[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 46 (Monday, March 24, 2014)]
[House]
[Pages H2570-H2571]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              SERGEANT WILLIAM MOODY POST OFFICE BUILDING

  Mr. FARENTHOLD. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass 
the bill (H.R. 3060) to designate the facility of the United States 
Postal Service located at 232 Southwest Johnson Avenue in Burleson, 
Texas, as the ``Sergeant William Moody Post Office Building''.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 3060

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

     SECTION 1. SERGEANT WILLIAM MOODY POST OFFICE BUILDING.

       (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal 
     Service located at 232 Southwest Johnson Avenue in Burleson, 
     Texas, shall be known and designated as the ``Sergeant 
     William Moody 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 ``Sergeant William Moody Post Office 
     Building''.

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


                             General Leave

  Mr. FARENTHOLD. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their 
remarks and to include extraneous materials 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. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  H.R. 3060, introduced by the gentleman from Texas, Mr. Roger 
Williams, would designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 232 Southwest Johnson Avenue in Burleson, Texas, as 
the Sergeant William Moody Post Office Building.
  As a fellow Texan, I am proud to join my colleague, Mr. Williams, in 
urging this body to name this postal facility in honor of Sergeant 
William Moody.

                              {time}  1615

  Sergeant Moody went above and beyond the call of duty, serving in 
both the U.S. Army and the U.S. Marine Corps. He served two tours of 
duty in Iraq while he was a marine, and he was finishing his second and 
last tour of duty in Afghanistan with the Army when a Taliban rocket 
attack on Bagram Air Force Base took his life on June 18 of 2013. 
William Moody was a 30-year-old husband and father of three.
  Madam Speaker, I was particularly touched to read about the special 
homecoming surprise that Sergeant Moody had in store for his family. 
While deployed in Afghanistan, he contacted the fire department in 
Burleson and asked if he could surprise his children by picking them up 
from school in a fire truck on the day of his return. Of course, the 
chief and the firefighters responded with a resounding ``yes'' to this 
request, and they exchanged emails with Sergeant Moody, making plans 
for his return up until the afternoon of the day before his death. Even 
in the midst of a war zone, Sergeant Moody's thoughts and hopes were 
back home in Texas, with his wife and children, demonstrating his deep 
dedication to family. His example and his love of his family should 
move, touch, and inspire all of us, and it should be an example that we 
should all follow.
  Sergeant Moody was a highly decorated soldier and marine. Among his 
honors were an Army Commendation Medal, a Combat Action Ribbon, an Army 
Good Conduct Medal, a Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, a Bronze Star, 
and a Purple Heart, just to name a few.
  Madam Speaker, it is an honor to pay tribute before this body to a 
fellow Texan who gave his life in the defense of our country. I am 
grateful to Sergeant William Moody for his service, and I urge all 
Members to join me in the strong support of this bill.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CLAY. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  As a member of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, I am 
pleased to join my colleagues in the consideration of H.R. 3060, a bill 
to designate the facility of the U.S. Postal Service located at 232 
Southwest Johnson Avenue, in Burleson, Texas, as the Sergeant William 
Moody Post Office Building.
  This measure before us was introduced on August 2, 2013, by my 
colleague, Representative Roger Williams of Texas. In accordance with

[[Page H2571]]

committee requirements, the bill is cosponsored by all members of the 
Texas delegation. H.R. 3060 was reported out of the committee by 
unanimous consent on March 12, 2014.
  Let me say that Sergeant Moody lived a remarkable life, and he served 
his country in two capacities: first, as a U.S. marine and, second, as 
a sergeant in the Army. Madam Speaker, I ask that we pass this bill 
without reservation in order to recognize the service, valor, and life 
of Sergeant William Moody.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FARENTHOLD. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to 
the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Williams), my good friend, colleague, and 
fellow Texan.
  Mr. WILLIAMS. Thank you to my colleagues for being here today.
  Madam Speaker, on June 17, 2013, decorated Army Sergeant William 
Moody of Burleson, Texas, while he was serving his second tour of duty 
in Afghanistan, sent an email to the local fire chief in his hometown. 
He wanted to plan a special ``coming home'' surprise with the help of 
the fire department and pull up to his kids' school in a big fire 
engine. He was set to return sometime in September, but on the 
following day of June 18, Sergeant Moody and three other American 
soldiers were killed by indirect enemy fire at Bagram Air Force Base.
  Sergeant Moody is truly a hometown hero.
  Born and raised in Burleson, Texas, Sergeant Moody joined the Marines 
after graduating from Burleson High School. He served two tours of duty 
in Iraq and later joined the Army, where he deployed twice to 
Afghanistan. Throughout his years of service, Sergeant Moody's 
commendable service earned him numerous honors and service medals, 
including the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, a Bronze Star, and 
a Purple Heart.
  Thanks to the city of Burleson and with the leadership of Mayor Ken 
Shetter and the Burleson City Council, today marks a huge victory in 
our joint efforts to pay tribute to Sergeant Moody's service and 
sacrifice by dedicating the Burleson Post Office facility in honor of 
this hometown hero.
  Later today, the House will vote on a bill I was proud to introduce, 
H.R. 3060, to officially name the local post office facility after 
Sergeant Moody. Along with hundreds of my colleagues in Congress, it 
will be one of the greatest honors of my life to support this bill. Not 
only will the Sergeant William Moody Post Office Building serve as a 
memorial for his wife and three children to cherish, but it will honor 
all of our Nation's veterans and will stand as a reminder of the true 
price of our freedom.
  The war on terror is far from over. There are countless attempts by 
hostile groups to do us harm and bring destruction. That is why it is 
important to recognize the memory of our Nation's heroes. In the words 
of Ronald Reagan: Freedom is never more than a generation away from 
extinction; it must be fought for and defended by each new generation.
  I hope that future generations will be inspired to live and serve 
like Sergeant William Moody. He fought with courage, served with 
integrity, and will be remembered forever. America does not give 
because it is rich; America is rich because it gives--and we are all 
proud that it gave us Sergeant William Moody.
  May God bless our troops; may God bless Texas; and may God bless the 
United States of America.
  Mr. CLAY. Madam Speaker, in closing, I urge my colleagues to pass 
H.R. 3060.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. FARENTHOLD. Madam Speaker, I join with all of my Texas colleagues 
and especially with Mr. Williams in urging that we do honor Sergeant 
William Moody by renaming the postal facility in Burleson in his honor. 
I join in the remarks that Mr. Williams made about the necessity to pay 
honor and tribute to those who make the ultimate sacrifice to this 
country, and I agree that naming the post office will actually serve as 
a memorial that, perhaps, will ease the pain of the loss of Sergeant 
William Moody's family. So I urge all Members to join me in supporting 
H.R. 3060.

  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. 3060.
  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. CLAY. Madam 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 motion will be postponed.

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