[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 163 (Wednesday, October 16, 2019)]
[House]
[Pages H8175-H8176]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
PAUL EATON POST OFFICE BUILDING
Mr. ROUDA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill
(H.R. 3329) to designate the facility of the United States Postal
Service located at 5186 Benito Street in Montclair, California, as the
``Paul Eaton Post Office Building''.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 3329
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. PAUL EATON POST OFFICE BUILDING.
(a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal
Service located at 5186 Benito Street in Montclair,
California, shall be known and designated as the ``Paul Eaton
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 ``Paul Eaton Post Office Building''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
California (Mr. Rouda) and the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Gosar) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.
General Leave
Mr. ROUDA. 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 this measure.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from California?
There was no objection.
Mr. ROUDA. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the
gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Torres).
Mrs. TORRES of California. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from
California (Mr. Rouda), my colleague, for yielding to me.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of my bill, H.R. 3329. This bill would
rename the post office in Montclair, California, as the Paul Eaton Post
Office Building.
The new name would be a tribute to Paul Eaton, who served as
Montclair's mayor for 23 years, making him the longest-serving mayor in
Montclair's history.
As a former mayor myself, I can tell you that that is dedication.
Being mayor means being on the hook for every pothole, every accident,
and every crisis that happens in your city. It is not easy work, but
Mayor Eaton made it look so easy.
He uplifted the lives of every single person that he encountered. He
was a fierce advocate for Montclair residents and a pillar of the
Inland Empire community.
His decades of public service earned him the love, respect, and
admiration of everyone.
Mayor Eaton began his career at Bethany Baptist Church and the
Ontario-Montclair School District. In 1970, he helped found Montclair's
Community Action Committee. There, he earned a reputation as a fierce
advocate for Montclair's residents.
Later, he was appointed to the Montclair Planning Commission, where
he would serve only until he eventually became a member of the
Montclair City Council in 1988. Following Mayor Larry Rhinehart's
sudden departure, Mayor Eaton was unanimously installed into the
position of mayor by his fellow city council members.
His many achievements include construction of a youth center and a
senior center, as well as a state-of-the-art police facility, widening
Central Avenue on the I-10 freeway, making critical improvements to the
Mission Boulevard and Holt corridors, and ensuring future service to
the Montclair Transit Center for the Gold Line light-rail service.
His record of service is truly an example for the next generation.
His family continues to carry on the legacy, as many of them also work
in public service.
Mayor Eaton passed away in July 2018.
He was survived by his wife, Ginger, who became mayor after the
passing of Mayor Eaton. He was also survived by four children, nine
grandchildren, and 14 great-grandchildren. He was loved by everyone.
Let us honor Mayor Eaton and his legacy by passing this bill and
renaming the Montclair Post Office.
California, Mr. Speaker, has 53 Members of Congress, and I am so
proud to have 52 of those members of the California congressional
delegation as cosponsors of this bill, including the distinguished
Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, and the Republican minority leader,
Kevin McCarthy.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this important
bill, and I thank the ranking member, Mr. Gosar, for his assistance in
moving this bill forward.
Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3329 introduced by
Representative Norma Torres.
This bill names a post office located in Montclair, California, in
honor of Paul Eaton.
[[Page H8176]]
Paul Eaton was a dedicated civic leader in Montclair for 48 years of
his life. In 1970, he was a founding member of Montclair's Community
Action Committee. Mr. Eaton spent 18 years with the Community Action
Committee, advocating on behalf of residents.
In 1988, he was elected to the city council. Mr. Eaton went on to
become the mayor of Montclair and served for 23 consecutive years,
making him the longest-serving mayor in Montclair's history.
Mr. Eaton left a lasting legacy in the city. His achievements include
vital improvements to the city's critical infrastructure and
facilities.
I urge my colleagues to support this bill for my friend, Norma
Torres, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. ROUDA. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. Torres of California). The question is
on the motion offered by the gentleman from California (Mr. Rouda) that
the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3329.
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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