[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 138 (Thursday, September 24, 2015)]
[House]
[Page H6205]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         OFFICER DARYL R. PIERSON MEMORIAL POST OFFICE BUILDING

  Mr. CHAFFETZ. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 1884) to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 206 West Commercial Street in East Rochester, New 
York, as the ``Officer Daryl R. Pierson Memorial Post Office 
Building''.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 1884

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

     SECTION 1. OFFICER DARYL R. PIERSON MEMORIAL POST OFFICE 
                   BUILDING.

       (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal 
     Service located at 206 West Commercial Street in East 
     Rochester, New York, shall be known and designated as the 
     ``Officer Daryl R. Pierson Memorial 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 ``Officer Daryl R. Pierson Memorial Post 
     Office Building''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Utah (Mr. Chaffetz) and the gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. Lawrence) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Utah.


                             General Leave

  Mr. CHAFFETZ. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in 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 Utah?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. CHAFFETZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  We are preparing and supporting the designation of a post office for 
a great American. This is brought to our attention and introduced by 
Congresswoman Louise Slaughter. It is probably most appropriate that 
she be the one to tell us more about this person's background, this 
person's life, and why we should name this post office after him. It is 
a great American story.
  I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from New York 
(Ms. Slaughter).
  Ms. SLAUGHTER. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, I come before the House today to honor a great young man 
whom the Rochester, New York, community continues to mourn and seeks to 
memorialize.
  On September 3 of last year, Rochester Police Officer Daryl R. 
Pierson was killed in the line of duty. His job with the Rochester 
Police Department's tactical unit was important to all of us. He was 
recognized for working to remove illegal guns from the streets.
  While securing our neighborhoods and ensuring that our children were 
safe, Officer Pierson paid the ultimate price at the young age of 32. 
He was the first Rochester Police Department officer killed by gunfire 
in the line of duty since 1959, and our community will not forget him.
  He left behind a wife, Amy Pierson--a young widow now--and two young 
children, Christian and Charity. It brings me great sadness to know 
that he will not be able to see them grow up and that they will only 
know him now from memory.
  Officer Pierson's death traumatized the entire community, which came 
together in mourning. Over a thousand police officers and citizens of 
our area attended his funeral at the War Memorial Building.
  But he served far more than what he did in the police department. He 
served as a member of the National Guard. He was also an Army veteran 
of the war in Afghanistan. After all that, he came home to try to make 
his community safer. He died trying to do that. He was a devoted police 
officer who did his best every single day of his life.
  The bill before us would rename the United States Post Office in his 
hometown community of East Rochester, New York, after him. It would be 
a wonderful tribute to his service. The most important thing is that 
every citizen of East Rochester and anyone else who uses that post 
office will never go into that door without remembering Daryl Pierson 
and who he was and what he did.
  I think Daryl's mother summed it up better than anyone could. She 
said: ``Daryl lived as a hero; he didn't have to die to be a hero.''
  Mrs. LAWRENCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join my colleagues in the consideration 
of H.R. 1884, a bill to designate the facility of the United States 
Postal Service located in East Rochester, New York, as the Officer 
Daryl R. Pierson Memorial Post Office Building.
  A native of East Rochester, New York, Daryl Pierson graduated from 
East Rochester High School and attended Monroe Community College. He 
served our country in Afghanistan before he began his service in the 
Rochester Police Force.
  It is said his calming demeanor and ability to deal with chaotic 
situations made him a perfect fit for the department's tactical unit. 
As a member of that unit, Officer Pierson received numerous awards, 
including the 2013 Good Conduct Award, and 11 letters of recognition 
from the police chief. In addition to his service in Afghanistan and 
his service as a police officer, he continued to serve as a member of 
the National Guard.
  It was a sad night on September 3 when Officer Pierson was shot and 
killed in the line of duty while pursuing a suspect after a traffic 
stop. He leaves behind a family and a community and country that he 
served.
  Mr. Speaker, we should pass this bill to remember Officer Pierson and 
honor his years of dedicated public service and his ultimate sacrifice 
in order to protect his community. I urge the passage of H.R. 1884.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. CHAFFETZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  Mr. Speaker, this is a great American. He was serving his country. He 
served his community. As Congresswoman Slaughter brought up, this was a 
well-supported person within the community.
  My heart goes out to his wife, Amy, and their two children, Christian 
and Charity. They are very young children, but I hope that they 
remember their father served this country nobly in the United States 
Army in Afghanistan and in the Army National Guard, putting his life on 
the line so that other young families could be safe and protected.
  I hope that his legacy continues on and that, truly, this post office 
naming will serve as a reminder to all those in the community and our 
country that these great people step up, serve their country, serve 
their community, and they are loved by families and they do tough, 
difficult things that, quite frankly, a lot of other Americans wouldn't 
do. We honor him this day. We encourage the passage of Congresswoman 
Slaughter's bill, H.R. 1884.
  I yield back the balance of my time.

                              {time}  1430

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Utah (Mr. Chaffetz) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the bill, H.R. 1884.
  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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