[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 20 (Tuesday, February 1, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H319-H321]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
{time} 1500
LYNN C. WOOLSEY POST OFFICE BUILDING
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and
pass the bill (H.R. 2842) to designate the facility of the United
States Postal Service located at 120 4th Street in Petaluma,
California, as the ``Lynn C. Woolsey Post Office Building''.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 2842
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. LYNN C. WOOLSEY POST OFFICE BUILDING.
(a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal
Service located at 120 4th Street in Petaluma, California,
shall be known and designated as the ``Lynn C. Woolsey 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 ``Lynn C. Woolsey Post Office Building''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from
Florida (Ms. Wasserman Schultz) and the gentleman from Kansas (Mr.
LaTurner) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Florida.
General Leave
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. 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
gentlewoman from Florida?
There was no objection.
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
[[Page H320]]
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join my colleagues in consideration of
H.R. 2842 to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service
located at 120 4th Street in Petaluma, California, as the Lynn C.
Woolsey Post Office Building.
Lynn Woolsey was born Lynn Carol Robinson in Seattle, Washington, on
November 3, 1937. A graduate of Seattle's Lincoln High School, Woolsey
attended the University of Washington from 1955 to 1957. She left
school to marry Terry J. Critchett in 1958, and they eventually settled
in Marin County, California. They had three children, Joseph, Ed, and
Amy.
After working as a secretary at a technology company and relying
partly on welfare assistance, Woolsey opened a personnel services firm
and returned to college at the University of San Francisco to earn her
bachelor's degree in 1980.
In 1984, Woolsey won a seat on the Petaluma City Council, where she
served until 1992, including as vice mayor in her final year. When
California Representative Barbara Boxer ran for the Senate in 1992,
Woolsey ran to replace her and was elected in 1993 with 65 percent of
the vote.
Congresswoman Woolsey served on the House Budget Committee, the
Government Operations Committee, and the Education and Labor Committee.
As subcommittee chair of the Workforce Protections Subcommittee, she
led a measure to provide job-protected leave for family members of
injured soldiers.
Among other successes, Congresswoman Woolsey fought legislation that
threatened to reduce the scope of welfare programs; advocated for
expanding school breakfast programs; and sponsored legislation to
encourage young girls to study math and science, her ``Go, Girl''
initiative.
As co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, Congresswoman
Woolsey advocated for a budget proposal to lower the deficit while
supporting the social safety net.
A prominent member of the Out of Iraq Caucus, Woolsey criticized the
George W. Bush administration's prosecution of the war, voted
consistently to suspend funding for the war, and introduced a bill to
redirect $60 billion in Pentagon funds toward domestic civilian
programs.
Throughout her congressional career, Woolsey tended to her northern
California district. She delivered hundreds of millions of dollars back
home for a variety of capital-intensive projects, including $9 million
for a Petaluma River flood control project and $52 million for a
seismic retrofit of the Golden Gate Bridge.
Naming a post office for Lynn C. Woolsey is entirely appropriate
given her distinguished career and contributions to her State and
country, and I urge all Members to support this bill.
I will just add what a privilege it was to have a chance to get to
know and serve with Lynn Woolsey. She was a fierce advocate for her
point of view. She spent every single day on the floor of this body
during the Iraq war and spoke out against it every single day without
fail. She is a woman of her convictions and someone who fiercely
defended making sure that her constituents' voices were heard.
Mr. Speaker, it was a privilege to serve with her, and I reserve the
balance of my time.
Mr. LaTURNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2842, which would name a
California post office after former Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey.
Woolsey first entered politics after winning a seat on the Petaluma
City Council in 1984. She served on the city council until 1992, when
she entered the race to succeed then-Representative Barbara Boxer.
During her two decades in the U.S. House, she brought attention to
the struggles of impoverished women and children. She retired from
Congress in 2013 at the end of the 112th Congress.
Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill, and I
reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the
gentleman from California (Mr. Huffman), who succeeded Congresswoman
Woolsey.
Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Florida and my
other colleagues for their kind words about our friend, my predecessor
and our former colleague, Lynn Woolsey.
Lynn is a one-of-a-kind, barrier-breaking trailblazer and a lifelong
advocate for women and working families. In her 20 years of service in
this body, she was a passionate voice for progressive values,
unflinching in her convictions and ahead of her time in so many ways.
Speaker Pelosi often called her the conscience of the Congress.
She was born and raised in Seattle, Washington, but she put her roots
down as a young woman in Sonoma County, raising a family, becoming a
civic leader, and eventually launching a political career. She chaired
the Sonoma County Commission on the Status of Women and then served on
the Petaluma City Council before being elected to the House in the
``Year of the Woman.''
Congresswoman Woolsey understood firsthand the challenges and
struggles confronting single mothers because she lived them. She never
forgot the hardships she faced when she was forced to go on public
assistance to keep her family afloat. It was because of this journey as
a former welfare mother--the first to ever serve in Congress--that she
fought so hard for children and families.
She dedicated her career to improving education and empowering
American workers through her service on the Education and Labor
Committee and as ranking member of the Workforce Protections
Subcommittee. She was a champion for healthier school meals and
sponsored the first-ever expansion of FMLA to ensure that military
families have access to leave to prepare for a deployment or to care
for a wounded warrior.
Lynn also served as co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus,
using that platform to push for workers' rights, environmental justice,
and equity for all as well as a people's budget that would invest in
working people instead of corporate tax cuts and military campaigns.
Her passion for conservation and protecting our national heritage can
be seen throughout my district. From the rebuilding of Hamilton
Wetlands and Bel Marin Keys, to the cleanup of Skaggs Island, to the
dredging of critical waterways, her work will ensure future generations
can enjoy the breathtaking beauty of California's north bay.
One of her greatest, hardest-fought achievements was the expansion of
the Cordell Bank and Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuaries.
Because of her work, one of the most productive marine areas off the
West Coast is now permanently protected.
Since she was a young child, Lynn wished for a more peaceful and just
world. Mr. Speaker, you have just heard some words about her advocacy
for peace and the way she spoke against the Iraq war. Together with
Barbara Lee and Maxine Waters--they called themselves the Triad--she
formed the Out of Afghanistan and Out of Iraq Caucuses to promote a
safe, responsible way to bring our troops home and to put an end to
those conflicts.
As some of the floor staff may remember, Lynn gave nearly 500 Special
Order hour speeches advocating for what she called smart security, a
progressive approach to global engagement and foreign policy, one that
emphasized diplomacy and humanitarian assistance rather than military
force.
Her work in Congress was all about fighting for children and
families, and nothing made her prouder than her own children and
family. Anyone who knows Lynn understands that she considers them her
greatest legacy of all.
Mr. Speaker, on behalf of my colleagues, I am so honored today to ask
for you to vote ``yes'' and join me in honoring Congresswoman Woolsey's
unique and exemplary career and service by passing this legislation.
Mr. LaTURNER. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers. I support this
bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Speaker, what a gift to be able to help
name this post office and give this well-deserved honor to a remarkable
woman, who I hope is watching right now, because she deserves every
ounce of the respect that this naming represents.
Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of H.R. 2842, and I yield back the
balance of my time.
[[Page H321]]
Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to support this honor for
Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey.
As a single mom with three small children, she went on welfare before
working her way to success in both business and local politics. She
went on to serve with distinction in Congress but she never forgot the
children.
In Congress she was a fierce advocate for peace her entire career and
she was right. She was a founding member of the Out of Iraq Caucus when
that was not very popular with the general public and with most of our
congressional colleagues. She was right about social policy. She was
right about war and peace. And she is a delightful human being. I am
pleased to support this commemoration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Wasserman Schultz) that the House suspend
the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 2842.
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. ROSENDALE. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 3(s) of House Resolution
8, the yeas and nays are ordered.
Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this motion
are postponed.
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