[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 20 (Tuesday, February 1, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H322-H323]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       PETTY OFFICER 1ST CLASS CHARLES JACKSON FRENCH POST OFFICE

  Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (H.R. 4168) to designate the facility of the United 
States Postal Service located at 6223 Maple Street, in Omaha, Nebraska, 
as the ``Petty Officer 1st Class Charles Jackson French Post Office''.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 4168

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

     SECTION 1. PETTY OFFICER 1ST CLASS CHARLES JACKSON FRENCH 
                   POST OFFICE.

       (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal 
     Service located at 6223 Maple Street, in Omaha, Nebraska, 
     shall be known and designated as the ``Petty Officer 1st 
     Class Charles Jackson French 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 ``Petty Officer 1st Class Charles Jackson 
     French Post Office''.

  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 H323]]

  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4168 to designate the 
facility of the United States Postal Service located at 6223 Maple 
Street as the Petty Officer 1st Class Charles Jackson French Post 
Office.
  Petty Officer Charles Jackson French was born in Arkansas in 1919 and 
first enlisted in the United States Navy in 1937. In 1941, Petty 
Officer French completed his first enlistment but decided to reenlist 
after the devastating attack on Pearl Harbor that December.
  Petty Officer French served as a mess attendant on the USS Gregory 
when the military was racially segregated, but that did not stop him 
from rescuing 15 of his fellow injured sailors when their ship was 
attacked and sunk by Japanese gunfire.
  Petty Officer French helped his crewmates into a life raft and tied 
it to himself, swimming for nearly 8 hours through nightfall and 
swarming sharks, until they were finally identified and rescued. For 
this, he received a letter of commendation from Admiral William F. 
Halsey, Jr., in May of 1943.
  After retiring from the military, Petty Officer French moved to Omaha 
before moving to San Diego where he passed away at the age of 37.
  Mr. Speaker, naming a post office after Petty Officer 1st Class 
Charles Jackson French is a way to honor his dedication to his country. 
I encourage my colleagues to join me.
  Mr. Speaker, 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. 4168 which would name a 
post office after Petty Officer Charles Jackson French.
  Petty Officer French enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1937. He completed 
his first enlistment in 1941 but decided to reenlist after the 
horrendous attack on Pearl Harbor.
  He served as a mess attendant on the USS Gregory where he saved 15 of 
his fellow sailors when their ship was attacked and sunk by Japanese 
gunfire. Officer French helped his fellow sailors into a lifeboat, tied 
it to himself, and swam for nearly 8 hours in the dark until they were 
finally rescued
  After retiring from the military, Petty Officer French moved to Omaha 
and later California. His heroism is a true testament to the strength 
and bravery of our U.S. Navy. I strongly support this bill and 
encourage my colleagues to vote in support as well.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time
  Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LaTURNER. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers. I am prepared 
to close.
  Mr. Speaker, I support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers as 
well. I am prepared to close.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of H.R. 4168. I yield back the balance of 
my time.
  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. 4168.
  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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