[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 202 (Tuesday, December 12, 2017)]
[House]
[Pages H9818-H9819]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   BORINQUENEERS POST OFFICE BUILDING

  Mr. GIANFORTE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 4042) to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 1415 West Oak Street, in Kissimmee, Florida, as the 
``Borinqueneers Post Office Building''.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 4042

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

     SECTION 1. BORINQUENEERS POST OFFICE BUILDING.

       (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal 
     Service located at 1415 West Oak Street, in Kissimmee, 
     Florida, shall be known and designated as the ``Borinqueneers 
     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

[[Page H9819]]

     be a reference to the ``Borinqueneers Post Office Building''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Montana (Mr. Gianforte) and the gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Demings) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Montana.


                             General Leave

  Mr. GIANFORTE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
have 5 legislative days 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 Montana?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. GIANFORTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4042 introduced by the 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Soto). The bill names the United States 
Post Office at 1415 West Oak Street in Kissimmee, Florida, after the 
Borinqueneers.
  H.R. 4042 honors the 65th Infantry Regiment of the U.S. Army known as 
the Borinqueneers. Congress created a special unit of Puerto Rican 
soldiers shortly after Puerto Rico became part of the United States in 
1898. Despite years of segregation and discrimination, the 
Borinqueneers served admirably in World War I, World War II, and the 
Korean war. We owe a great debt to the many soldiers who served in this 
unit and fought to defend our freedom.
  In April 2016, the Borinqueneers were awarded the Congressional Gold 
Medal by the leaders of the United States House and Senate. We honor 
their service and sacrifice to the country.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve 
the balance of my time.
  Mrs. DEMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join my colleagues, particularly my 
colleague from central Florida, in consideration of H.R. 4042, a bill 
to designate the facility of the United States Post Office located in 
Kissimmee, Florida, as the Borinqueneers Post Office Building.
  Originating in 1899, as part of the Puerto Rican Regiment of the 
Volunteer Army, the 65th Regiment became a part of the U.S. Army in 
1908. The unit distinguished itself throughout Europe in World War II.
  The 65th Regiment rapidly gained a reputation as one of the bravest 
and most reliable regiments and, by November 1950, had become the 
leading regiment by the 3rd Infantry Division.
  In June of 2014, the Borinqueneers became just the second Hispanic 
Americans to be awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, as they were 
honored for the bravery and distinguished service for which they broke 
down racial barriers in defense of our Nation.
  Mr. Speaker, I am proud to cosponsor this bill, and I look forward to 
passing this legislation in honor of the 65th Regiment for their 
service, their sacrifice, and lasting contributions to our country.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge the passage of H.R. 4042, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. GIANFORTE. Mr. Speaker, I would like to make the gentlewoman from 
Florida aware that I have no further speakers and I am prepared to 
close.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. DEMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Soto).
  Mr. SOTO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the bill, H.R. 
4042. I would like to thank the gentleman from Montana and my 
colleague, the gentlewoman from Orlando, Florida, for their kind and 
historic words.
  This bill would name the United States Post Office at 1415 West Oak 
Street in Kissimmee, Florida, after the 65th Infantry, also known as 
the Borinqueneers, named after the indigenous Taino word for Puerto 
Rico, ``Borinquen,'' which means, ``the land of the brave Lord,'' where 
the name of the Borinqueneers was derived from.
  This was a segregated unit, one of only a few that we have in 
history, much like the heralded Tuskegee Airmen, and they fought for 
our country bravely even while facing discrimination and segregation. 
They quickly gained a well-deserved reputation as one of the 3rd 
Infantry's most reliable units.
  Their bravery inspired General Douglas MacArthur, then the Supreme 
Commander for the Allied Powers, to write: ``The Puerto Ricans forming 
the ranks of the gallant 65th Infantry give daily proof on the 
battlefields of Korea of their courage, determination and resolute will 
to victory, their invincible loyalty to the United States and their 
fervent devotion to those immutable principles of human relations which 
the Americans of the continent and Puerto Rico have in common. They are 
writing a brilliant record of heroism in battle, and I am indeed proud 
to have to have them under my command. I wish that we could count on 
many more like them.''
  I had the opportunity a couple of months ago to go to the 
demilitarized zone in Korea, and I thought, as I saw those hills and 
those mountains that were filled with trees and with forests again, 
about the stark difference that some of my constituents, whom I have 
gotten to speak with personally, saw there in Korea. There was nothing 
left but muddy, cold hills, freezing temperatures. These folks, who 
lived their whole lives on an island in the Caribbean, were surrounded 
by both the Chinese and Korean Armies. And to talk with some of our 
local veterans like Luis Pastrana and Lou Boria--who actually lives in 
Congresswoman Demings' district in Apopka--about how different what 
they faced that day is compared to the semi-serene DMZ now. Obviously, 
we face other threats there. It reminded me of just how far they had 
gone and what they did, literally crossing the globe to make sure that 
our country was safe.
  As the gentleman from Montana and the gentlewoman from Florida 
mentioned, we ultimately recognized that valor and the fact that they 
fought so bravely, even in the face of discrimination, on June 10, 
2014--the Congressional Gold Medal, becoming the second Hispanic set of 
Americans here after Roberto Clemente received this award. Many folks 
who were born and raised on th island and served in Korea, in World War 
II, and ultimately in Vietnam after the unit was desegregated, now live 
in Kissimmee, Florida, and in central Florida, and are represented by 
many of us, including Congresswoman Demings.

  This is a very important place to recognize a group of heroes who 
defied expectations and really cemented a legacy of heroism that all 
Americans can be proud of. I want to thank the members of the Oversight 
and Government Reform Committee for passing this bill favorably with 
unanimous consent, and I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
  Mrs. DEMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  Mr. GIANFORTE. Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of the bill, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Montana (Mr. Gianforte) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 4042.
  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. GIANFORTE. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a 
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not 
present.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this question will be postponed.
  The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.

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