[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 174 (Tuesday, December 10, 2013)]
[House]
[Page H7619]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     HONORING THE LIVES OF STEVE BURGESS AND JAMES R. BURGESS, JR.

  (Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 
life of Mr. Steve Burgess from Urbana, Illinois, who passed away on 
Friday, November 22 of this year. He was committed to seeing the postal 
facility at 302 East Green Street in Champaign, Illinois, renamed after 
his father, James R. Burgess, Jr.
  James Burgess was the first African American elected to a countywide 
office in Champaign County and was appointed the U.S. Attorney for the 
Eastern District of Illinois.
  Most importantly, though, Steve Burgess wanted to honor his father as 
a leader of the 761st Tank Battalion, the first African American 
armored unit to enter battle in World War II.
  In April, I introduced H.R. 1707 to rename this post office after 
James Burgess. It is devastating to me that Steve Burgess was not able 
to fulfill his life's effort. I want to see a post office naming bill 
through completion, not only in James Burgess' honor, but in Steve 
Burgess' and his family's.
  I want to offer my heartfelt thanks to Steve Burgess and his father 
for their lifetime of commitment to the Champaign-Urbana community.

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