[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 16 (Monday, January 29, 2024)]
[House]
[Page H264]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                     DOSAN AHN CHANG HO POST OFFICE

  Mr. DONALDS. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 599) to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 3500 West 6th Street, Suite 103 in Los Angeles, 
California, as the ``Dosan Ahn Chang Ho Post Office'', as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                H.R. 599

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

     SECTION 1. DOSAN AHN CHANG HO POST OFFICE REDESIGNATION.

       (a) Redesignation.--Section 1 of Public Law 108-239 is 
     amended by striking ``3751 West 6th Street in Los Angeles, 
     California'' and inserting ``3500 West 6th Street, Suite 103 
     in Los Angeles, California''.
       (b) References.--Any reference in a law, map, regulation, 
     document, paper, or other record of the United States to the 
     facility referred to in section 1 of Public Law 108-239 as 
     amended by subsection (a) shall be deemed to be a reference 
     to the ``Dosan Ahn Chang Ho Post Office''.

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


                             General Leave

  Mr. DONALDS. Madam 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 Florida?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. DONALDS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 599.
  In 2004, Congress unanimously voted to designate a post office in Los 
Angeles as the Dosan Ahn Chang Ho Post Office.
  Ahn Chang Ho and his wife immigrated to the United States as the 
first married couple from Korea, founding early Korean-American 
community groups and becoming a pivotal leader in the Korean-American 
community.
  In 2022, the lease on the post office named for Ahn Chang Ho expired, 
and the Postal Service moved the post office to a new location.
  This bill updates the current law passed in 2004 by transferring the 
Dosan Ahn Chang Ho name to the new post office building.
  Madam Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill 
honoring this historical figure, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. RASKIN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise in strong support of H.R. 599 to designate the facility of the 
U.S. Postal Service located at 3500 West 6th Street, Suite 103 in Los 
Angeles, California, as the Dosan Ahn Chang Ho Post Office.
  This legislation introduced by my colleague, the distinguished 
Representative   Jimmy Gomez of California, would designate a post 
office after the Korean-American leader, Dosan Ahn Chang Ho. A Korean 
independence activist who immigrated to the United States, he became an 
early leader in the Korean-American immigrant community. He opposed the 
Japanese occupation of Korea and later served as a founding member of 
the Korean Provisional Government.
  Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
distinguished gentleman from California (Mr. Gomez).
  Mr. GOMEZ. Madam Speaker, I thank the ranking member for yielding, 
and I thank both the chairman and the ranking member for their support 
in finding a path to get this bill to the floor.
  I am honored to represent L.A.'s Koreatown, home of the largest 
Korean-American community in any congressional district in our country.
  This legislation not only honors one of the first Korean-American 
immigrants in the United States and a key figure in the Korean 
independence movement, Dosan Ahn Chang Ho, it celebrates every Korean 
American who makes our country what it is today.
  Ahn Chang Ho, also known by his pen name, Dosan, was a pivotal early 
leader in the Korean-American community, immigrating to the United 
States with his wife as the first married couple from Korea to do so; 
founding early Korean-American community groups; and laying the 
groundwork for the last 121 years of Korean-American contributions.
  Dosan was also a celebrated Korean independence activist, who helped 
author the South Korean national anthem, advocated for social reform, 
served as a leader of the provisional government, and played a key role 
in the opposition of the Japanese occupation of Korea.
  He was the father of trailblazing Korean-American actors: Philip Ahn, 
Philson Ahn, and Ralph Ahn; and his daughter, Susan Ahn Cuddy, was the 
first Asian-American woman to join the U.S. Navy, and she was an 
important leader in the post-World War II national security community.
  Dosan was a pioneer in American history, and his story deserves to be 
told.
  The post office in the heart of Koreatown where he rose to become one 
of first leaders of the Korean-American community and where he founded 
the first Korean organization in the continental United States will 
ensure this important piece of history is shared with generations to 
come.
  The Korean-American story is the American story, and we must ensure 
this community receives the recognition and support they deserve.
  I am proud this measure to name our post office after Dosan Ahn Chang 
Ho is on the floor of the House today, and I look forward to the day 
when this redesignation is officially signed into law by the President.
  Mr. DONALDS. Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers, I am prepared 
to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. RASKIN. Madam Speaker, in closing, I would encourage all of my 
colleagues to join us in honoring the life of Mr. Ho by naming a post 
office in Los Angeles after him.
  Madam Speaker, I urge passage of H.R. 599, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. DONALDS. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this 
bipartisan 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 Florida (Mr. Donalds) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 599, as amended.
  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. DONALDS. Madam Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a 
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not 
present.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this question will be postponed.
  The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.

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