[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 119 (Monday, July 16, 2018)]
[House]
[Page H6209]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





            SERGEANT DIETRICH SCHMIEMAN POST OFFICE BUILDING

  Mr. WALKER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 5504) to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 4801 West Van Giesen Street in West Richland, 
Washington, as the ``Sergeant Dietrich Schmieman Post Office 
Building''.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows

                               H.R. 5504

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

     SECTION 1. SERGEANT DIETRICH SCHMIEMAN POST OFFICE BUILDING.

         (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States 
     Postal Service located at 4801 West Van Giesen Street in West 
     Richland, Washington, shall be known and designated as the 
     ``Sergeant Dietrich Schmieman 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 Dietrich Schmieman Post Office 
     Building''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
North Carolina (Mr. Walker) and the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. 
Sarbanes) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from North Carolina.


                             General Leave

  Mr. WALKER. 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 material on the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from North Carolina?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. WALKER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5504, a bill introduced 
by the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Newhouse) to name a post office 
in West Richland, Washington, in honor of Marine Sergeant Dietrich 
Schmieman.
  Marine Sergeant Dietrich Schmieman grew up in Richland, Washington. 
After graduating high school in 2009, Schmieman enlisted in the Marine 
Corps, eventually attending the Special Operations School.
  Sergeant Schmieman completed two overseas deployments. He received 
multiple honors during his service, including two Marine Corps 
Achievement Medals and a Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation. He also 
achieved his goal of serving as a critical skills operator in the 2nd 
Raider Battalion.
  In July 2017, Sergeant Schmieman was tragically killed in a cargo 
plane crash over Mississippi. We thank him for his service to our 
Nation, and I urge my colleagues to support this bill in his honor.
  Mr. Speaker, I look forward to hearing more about this bill from 
Congressman Newhouse in a few minutes, and I reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. SARBANES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join my colleagues in consideration of 
H.R. 5504, to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 4801 West Van Giesen Street in West Richland, 
Washington, as the Sergeant Dietrich Schmieman Post Office Building.
  A graduate of Columbia Basin College, Dietrich Schmieman joined the 
Marine Corps in 2009. Following a deployment to Okinawa, Japan, as a 
military parachutist and diver, Dietrich was promoted to sergeant and 
selected for Marine Corps Special Operations School.
  You heard that he tragically lost his life in a cargo plane crash in 
July, but before that, he would complete a second overseas deployment 
and attain his goal of serving as a critical skills operator.
  Sergeant Schmieman received 14 awards and decorations during his 
service and continues to be deeply missed by his Marine team, who plans 
to climb his beloved Mount Rainier in his honor this summer.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge the passage of H.R. 5504, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. WALKER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from 
Washington (Mr. Newhouse), the sponsor of this bill.
  Mr. NEWHOUSE. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague from North 
Carolina for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak in support of legislation that 
will commemorate the life and service of a young man from central 
Washington who died serving his country just over a year ago, on July 
10, 2017.
  Marine Sergeant Dietrich Schmieman grew up in Richland, Washington, 
with his parents, Eric and Susan, and his two brothers, Aaron and Hans. 
He attended Christ the King Catholic School, Hanford High School, and 
Columbia Basin College, where he met friends who would remain close to 
him throughout his entire life.
  In 2010, with a world of opportunity ahead of him, he chose to 
dedicate his life to service and enlist in the United States Marine 
Corps. It was his goal to serve within Special Operations Command.
  Throughout his service, he received 14 awards and decorations, 
including several Achievement Medals, Good Conduct Medals, and the 
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal. He had completed two overseas 
deployments, serving our Nation during Operation Enduring Freedom.
  He achieved his goal, honorably serving as a critical skills operator 
in the U.S. Marine Corps 2nd Raider Battalion at Camp Lejeune, North 
Carolina, when he was tragically killed in a KC-130 plane crash in 
Mississippi on July 10, 2017.
  My legislation would designate the U.S. Postal Service facility at 
4801 West Van Giesen Street in West Richland, Washington, as the 
Sergeant Dietrich Schmieman Post Office Building.
  Dietrich and his fellow servicemembers gave the ultimate sacrifice, 
and I hope to honor his memory, as well as the memory of the 15 other 
men and women killed in the crash, with this dedication to their 
service.
  Dietrich's strong ties to his family, friends, and hometown continue 
to be evident. An avid skydiver, Dietrich's death inspired his parents, 
childhood friends, and fellow marines to complete a memorial skydive 
over central Washington. He had a tattoo symbolizing his love of the 
Pacific Northwest and requested that his ashes be spread on Mount 
Rainier, where his Marine brothers-in-arms will hike this August in his 
honor.
  We recently observed the 1-year anniversary of the devastating plane 
crash, and I know that the designation of this post office will mean a 
lot to Dietrich's family and to our community, serving as a local 
memorial and a reminder of the sacrifice he and his fellow 
servicemembers gave to preserve the freedoms that are the cornerstone 
of our Nation.
  I encourage my colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation 
to name this building, which will be visited often by friends and 
family, after a courageous young man whose life and service deserve 
this honor.
  Mr. SARBANES. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers. I urge the 
passage of H.R. 5504 in memory of Sergeant Schmieman, an American hero, 
and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. WALKER. 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 North Carolina (Mr. Walker) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 5504.
  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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