[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 207 (Tuesday, December 9, 2025)]
[House]
[Pages H5099-H5100]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            REVEREND HAROLD MIDDLEBROOK POST OFFICE BUILDING

  Mr. GILL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass 
the bill (H.R. 1372) to designate the facility of the United States 
Postal Service located at 300 Macedonia Lane in Knoxville, Tennessee, 
as the ``Reverend Harold Middlebrook Post Office Building''.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 1372

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

     SECTION 1. REVEREND HAROLD MIDDLEBROOK POST OFFICE BUILDING.

       (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal 
     Service located at 300 Macedonia Lane in Knoxville, 
     Tennessee, shall be known and designated as the ``Reverend 
     Harold Middlebrook 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 ``Reverend Harold Middlebrook Post Office 
     Building''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Gill) and the gentlewoman from Washington (Ms. Randall) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas.


                             General Leave

  Mr. GILL of Texas. 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 Texas?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. GILL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bill, which would rename a 
post office in Knoxville, Tennessee, for Reverend Harold Middlebrook.
  Reverend Middlebrook played a crucial role in the civil rights 
movement during the sanitation workers strike in Memphis and later 
founded the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Commission in 
Knoxville.
  Reverend Middlebrook was president of the Bolivar Human Development 
Corporation, an adviser to the Hardeman County Bi-Racial Commission, 
coordinator of the Hardeman County Political Action Commission, and an 
advisory board member of the Tennessee Public Service Commission.
  Reverend Middlebrook was a loving father to his three children, two 
of whom followed his footsteps to work in public service.
  Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. RANDALL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1372.
  I offer that I think many members of the Committee on Oversight and 
Government Reform were very interested to ensure that this bill made it 
in the package today, so I am glad to see it here.
  Reverend Harold Middlebrook was born in Memphis on July 4, 1942. He 
was a civil rights activist, ordained minister, and leader in the 
community. Through his active involvement with the civil rights 
movement, he became friends and marched with Dr. Martin Luther King, 
Jr., on more than one occasion.
  Reverend Middlebrook secured the appearance of Dr. King for multiple 
strikes and also participated in multiple sit-ins in Atlanta while a 
minister at Ebenezer Baptist Church, where Dr. King held a pastorate.
  I encourage my colleagues to join me in honoring the life of Reverend 
Middlebrook by naming a post office in Knoxville, Tennessee, after him.

[[Page H5100]]

  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GILL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman 
from Tennessee (Mr. Burchett).
  Mr. BURCHETT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy 
of my dear friend and fellow east Tennessean, Reverend Harold 
Middlebrook.
  Reverend Middlebrook moved to east Tennessee, my district, actually, 
in 1977. Of course, I was in the seventh grade then. I don't know if 
technically it would be called my district, but he was the pastor of 
the Canaan Baptist Church of Christ.
  Before moving to Knoxville, Reverend Middlebrook played a crucial 
role in the civil rights movement. He was a close friend of Dr. King. 
He joined the Memphis sanitation workers strike, and that was a labor 
and civil rights movement where sanitation workers protested unsafe 
working conditions and low wages. He was at the Lorraine Motel when Dr. 
King was assassinated.
  In 1986, he founded the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemoration 
Commission in Knoxville. I will say, for the record, every time they do 
the parade, it is the coldest day of the year, just for the record.
  He was also president of the Bolivar Human Development Corporation 
and adviser to the Hardeman County Bi-Racial Commission. He was a co-
coordinator of the Hardeman County Political Action Commission, and he 
was an advisory member to the Tennessee Public Service Commission.
  Beyond his leadership, Reverend Middlebrook is a loving father to 
three children, as was stated earlier, two of whom followed in his 
footsteps to work in public service.
  Reverend Middlebrook spent his life befriending and mentoring folks 
in our community. Many friends of mine and I have sought his counsel. 
Just for the record, Mr. Speaker, he has never voted for me. He is not 
a member of my political party, but we are still very good friends. I 
think that is something that is missing in this country.
  When I was mayor of Knox County, I would always invite a bunch of 
young people from the office to go down to Calhoun's, and we would all 
eat a bunch of barbecue. I would want those young people to understand 
that the civil rights movement was not something in black and white on 
the History Channel. It was real life. People got their heads cracked, 
and people lost their lives. Dr. Middlebrook, I think, got arrested 
over 40 times during all of that. He is an inspiration to me.
  One other story: We were at an NAACP dinner one night, and they were 
asking everybody to sit at the head table. I was mayor at the time, and 
they asked me to sit at that head table. I noted that Dr. Middlebrook 
and his bride were not sitting at that head table, and I said: No, my 
wife and I will sit over here off to the side. I like to run with the 
ones that brought me to the table, and Dr. Middlebrook is one of those 
guys. He believed in dignity for all, and he is a testament to his 
faith in Jesus.
  Mr. Speaker, I am proud to support this.
  Ms. RANDALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge strong support from all of our colleagues for 
H.R. 1372.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. GILL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. Speaker, I encourage my House colleagues to support this bill 
naming a post office for an honored community member, Reverend Harold 
Middlebrook.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gill) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the bill, H.R. 1372.
  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.


                                 RECESS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 12(a) of rule I, the 
Chair declares the House in recess until approximately 6:30 p.m. today.
  Accordingly (at 5 o'clock and 49 minutes p.m.), the House stood in 
recess.

                          ____________________