[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 157 (Wednesday, September 28, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H8148-H8149]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           SERGEANT GERALD T. ``JERRY'' DONNELLAN POST OFFICE

  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend 
the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6267) to designate the facility of 
the United States Postal Service located at 15 Chestnut Street in 
Suffern, New York, as the ``Sergeant Gerald T. `Jerry' Donnellan Post 
Office''.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 6267

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

     SECTION 1. SERGEANT GERALD T. ``JERRY'' DONNELLAN POST 
                   OFFICE.

       (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal 
     Service located at 15 Chestnut Street in Suffern, New York, 
     shall be known and designated as the ``Sergeant Gerald T. 
     `Jerry' Donnellan 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 ``Sergeant Gerald T. `Jerry' Donnellan 
     Post Office''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
New York (Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney) and the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. 
Hice) 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 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 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 in support today of H.R. 6267, authored by my 
good friend and colleague from the great State of New York.
  This bill will designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 15 Chestnut Street in Suffern, New York, as the 
Sergeant Gerald T. ``Jerry'' Donnellan Post Office.
  Sergeant Donnellan was born on December 18, 1946, in Nyack, New York, 
as the youngest of five children. He graduated from Albertus Magnus 
High School and went on to major in English at Rockland Community 
College and Texas A&M University.
  During the height of the Vietnam war, Sergeant Donnellan was drafted 
into the Army and began his basic training at Fort Gordon in Georgia. 
After several months, he was deployed to Vietnam.
  On the front lines, Sergeant Donnellan sustained life-threatening 
injuries after an enemy grenade exploded in front of him. While in 
recovery at Valley Forge, he received the Purple Heart.
  After recovery, Sergeant Donnellan worked in the Veterans Service 
Agency office of Rockland County as commissioner of veterans affairs 
until his retirement in January 2018.
  During his tenure, he created the local Chapter 333 of the Vietnam 
Veterans of America, started a veterans' health clinic, helped create 
Camp Shanks Museum in Orangetown, established the Rockland County 
Buffalo Soldiers Award to recognize the contributions of African-
American veterans, and established the Rockland County Public Service 
Medal to honor those who served in Afghanistan, Iraq, and the global 
war on terror.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring Sergeant 
Donnellan, a Purple Heart recipient, by naming the post office after 
him.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 6267, which honors 
Gerald T. Donnellan.
  Mr. Donnellan served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam war, rising 
to the rank of sergeant and receiving three Purple Hearts.
  After the war, his service to his country and community continued for 
his entire life. He served as commissioner of veterans affairs in 
Rockland County, New York, for 30 years and was responsible for 
starting a veterans' health clinic in the county.
  He leaves a legacy of other noteworthy accomplishments. He 
established a local chapter of the Vietnam Veterans of America. He 
helped create the Camp Shanks Museum, commemorating the military 
facility that served as the largest point of embarkation for soldiers 
headed for the front lines in North Africa and Europe during World War 
II.
  He also established the Rockland County Buffalo Soldiers Award to 
recognize the contribution of African-American veterans.
  He helped start the Memorial Day watchfires in 1987 as an alternative 
to a parade for Vietnam veterans, and he established the Rockland 
County Public Service Medal to honor those who served in Afghanistan, 
Iraq, and the global war on terror.

[[Page H8149]]

  Gerald T. Donnellan was a true patriot who committed his life to the 
United States for veterans and his local community.
  Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time 
as he may consume to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Jones), the 
distinguished vice chair of the Committee on the Judiciary's 
Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet.
  Mr. JONES. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of my bill, H.R. 
6267, to designate the post office located at 15 Chestnut Street in 
Suffern, New York, as the Sergeant Gerald T. ``Jerry'' Donnellan Post 
Office.
  I am humbled to honor the late Sergeant Jerry Donnellan, whose memory 
brings great pride to all of us in New York's 17th Congressional 
District.
  Mr. Donnellan was a Valley Cottage native and a three-time Purple 
Heart recipient who served in Vietnam as a U.S. Army sergeant. During 
an ambush, he was wounded and lost his lower right leg to a grenade. He 
underwent countless surgeries and extensive physical therapy before 
returning home to Rockland County in 1970.

  Against all odds, Mr. Donnellan persevered. He learned to walk again 
alongside his newborn son. He even pursued his passion for theater and 
built a successful career as a stage manager for nearly two decades, 
including for Frank Sinatra.
  But he never lost his love for public service. In 1986, when he 
learned of high rates of servicemember and veteran suicides, Mr. 
Donnellan was moved. He became a veterans counselor at Rockland 
County's Veterans Agency Office.
  In 1992, he was appointed Rockland County's commissioner of veterans 
affairs. During his tenure, Sergeant Donnellan created local Chapter 
333 of the Vietnam Veterans of America and started a veterans' health 
clinic. He helped create Camp Shanks Museum in the town of Orangetown 
and established the Rockland County Buffalo Soldiers Award to recognize 
the contributions of Black veterans.
  He helped to start the Memorial Day watchfires in 1987, the year I 
was born, and established the Rockland County Public Service Medal to 
honor those who served in Afghanistan and Iraq.
  Sergeant Donnellan never relented in his advocacy for our veterans 
and their families. He embodied selflessness as a soldier and civilian, 
treating every veteran and every person with the respect and dignity 
they deserve.
  Today, we honor Sergeant Donnellan's life and his legacy. His 
commitment to serving our country and our fellow Americans should 
inspire us all.
  Mr. HICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to 
support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I commend my 
colleague and friend, Mondaire Jones, for his leadership on this bill 
and so many other areas here in Congress. He certainly deserves this 
name-changing for the post office there.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of H.R. 6267, 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. 6267.
  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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