[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 10]
[House]
[Page 14725]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                   VICKI COCEANO POST OFFICE BUILDING

  Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 3985) to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 14900 Southwest 30th Street in Miramar City, 
Florida, as the ``Vicki Coceano Post Office Building''.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 3985

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

     SECTION 1. VICKI COCEANO POST OFFICE BUILDING.

       (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal 
     Service located at 14900 Southwest 30th Street in Miramar, 
     Florida, shall be known and designated as the ``Vicki Coceano 
     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 ``Vicki Coceano Post Office Building''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. McHugh) and the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Hastings) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York (Mr. McHugh).


                             General Leave

  Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks 
on H.R. 3985.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I had the honor of standing on this floor just last week 
as we proposed four similar naming bills and made the comment that I 
felt very strongly then, and I continue to believe in that we are 
indeed fortunate to have the efforts of so many Members of this body 
from across the country who work so hard and have done such a 
tremendous job in identifying truly worthy individuals to which and 
upon whom we can extend this honor of a post office naming.

                              {time}  1515

  I would like to pay my compliments and thanks to the gentleman from 
Florida (Mr. Hastings), the primary sponsor of this legislation, for 
keeping us on track in that regard and for helping us to uphold a 
record in which we all take a great deal of pride.
  As the Clerk has read, Mr. Speaker, this bill does indeed designate 
the United States Postal Service building located at 14900 Southwest 
30th Street in Miramar, Florida, as the Vicki Coceano Post Office 
Building.
  H.R. 3985 was amended by the full committee but only as a result of a 
necessary technical correction to the address that was originally 
identified by the Postal Service, and has no other substantive impact 
upon the bill itself.
  We are indeed fortunate, as we just heard on the previous piece of 
legislation, to have the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Hastings) with us, 
and I know that he is prepared to make a very full statement about Ms. 
Coceano. I do not want to take away from that opportunity, but let me 
note that as we attempt to do on all of these bills we have looked over 
the background and the contributions of this very special lady, a 
special lady, who I understand is affectionately known in her community 
as Mayor Vicki, which I think speaks volumes about the affection and 
the respect of those who know her best and how they view this very, 
very unique individual.
  As a resident of South Florida for some 40 years, I understand that 
is a fairly remarkable achievement in a State that benefits from the 
migration of many people from my State, for example. So she has been 
there for 4 decades contributing to her community, as her nickname 
suggests, serving in public office and serving in a distinguished way, 
but clearly her contributions extend far beyond that of running for 
mayor or some other public position. She has been a contributor, a 
volunteer and a doer in a wide range of activities that have certainly 
benefited her community. But through such efforts as on the White House 
Conference on Aging and others, she has not limited her scope and her 
influence to the wonderful community of Miramar but has attempted to 
serve this entire nation.
  So it is with a great deal of pride that I rise today to put forward 
this bill and to commend, as I said, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. 
Hastings) and the entire Florida delegation who have joined in the 
cosponsoring of the bill, and I urge all of our colleagues to join us 
in supporting this initiative.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, first let me thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. 
McHugh) for his warm and generous comment. I am deeply appreciative. 
Additionally, I would like to thank our full committee chairman, the 
gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Burton), for assisting my office in 
expediting this matter before the end of this portion of our session.
  I would also like to thank the gentlewoman from the District of 
Columbia (Ms. Norton) again for giving me the privilege of going 
forward today in this regard, as well as the ranking member, the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Fattah), who has been extremely 
helpful to us.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 3985. I 
introduced this bill earlier in the year to name a post office in my 
hometown of Miramar, Florida, for Vicki Coceano. The city commission of 
the City of Miramar passed a resolution overwhelmingly supportive of 
this measure before I undertook any action at all. Additionally, my 
colleague, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Deutsch), in whose district 
this facility actually exists, was also extremely supportive.
  For me, it becomes a moment of personal privilege. I am now in my 
fourth term here in the United States Congress. And I have had the good 
fortune of doing a significant number of things on behalf of the people 
that I represent in the district that I am privileged to serve. And I 
would hope on behalf of this Nation and indeed the entire Earth that 
some of my actions have been helpful. But none gives me any greater 
pride than to offer this measure today for indeed as is the case with a 
lot of Members who come forward with legislation, today it is a point 
of real privilege for me because Vicki Coceano is a person that I have 
known for 38 years. And I have known her to be more than forthright as 
a citizen. In the days of segregation, it was Vicki Coceano that spoke 
out frequently with reference to matters of this kind.
  So, Mr. Speaker, and I would also say to my dear friends in South 
Florida, this honor is altogether fitting and appropriate.
  In the few minutes that I have, let me say a little more about a 
wonderful woman in South Florida, Vicki Coceano, that the gentleman 
from New York (Mr. McHugh) so rightfully brought up, Mayor Vicki. Mayor 
Vicki, as she is affectionately known by some, Vicki by some of us, and 
has preferred it that way, has resided in South Florida for more than 
40 years and has generously given both her time and talents throughout 
that period to make Broward County, which its largest city is Fort 
Lauderdale but its proudest city is Miramar, during that period of time 
to make it a better place to live and work.
  She was elected to serve as a Miramar city commissioner in 1977 and 
elected mayor in 1989, serving the people of Miramar for more than 20 
years, indeed all of its existence. There is one who has departed, 
former Mayor Calhoun, who I know is looking down on us today as we take 
this action and is proud of the fact that Vicki is being a recipient of 
this honor.
  Vicki has also served on many boards at the Federal, State and county 
levels, including the Blue Ribbon Committee for Broward County Schools, 
the Area Agency on Aging and the White House Conference on Aging.
  Above all, Vicki has always been interested in our Nation's youth, 
recognizing that they are tomorrow's leaders and that our future rests 
in their hands.
  She spearheaded a successful fund-raising campaign to build a youth 
center and has since been honored with a Spirit of Life Humanitarian 
Award.
  Though struggling with illness at this time, Mayor Vicki is still 
very much involved with the planning and zoning board; serves on the 
executive committee of the Area Agency on Aging and is a volunteer at 
the Broward County Humana Hospital.
  For Vicki Coceano, civil service is part of a life blended with 
optimism, fervency and genuine care for those she serves. Her 
commitment has both shaped her legacy and the life of Miramar's 
residents.
  Coceano was recently awarded the Spirit of Life Humanitarian Award at 
a banquet in which the proceeds will benefit the Mayor Vicki Coceano 
Cancer Research Fellowship at the National Medical Center and Beckman 
Research Institute.
  In addition, her name brandishes both the Broward County Hall of Fame 
and the Broward County Women's Hall of Fame.
  The new post office in Miramar will service the transactions and 
connections people forge each day. If we can add Mayor Vicki's name to 
this building, it would certainly be fitting for a leader who 
understands the power of communicating the language of change and 
articulating its power through her actions, commitments and spirit.
  Mr. Speaker, I am proud that all 22 of my Florida colleagues have 
cosponsored this bill with me, and I am equally proud that Senator Bob 
Graham has introduced an identical bill in the Senate.
  Clearly, Floridians know and wish to honor Vicki Coceano. I am 
delighted to see this honor bestowed today upon a delightful woman that 
has served us so much.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, in conclusion, let me again thank the gentleman from 
Florida (Mr. Hastings) for bringing to us the name of an individual, as 
we heard in some detail, who really does bespeak what is good and right 
about this country and, more importantly, good and right about its 
people. We are indebted to him and to all of his colleagues who joined 
with him in supporting it.
  Finally, I would urge of all of our Members here today to support us 
in passing this very worthy bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Miller of Florida). The question is on 
the motion offered by the gentleman from New York (Mr. McHugh) that the 
House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3985, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  The title of the bill was amended so as to read:

       ``A bill to redesignate the facility of the United States 
     Postal Service located at 14900 Southwest 30th Street in 
     Miramar, Florida, as the `Vicki Coceano Post Office 
     Building'.''.

  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________