[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 127 (Monday, September 8, 2014)]
[House]
[Pages H7278-H7279]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SPECIALIST KEITH ERIN GRACE, JR. MEMORIAL POST OFFICE
Mr. STIVERS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 4651) to designate the facility of the United States Postal
Service located at 601 West Baker Road in Baytown, Texas, as the
``Specialist Keith Erin Grace, Jr. Memorial Post Office''.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 4651
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SPECIALIST KEITH ERIN GRACE, JR. MEMORIAL POST
OFFICE.
(a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal
Service located at 601 West Baker Road in Baytown, Texas,
shall be known as the ``Specialist Keith Erin Grace, Jr.
Memorial Post Office''.
(b) References.--Any reference in a law, map, regulation,
document, paper, or other record of the United States to the
facility referenced to subsection (a) shall be deemed to be a
reference to the ``Specialist Keith Erin Grace, Jr. Memorial
Post Office''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Ohio (Mr. Stivers) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Thompson)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Ohio.
General Leave
Mr. STIVERS. I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5
legislative days within 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 Ohio?
There was no objection.
Mr. STIVERS. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Stockman).
Mr. STOCKMAN. I thank the gentleman from Ohio for yielding me the
time.
Mr. Speaker, I attended this young man's funeral and started hearing
stories about him, and one of the things that was really moving was
that he lost his mother when he was 12. He went on to get bone cancer
and survived bone cancer, and then last spring, he was assigned to
Afghanistan, after he volunteered to join the military to make
something of his life.
As we know, we have no greater respect or love for someone than to
lay down your life, and that is exactly what Keith did, he laid down
his life.
At his funeral, his friends were gathered there in honor of him, but
in truth, the whole Nation owes him a debt of gratitude for his
service. Given all the rough times he had through his life, he wanted
to make something great of his life, and he did that.
Unfortunately, he gave the ultimate sacrifice, but I, for one, am
very honored that we can remember him in a way that he wasn't
remembered earlier in life.
I include for the Record a brief bio on Spc. Grace:
Spc. Keith Erin Grace Jr. was killed in action on August
11, 2013. Spc. Grace was killed near the town of Dzadran,
which is in the Khost province near the Pakistan border in
southern Afghanistan and a site of repeated insurgent
activity.
Grace joined the Army in January 2012 and was stationed in
Fort Campbell in May of last year. The 4th Brigade Combat
Team, a unit of the 101st Airborne, was deployed to Iraq this
spring. His military awards include one National Defense
Service Medal, one Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and
an Army Service Ribbon.
Grace came from difficult family circumstances and was
placed for adoption at birth, friends said. His adoptive
mother died when he was about 12. By that time, he had
survived bone cancer that they said should have killed him.
``He shouldn't have made it, but he pulled through it and
survived 100 percent,'' said longtime friend, Garland Davis,
who said he regarded Grace as a brother, though there was no
legal or blood connection.
Grace grew up in Baytown and graduated from Lee High School
in 2006. He worked in a variety of jobs before deciding to
join the military. Friends said he was looking for something
that would give his life structure and possibly lead to a
career.
``He was an extremely hard worker and was very, very
funny,'' said friend Natalie Ingram, who met Grace about five
years ago. ``His positive attitude is hard to even describe,
it was so strong. He took everything as it came to him. He
survived cancer and went through countless family struggles.
He had a very tough background, but he had a great attitude
and made everyone comfortable.''
``We were his family because he chose us,'' Davis said.
``He's been through hell and back with his family, but he
always has had a smile on his face. He never picked fights,
never tried to create a problem. He was stuck in a bad
position and he tried to better himself. He ended up falling
in love with the Army, and he loved this country.''
{time} 1930
Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as
I may consume.
I join with my colleague and friend on the other side of the aisle in
support of this measure. Specialist Keith
[[Page H7279]]
Grace, Jr. was a hero. All of us thank his family for his service and
his sacrifice, and I ask that everyone vote in favor of this measure to
rightfully name this post office in his honor.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. STIVERS. Mr. Speaker, I urge that all Members support H.R. 4651.
I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Collins of New York). The question is on
the motion offered by the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Stivers) that the
House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 4651.
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.
____________________