[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 46 (Monday, March 24, 2014)]
[House]
[Pages H2571-H2572]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          STAFF SERGEANT NICHOLAS J. REID POST OFFICE BUILDING

  Mr. FARENTHOLD. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass 
the bill (H.R. 1451) to designate the facility of the United States 
Postal Service located at 14 Main Street in Brockport, New York, as the 
``Staff Sergeant Nicholas J. Reid Post Office Building''.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 1451

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

     SECTION 1. STAFF SERGEANT NICHOLAS J. REID POST OFFICE 
                   BUILDING.

       (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal 
     Service located at 14 Main Street in Brockport, New York, 
     shall be known and designated as the ``Staff Sergeant 
     Nicholas J. Reid 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 ``Staff Sergeant Nicholas J. Reid 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 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. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  H.R. 1451, introduced by the gentlelady from New York (Ms. 
Slaughter), would designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 14 Main Street in Brockport, New York, as the Staff 
Sergeant Nicholas J. Reid Post Office Building. H.R. 1451 is 
cosponsored by the entire New York delegation.
  Army Staff Sergeant Reid was born in Brockport on April 2, 1986. He 
graduated from Brockport High School in 2004 and enlisted in the Army 
thereafter in 2006. He was serving his second tour of duty in 
Afghanistan when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised 
explosive device. He tragically succumbed to his wounds in Germany on 
December 13, 2012. He was only 26 years old. He leaves behind his 
loving parents, Ken and Dorothy Reid; his sister, Susie; and several 
aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.
  Madam Speaker, Nicholas, who went by ``Nick,'' enlisted as an 
explosive ordnance disposal technician. He knew the dangers of IEDs. He 
knew how many of our troops had been killed by these devices, how many 
had been wounded. Yet he chose this hazardous duty and excelled at it, 
and he showed great courage. Nick Reid is a true hero. It is my 
privilege to urge the strong support for this bill to honor his memory.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CLAY. Madam Speaker, at this point, I yield such time as she may 
consume to the gentlewoman from that beautiful district in upstate New 
York (Ms. Slaughter), our ranking member of the Rules Committee.
  Ms. SLAUGHTER. It is, indeed, beautiful. It snows all the time, 
though, and we have had about enough.
  Madam Speaker, as the previous speakers have said, on April 2, 1986, 
the Reid family of Brockport, New York, gave birth to a son named 
Nicholas. For 26 years, Nicholas lived a life of honor and duty; and 
though he was

[[Page H2572]]

taken from this Earth far too soon, his was a life that should be 
remembered throughout our time.
  Just 2 years out of high school, Nicholas signed up for the United 
States Army while we were in the midst of two wars. Surely knowing that 
he would see the dangers of battle but proudly volunteering to serve 
his country, Nicholas was assigned to the 53rd Ordnance Company of the 
3rd Ordnance Battalion based at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington 
State.
  Nicholas served two tours of duty on the battlefields of Afghanistan 
and faced some of the most dangerous situations ever encountered by the 
United States Army as an explosive ordnance disposal specialist, the 
most dangerous job there was. In his frontline role, Nicholas 
repeatedly risked his life for the safety of his fellow soldiers and 
civilians alike.
  It was in this role that Nicholas suffered fatal injuries when an 
improvised explosive device detonated in Sperwan village, Afghanistan, 
on December 9, 2012. Seventeen days later, the town of Brockport 
honored Nicholas' heroic life when his body returned home. ``We are 
here to make sure he receives the welcome home that he deserves,'' said 
one community member who stood in the cold winter wind and under gray 
skies to welcome Staff Sergeant Nicholas J. Reid home.
  Today, I rise to make permanent the debt of gratitude our Nation owes 
to Staff Sergeant Reid and to his parents, Ken and Dorothy. With this 
legislation, the facility of the United States Postal Service located 
at 14 Main Street in Brockport, New York, will be permanently 
designated as the Staff Sergeant Nicholas J. Reid Post Office Building.
  A recipient of the Bronze Star and Purple Heart, among countless 
other medals of service, we can never fully repay Nicholas or his 
family for their service to our country; but with this gesture, we can 
ensure that future generations will know of the incredible life that 
Staff Sergeant Reid lived, of his honor, his sacrifice, and pride in 
serving his hometown of Brockport and the country that he defended. It 
is with immeasurable gratitude that I offer this legislation today and 
remember Staff Sergeant Nicholas J. Reid.
  Mr. FARENTHOLD. Madam Speaker, we are prepared to close. I reserve 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. CLAY. Madam Speaker, I would just ask that we pass this bill 
without reservation in order to recognize the sacrifice that Nicholas 
J. Reid, his family, and loved ones have made for the United States.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. FARENTHOLD. Madam Speaker, Staff Sergeant Nicholas J. Reid 
deserves the post office in Brockport to be named after him, so I urge 
all Members to join me in voting for the passage of this bill to honor 
Nick.
  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. 1451.
  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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