[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 158 (Monday, September 14, 2020)]
[House]
[Pages H4366-H4367]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            LANCE CORPORAL RHONALD DAIN RAIRDAN POST OFFICE

  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend

[[Page H4367]]

the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4785) to designate the facility of 
the United States Postal Service located at 1305 U.S. Highway 90 West 
in Castroville, Texas, as the ``Lance Corporal Rhonald Dain Rairdan 
Post Office''.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 4785

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

     SECTION 1. LANCE CORPORAL RHONALD DAIN RAIRDAN POST OFFICE.

       (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal 
     Service located at 1305 U.S. Highway 90 West in Castroville, 
     Texas, shall be known and designated as the ``Lance Corporal 
     Rhonald Dain Rairdan 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 ``Lance Corporal Rhonald Dain Rairdan Post 
     Office''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
New York (Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. 
Cloud) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from New York.


                             General Leave

  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous 
consent that all Members 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 
gentlewoman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as 
much time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join my colleagues in consideration of 
H.R. 4785 to designate the facility of the U.S. Postal Service located 
at 1305 U.S. Highway 90 West in Castroville, Texas, as the Lance 
Corporal Rhonald Dain Rairdan Post Office.
  Rhonald Dain Rairdan was born on April 22, 1984, at Eglin Air Force 
Base, Florida. He was a 2003 graduate of Medina Valley High School, 
where he was a member of the ROTC drill team.
  Dain was raised in an Air Force family and lived in many different 
places, but he wanted to be a U.S. marine his entire life.
  Four months after joining the Marine Corps, Lance Corporal Rairdan 
was deployed to the Middle East to join the Marine-led offensive to 
take control of Fallujah.
  Lance Corporal Rairdan's unit was tasked with hunting for weapon 
stockpiles and policing the damaged city as residents tried to regain a 
sense of normalcy.
  On January 26, 2005, the helicopter he was onboard crashed near 
Rutbah, Iraq, killing 30.
  Dain died doing what he loved, protecting the United States.
  Castroville, Texas, was his adopted home, and naming this post office 
for him will allow the residents there to remember and honor his 
dedicated service.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank the Honorable Member from Texas, Representative 
Hurd, for this legislation to honor this American hero.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CLOUD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4785, which would name a post 
office in Castroville, Texas, after Lance Corporal Rhonald Dain 
Rairdan.
  Dain, as he was called by his loved ones, was raised in an Air Force 
family and lived all over the country.
  He considered Castroville to be his adopted home, and it is where his 
celebration of life would eventually be held.
  Dain grew up wanting to join the Marine Corps because he wanted to 
protect his country. Four months after joining the Marines, he was 
deployed to the Middle East to join the Marine-led offensive to take 
control of Fallujah.
  On January 26, 2005, Dain was onboard a helicopter near Rutbah, Iraq, 
when it crashed. Twenty-eight marines were killed alongside Dain.
  He died serving this Nation and protecting us, a most honorable 
calling.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. CLOUD. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas 
(Mr. Hurd).
  Mr. HURD of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4785, 
which will honor the bravery of Lance Corporal Rhonald Dain Rairdan, 
who died serving his country in Iraq.
  Dain, as he was called by his friends and family, grew up in an Air 
Force family, moving to and living in many places around the country, 
but his adopted hometown was Castroville, Texas.
  It was in Castroville that Dain joined the Air Force JROTC program at 
Medina Valley High School. It was here that he realized his passion for 
service and, in 2005, joined the U.S. Marine Corps.
  According to his friends and family, being a marine was what he 
wanted to do his whole life. Four months after joining the Corps, Dain 
deployed to the Middle East, where his unit was tasked with hunting for 
weapon stockpiles and policing damaged cities as residents tried to 
regain a sense of normalcy.
  Tragically, on what was supposed to be his last mission before 
leaving Iraq, Dain and 30 other servicemembers were killed when their 
helicopter crashed in western Iraq.

                              {time}  1700

  With that crash, we lost so many brave, incredible American patriots 
who embodied Semper Fidelis--Always Faithful.
  This was true for Dain especially. His commitment to his country left 
an unwavering impact on the lives of those who knew or served with him. 
He made his country, family, and friends proud.
  While his legacy will undoubtedly live on through his family and all 
those who knew him, the renaming of the Castroville, Texas, Post Office 
in his name will forever enshrine his love of our great Nation.
  I thank every one of my Texas colleagues for joining me in this 
bipartisan effort to allow folks in Castroville to remember Lance 
Corporal Rairdan, and I hope the rest of my colleagues in this Chamber 
will do the same.
  As we reflect on the bravery of one man who gave everything for 
country, let's remember that our mission in the Middle East isn't 
finished. He died for this mission, and we must ensure it is complete.
  God bless all of our servicemen and -women.
  Mr. CLOUD. Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of this bill, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of 
this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney) that the House 
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 4785.
  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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