[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 161 (Monday, October 2, 2023)]
[House]
[Page H4943]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            VETERANS OF THE VIETNAM WAR MEMORIAL POST OFFICE

  Mr. COMER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 2379) to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 616 East Main Street in St. Charles, Illinois, as 
the ``Veterans of the Vietnam War Memorial Post Office''.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 2379

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

     SECTION 1. VETERANS OF THE VIETNAM WAR MEMORIAL POST OFFICE.

       (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal 
     Service located at 616 East Main Street in St. Charles, 
     Illinois, shall be known and designated as the ``Veterans of 
     the Vietnam War Memorial 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 ``Veterans of the Vietnam War Memorial 
     Post Office''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Kentucky (Mr. Comer) and the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Raskin) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Kentucky.


                             General Leave

  Mr. COMER. 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 
gentleman from Kentucky?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. COMER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2379, which honors 
Vietnam war veterans with a post office in St. Charles, Illinois.
  The Vietnam war was one of this country's longest and costliest 
conflicts. More than 3.4 million Americans were deployed to Southeast 
Asian, and sadly, more than 58,000 U.S. military officials perished 
while deployed.
  According to the National Archives, almost 3,000 of those casualties 
called the State of Illinois home.
  Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill honoring 
Americans who gave their lives in service to our Nation and peace 
abroad.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan bill, 
and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. RASKIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise in strong favor of H.R. 2379, designating the facility of the 
U.S. Postal Service located at 616 East Main Street in St. Charles, 
Illinois, as the Veterans of the Vietnam War Memorial Post Office.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. 
Krishnamoorthi).
  Mr. KRISHNAMOORTHI. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Comer and Ranking 
Member Raskin for helping move this bill through committee. I rise in 
strong support of H.R. 2379.
  My legislation would designate the USPS facility at 616 East Main 
Street in St. Charles, Illinois, as the Veterans of the Vietnam War 
Memorial Post Office in recognition of Vietnam veterans and their 
service to the people of the United States.
  This formal renaming is but a small step to recognize the enormous 
sacrifice made by the brave men and women who served our Nation in 
Vietnam.
  I humbly offer this legislation to honor every one of those soldiers, 
sailors, coastguardsmen, airmen, and marines whose service helped 
safeguard our Nation.
  When visiting this post office, members of the community will be able 
to reflect on the nearly 3 million Americans and more than 200,000 
Illinoisans who served our country during the Vietnam war and the debt 
we still owe them.
  It is my hope that the Veterans of the Vietnam War Memorial Post 
Office will serve as a beacon of recognition in the community, shining 
a light on all the sacrifices that these veterans made for all of us.
  To all of them, we once again say: Welcome home.
  Mr. COMER. Mr. Speaker, I have no speakers, and I am prepared to 
close. I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. RASKIN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished gentleman from 
Illinois for his remarks about the naming of this post office, and I 
strongly encourage all of our colleagues to endorse this significant 
legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. COMER. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, 
and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Comer) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 2379.
  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. COMER. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.

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