[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 114 (Tuesday, July 12, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H5964-H5965]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1545
       LANCE CORPORAL KAREEM NIKOUI MEMORIAL POST OFFICE BUILDING

  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend 
the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5809) to designate the facility of 
the United States Postal Service located at 1801 Town and Country Drive 
in Norco, California, as the ``Lance Corporal Kareem Nikoui Memorial 
Post Office Building''.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 5809

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

     SECTION 1. LANCE CORPORAL KAREEM NIKOUI MEMORIAL POST OFFICE.

       (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal 
     Service located at 1801 Town and Country Drive in Norco, 
     California, shall be known and designated as the ``Lance 
     Corporal Kareem Nikoui Memorial 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 ``Lance Corporal Kareem Nikoui Memorial 
     Post Office Building''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
New York (Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney) and the gentleman from Pennsylvania 
(Mr. Keller) 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 such 
time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5809, a bill to honor 
Lance Corporal Kareem Nikoui.
  As a high school student, Lance Corporal Nikoui joined the Air Force 
Junior ROTC program where he volunteered for the city of Norco's Pearl 
Harbor anniversary as well as prisoner of war events.
  After graduating from high school, he joined the Marine Corps, where 
he was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines unit stationed at 
Camp Pendleton. When he was afforded leave, he often returned home and 
invited his fellow marines to share a home-cooked meal with his family.
  Lance Corporal Nikoui was tragically killed in the attack on 
Afghanistan's Kabul airport last year.
  I encourage my colleagues to join me in honoring the sacrifice of 
Lance Corporal Nikoui by naming the post office at 1801 Town and 
Country Drive in Norco, California, as the ``Lance Corporal Kareem 
Nikoui Memorial Post Office Building.''
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. KELLER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5809, which honors marine 
Lance Corporal Kareem Nikoui.
  Lance Corporal Nikoui was born in 2001, the same year that the war in 
Afghanistan began.
  Last year, he was killed by a suicide bombing at the Kabul airport 
during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. He had gone back inside 
the Kabul airport to guide children to safety when a suicide bomb went 
off.
  While only 20 years old, Lance Corporal Nikoui served America with 
dignity and courage while fighting to protect those seeking refuge and 
freedom in our great Nation.
  I strongly encourage my colleagues to support this bill honoring a 
true American hero, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of 
this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. KELLER. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Calvert).
  Mr. CALVERT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5809, 
legislation I introduced to designate the U.S. Post Office located in 
Norco, California, as the Lance Corporal Kareem Nikoui Memorial Post 
Office Building.
  As we approach the 1-year anniversary of Lance Corporal Nikoui's 
death, my congressional district continues to honor the life and memory 
of Kareem, who was a Norco resident and will be forever remembered as 
an American hero.
  As a student at Norco High School, Kareem was inspired to answer the 
call of service to his country. When he joined the Marine Corps, Kareem 
was following in the footsteps of patriots. Like his fellow marines, he 
was not signing up for glory or reward, but out of a sense of duty. 
Kareem was willing to make sacrifices in his own life so that others 
could live freely.
  In his final days, Kareem was on the front lines of a mission to 
secure freedom for desperate people trying to flee Afghanistan. Like so 
many of the U.S. servicemembers and coalition allies, Kareem conducted 
himself with bravery and compassion, despite the chaos that resulted 
from a poorly planned exit from Afghanistan. In addition to securing 
the airfield, Kareem helped care for children, women, and the elderly 
by sharing with them water and candy.
  The suicide bombing that claimed the lives of Kareem and 12 other 
U.S. servicemembers, as well as hundreds of Afghans, was an act of 
cowardice and evil. The worst of mankind heartbreakingly robbed us of 
so many who represented the best of mankind.
  This bill, this Congress, and this country can never fully repay the 
Nikoui family for the sacrifice that they have made, but by passing 
this bill, the House remembers Kareem's bravery, and we pay tribute to 
a young life taken too soon. As the sponsor of this bill, I will 
continue to work so it becomes law so that the community of Norco will 
forever honor and enshrine the name of Lance Corporal Kareem Nikoui.
  Mr. KELLER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to 
close.

[[Page H5965]]

I support the bill and would encourage all my colleagues to do the 
same.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of 
H.R. 5809, 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. 5809.
  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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