[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 24 (Wednesday, February 5, 2020)]
[House]
[Pages H830-H831]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    WALTER B. JONES, JR. POST OFFICE

  Mrs. LAWRENCE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 5037) to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 3703 North Main Street in Farmville, North Carolina, 
as the ``Walter B. Jones, Jr. Post Office''.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 5037

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

     SECTION 1. WALTER B. JONES, JR. POST OFFICE.

       (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal 
     Service located at 3703 North Main Street in Farmville, North 
     Carolina, shall be known and designated as the ``Walter B. 
     Jones, Jr. Post Office''.
       (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 ``Walter B. Jones, Jr. Post Office''.

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


                             General Leave

  Mrs. LAWRENCE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks 
and include any extraneous material on this measure.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Michigan?
  There was no objection.
  Mrs. LAWRENCE. 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. 5037 to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service 
located at 3703 North Main Street in Farmville, North Carolina, as the 
Walter B. Jones, Jr. Post Office.
  I thank Representative Murphy for introducing this measure honoring 
our former colleague. As you know, Walter Jones was born in North 
Carolina and was a longtime resident of Farmville. He later graduated 
from Atlantic Christian College and served 4 years in the National 
Guard.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman 
from North Carolina (Mr. Price).
  Mr. PRICE of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I am happy to rise in 
support of this legislation, H.R. 5037, supporting the designation of 
the Walter B. Jones, Jr. Post Office in his hometown of Farmville, 
North Carolina.
  The late Walter Jones was a treasured colleague and a personal 
friend, and I am glad to join others in the North Carolina delegation 
and in this Chamber in this fitting tribute.
  Walter, I think we would all agree, charted a path uniquely his own. 
His warmth and sincerity earned him respect and affection on both sides 
of the aisle and across the entire spectrum of political attitudes and 
beliefs. The same was true in North Carolina among his constituents.
  Walter was perhaps best known for his devotion to our men and women 
in uniform and their families. He was attentive, of course, to the 
needs of our military bases in North Carolina, but for Walter, this was 
very personal. He sent more than 10,000 letters to the families of 
fallen troops, and he memorialized those who died from North Carolina's 
Camp Lejeune with photos outside his office, all of this demonstrating 
his genuine dedication to those who serve.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join in support of this 
resolution so that Walter's memory can be honored in Farmville, a 
community he loved dearly and served tirelessly.
  Mr. MEADOWS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise in support of this legislation, H.R. 5037.
  Walter Jones was not just a colleague; he was a friend. For many of 
us in this Chamber, we can remember when he sat just off the center 
aisle there, just a few rows back from the front. He was consistently 
there and consistently a voice, as my friend from North Carolina (Mr. 
Price) just said, of those who had fallen in the ultimate fight for 
freedom and liberty. Many of us have pictures outside of our 
congressional offices recognizing those who have fallen in their fight 
for liberty in the armed services, and that is due in no small part to 
our good friend, Mr. Walter Jones.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from North Carolina 
(Mr. Murphy), who is carrying on that legacy in his congressional 
district.
  Mr. MURPHY of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of 
H.R. 5037, which is a tribute to my predecessor, friend, and mentor, 
Congressman Walter B. Jones. Sadly, he passed away while serving 
diligently in his office nearly a year ago.
  This legislation would designate the post office in his hometown of 
Farmville, North Carolina, as the Walter B. Jones, Jr. Post Office.
  He was the son of Walter B. Jones, Sr., and Doris Long. A devoted 
public servant, a man of great faith, and a proud American, Walter put 
the people and the needs of North Carolina's Third District first.
  I knew Walter first as a patient, who then became a dear friend and 
then became a political mentor. His passing was a loss for our State, 
our Nation, and for all who knew him and loved him.
  In part due to his own service in the military, Walter cared deeply 
about the brave men and women who served our country. After attending 
Hargrave Military Academy in Virginia, Walter graduated from Atlantic 
Christian College in 1966 and went on to serve in the North Carolina 
National Guard for 4 years.
  After serving for 10 years in the North Carolina House, he was 
elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1995, where he 
would spend the remaining 24 years of his life diligently serving the 
people of North Carolina's Third Congressional District.

  He worked tirelessly to ensure that he was always available to his 
constituents and saw that they received assistance whenever they needed 
it, particularly with the VA and healthcare benefits.

[[Page H831]]

  Both in our Nation's Capitol and in eastern North Carolina, Walter 
was known for his humility and kindheartedness. In fact, Walter was 
voted the nicest Member of Congress in 2004 in a survey conducted by 
the Washingtonian among top Capitol Hill staffers.
  Of course, Walter was known for his vigorous support of our military 
and particularly thousands of marines based in eastern North Carolina 
at Camp Lejeune and Marine Corps air stations in Cherry Point as well 
as New River, along with FRC East.
  As a member of the Armed Services Committee, he began a letter-
writing campaign, ultimately sending over 11,000 letters of condolences 
to families and extended family members of fallen soldiers. Outside of 
his office--and now my office--are hundreds of photos of those who have 
fallen for the freedom of this Nation.
  This was the kind of man he was: admirable, selfless, and caring.
  Additionally, some of Walter's greatest achievements while serving in 
Congress included the work to ensure autistic children of military 
families received a proper education. He also advocated for the use of 
hyperbaric oxygen therapy to treat veterans with traumatic brain injury 
and to protect the beautiful wild horses on Shackleford Banks and North 
Carolina's beaches. He had compassion and respect for these beautiful 
animals on the eastern shores.
  Walter left behind a legacy that epitomized what we all should aspire 
to be as a public servant. So it is my privilege to introduce this bill 
honoring such a great American like Walter Jones.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the entire North Carolina 
delegation for joining as original cosponsors of this piece of 
legislation, and I urge Members to adopt H.R. 5037, which would 
permanently name the post office after him in Farmville.

                              {time}  1645

  Mrs. LAWRENCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
the great State of North Carolina (Mr. Butterfield), my colleague.
  Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me 
the time and for her leadership and willingness to give time on this 
very important bill.
  I thank my colleagues, Congressman Greg Murphy and Congressman Mark 
Meadows, for advancing this bill. I remember how well-connected they 
were to Walter B. Jones, Jr.--both of them--and I thank them for this 
legislation.
  It is my honor to join with Congressman Greg Murphy in cosponsoring 
this legislation, and so I support H.R. 5037.
  Congressman Walter B. Jones, Jr., was a devoted man of great faith. 
He was my personal friend, Mr. Speaker, for more than 40 years.
  My colleagues will recall that, as Walter was beginning to decline in 
health, he was unable to come to the floor to have the oath of office 
administered to him, and Walter asked that I come to his home. The 
Speaker of the House authorized me to do so, and I went to his living 
room that day and administered the final oath of office to him. He was 
so appreciative, and we had a wonderful conversation that I shall never 
ever forget.
  Walter Jones was a lifetime public servant, serving in the National 
Guard for 4 years, in our general assembly for 10 years, and here in 
Congress for 24 long years as Representative of the Third Congressional 
District.
  Since I joined Congress in 2004, I watched Walter cast many difficult 
votes with conviction. I would sit right here to my left, and Walter 
would come by and, in his own way, he would say, ``Mr. Chairman,'' and 
we would have a wonderful laugh about that. But he would stand firm in 
what he believed was right for his constituents and the American 
people.
  Although Walter is no longer with us, he left an indelible mark on 
eastern North Carolina. He left a mark on this House and the Nation. 
Mr. Speaker, I call on my colleagues to join me in honoring Walter 
Jones.
  I was particularly moved that so many of our colleagues traveled by 
military aircraft as we went to his funeral that day. The Speaker of 
the House authorized the airplane, and we flew down to Greenville that 
day.
  The airplane was full of colleagues in a bipartisan manner. Democrats 
and Republicans both attended the funeral. And it was bicameral. You 
may remember that Senator Byrne and Senator Tillis were there as well.
  So I thank them very much for honoring this great man.
  And to the Jones family, to Joe Ann and Ashley, may God bless you, 
and may we keep the memory of Walter B. Jones, Jr., alive.
  Mr. MEADOWS. Mr. Speaker, all of us have come together to give a 
little bit of what we got in big doses, and that was compassion and 
care from a man who was not only strongest in his convictions, but 
resolute in those convictions as well.
  So I rise in support. I appreciate my colleagues opposite for their 
support of this. I appreciate Congressman Murphy for his leadership as 
well, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mrs. LAWRENCE. Mr. Speaker, I stand here today just always in awe of 
the history of this House and those who have served, knowing personally 
the sacrifices and the skill set that is needed to be successful. To be 
able to honor one of our own is something that I support.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge the passage of H.R. 5037, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. HUDSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of 
Representative Walter B. Jones, Jr., a fierce champion for North 
Carolina, a diligent public servant, and a personal friend to many 
across this body.
  Representative Jones passed away on February 10, 2019, his 76th 
birthday. He worked tirelessly on behalf of our great state and served 
four years in the North Carolina National Guard, ten years in the North 
Carolina General Assembly, and was a member of the House of 
Representatives for over three decades.
  A man of profound integrity, Representative Jones fought each and 
every day for what he believed was right. From championing our men and 
women in uniform to protecting our coastline, he was always a steadfast 
voice for the people of eastern North Carolina.
  Today I am proud to join the North Carolina Congressional Delegation 
in supporting H.R. 5037, to designate a facility of the United States 
Postal Service as the ``Walter B. Jones, Jr. Post Office,'' located in 
his hometown of Farmville, North Carolina.
  Mr. Speaker, please join me today in honoring the life and legacy of 
Representative Walter B. Jones, Jr.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. Lawrence) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 5037.
  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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