[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 94 (Monday, June 3, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H3558-H3559]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SPECIALIST JUSTIN DEAN COLEMAN MEMORIAL POST OFFICE BUILDING
Mr. GROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 1823) to designate the facility
[[Page H3559]]
of the United States Postal Service located at 207 East Fort Dade
Avenue in Brooksville, Florida, as the ``Specialist Justin Dean Coleman
Memorial Post Office Building''.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 1823
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SPECIALIST JUSTIN DEAN COLEMAN MEMORIAL POST
OFFICE BUILDING.
(a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal
Service located at 207 East Fort Dade Avenue in Brooksville,
Florida, shall be known and designated as the ``Specialist
Justin Dean Coleman 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 ``Specialist Justin Dean Coleman Memorial
Post Office Building''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Wisconsin (Mr. Grothman) and the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Raskin)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Wisconsin.
General Leave
Mr. GROTHMAN. 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
gentleman from Wisconsin?
There was no objection.
Mr. GROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from
Florida (Mr. Bilirakis).
Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1823,
legislation to designate the East Fort Dade Avenue post office in
Brooksville, Florida, as the Specialist Justin Dean Coleman Memorial
Post Office Building.
I never had the chance to meet Army Specialist Coleman, but after
hearing from his family, advocating for this particular piece of
legislation with my colleagues, and vowing to honor his memory, I
certainly wish I had.
A native of Tampa Bay, Justin attended the Nature Coast Technical
High School in Hernando County. Upon graduation, he felt called to
service and enlisted in the Army in June 2007. He was assigned to the
1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, part of the 10th Mountain
Division.
While serving during Operation Enduring Freedom, his expected 96-hour
mission to retake Barge Matal from the Taliban turned into a 60-day
mission, Mr. Speaker.
Justin and his platoon searched for Taliban combatants in a house-to-
house sweep through a local village. Sadly, during those sweeps,
Specialist Justin Dean Coleman was shot and killed while maintaining a
security patrol for his platoon.
Due to Specialist Coleman's sacrifice, his platoon was able to
identify the enemy and successfully counterattack, which resulted in no
other soldiers dying that particular day.
A true hero, Mr. Speaker, Specialist Coleman made the ultimate
sacrifice, earned the Bronze Star, and will forever be remembered for
his bravery.
Clearly, Specialist Justin Dean Coleman is a hero who deserves to
have the Brooksville, Florida, post office named in his honor.
Lastly, I recognize the tireless advocacy of Justin's father, Dean
Coleman. For many years, Dean has been on a crusade to honor his son
with this recognition. He has been a tireless advocate for his son's
memory. May his son's memory be eternal.
As Dean's new Federal Representative, I am glad we are here today to
move this dream forward, and I will not stop advocating for Justin
Coleman and the entire Coleman family until this bill is signed into
law.
Let's honor this American hero by passing H.R. 1823.
Mr. RASKIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I
rise in support of H.R. 1823.
On July 24, 2009, during his first tour of duty with the U.S. Army,
Specialist Justin Dean Coleman of Hernando County, Florida, was killed
in action while patrolling a residential area of Nuristan Province in
Afghanistan. He was only 21. He earned the Bronze Star for his actions
that day and will forever be remembered for his bravery and valor.
I encourage my colleagues to honor the ultimate sacrifice he made by
joining us in honoring the life of Mr. Coleman by naming a post office
in Brooksville, Florida, after him.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. GROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, I encourage my House colleagues to support
this bill honoring a great American war hero, and I yield back the
balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Grothman) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1823.
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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