, the Senate 
has sent us a naming. Although my committee has stopped doing namings, 
except in the case of Medal of Honor recipients, this one is coming 
over, and I believe it is meritorious. The Senate has asked us to pass 
it, and I will do so today.
  It was introduced by Senator Scott Brown of Massachusetts and would 
designate a facility of the United States Postal Service located at 6 
Nichols Street in Westminster, Massachusetts, as the Lieutenant Ryan 
Patrick Jones Post Office Building.
  Lieutenant Jones earned his engineering degree at Worcester 
Polytechnic Institute. When he earned his degree, he was also awarded 
an ROTC scholarship in the Reserve Officer Training Corps. Lieutenant 
Jones led his fellow soldiers as a platoon leader in the Army's 1st 
Infantry Division while deployed in Iraq in 2007. And I

[[Page H7528]]

guess as a member of the Big Red One, I would note that I also served 
with that unit many years ago.
  Tragically, on May 2, 2007, Lieutenant Jones was killed in action by 
an improvised explosive device set by our enemy. He leaves behind his 
parents, Kevin and Elaine Jones, of Westminster, Massachusetts.
  He was awarded several awards for his heroism, including the Bronze 
Star, the Purple Heart, the Iraqi Freedom Medal, the Combat Action 
Badge, and the War on Terrorism Badge.
  I am grateful for Lieutenant Jones' service and for his bravery on 
the battlefield. And I regret that the naming of this post office is so 
appropriate because yet another one of our finest has paid such a high 
price by an enemy who uses hidden explosives rather than confront us in 
any direct way.
  With that, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I'm pleased to join with the distinguished chairman in 
support of S. 3662 to name a postal facility in Westminster, 
Massachusetts, as the Lieutenant Ryan Patrick Jones Post Office 
Building.
  I too join in sorrow at the necessity of having to take this action 
because of the loss of a promising young life. One can only hope that 
taking this action will actually provide comfort to his parents and to 
his family and to his broader community given their terrible loss.
  We salute the honor and patriotism of Mr. Jones, who was commissioned 
as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army, and we honor his sacrifice and 
his service to his country.
  With that, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. ISSA. I also urge support and yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Issa) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, S. 3662.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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