[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 13]
[House]
[Pages 18156-18157]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  ARCHIE SPIGNER POST OFFICE BUILDING

  Mr. TURNER of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass 
the bill (H.R. 4632) to designate the facility of the United States 
Postal Service located at 19504 Linden Boulevard in St. Albans, New 
York, as the ``Archie Spigner Post Office Building''.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 4632

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

     SECTION 1. ARCHIE SPIGNER POST OFFICE BUILDING.

       (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal 
     Service located at 19504 Linden Boulevard in St. Albans, New 
     York, shall be known and designated as the ``Archie Spigner 
     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 Archie Spigner Post Office Building.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Ohio (Mr. Turner) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) each will 
control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Turner).


                             General Leave

  Mr. TURNER of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend 
their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Ohio?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. TURNER of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to support H.R. 4632, a post office 
designation act sponsored by the gentleman from New York (Mr. Meeks). 
The legislation before us honors Archie Spigner, a man who has been a 
political institution in Queens and indeed all of New York City for 
more than a quarter of a century.
  Archie Spigner served a respected tenure on the New York City Council 
from 1974 until 2001. Mr. Spigner ultimately became the second highest 
ranking member of the council as he rose to the post of deputy majority 
leader. In addition, he served on the advisory board of the National 
League of Cities, an urban advocacy organization.
  Mr. Speaker, I know the gentleman from New York considers Mr. Spigner 
a close friend and political ally. That is why I am pleased to join 
with him today in urging passage of H.R. 4632. The post office in the 
legislation is appropriately located within Archie Spigner's former 
district at Linden Boulevard and 196th Street in Queens.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, as a member of the House Committee on Government Reform, 
I am pleased to join my colleague in consideration of H.R. 4632, 
legislation designating the United States postal facility in St. 
Albans, New York, after Archie Spigner. This measure, which was 
unanimously reported by our committee on July 21, 2004, was introduced 
by the gentleman from New York (Mr. Meeks) on July 21, 2004. H.R. 4632 
enjoys the support and cosponsorship of the entire New York delegation.
  A native New Yorker, Archie Spigner was born and educated in New 
York. He was called early on into the world of politics and community 
activism.
  In 1974, Mr. Spigner began his first term as a city councilman from 
Southeast Queens. As a member of the New York City Council, Mr. Spigner 
chaired the committees on Housing and Building, Economic Development, 
and the Legislative Office of Budget Review.
  As a result of his legislative prowess, he was able to assume the 
post of deputy majority leader, the second highest position in the New 
York City Council.
  Mr. Spigner served on the advisory board of the National League of 
Cities, the City Council Budget Negotiating Team, and liaison for the 
Queens delegation. As district leader and executive member of the Guy 
R. Brewer United Democratic Club, Mr. Spigner was instrumental in 
electing the first African American Supreme Court Justice, Assembly 
member, State Senator, and Congress member in the Borough of Queens.
  He was also instrumental in the campaigns for the Honorable David 
Dinkins, former mayor of the City of New York; the Honorable Percy 
Sutton, former Manhattan borough president, the Honorable Carl McCall, 
former state comptroller; former Congressman Floyd H. Flake; and my 
friend and colleague, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Meeks).
  Archie Spigner retired from the New York City Council in 2001; and 
although retired, Mr. Spigner is still involved in politics and 
community affairs.
  Mr. Speaker, I commend my colleague, the gentleman from New York (Mr. 
Meeks), for seeking to honor this political legacy of City Council 
Member Archie Spigner in this manner. I urge swift passage of H.R. 
4632.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman 
from New York (Mrs. Maloney).
  Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, I join my colleagues in honoring former 
Council Member Archie Spigner. I had the great honor of serving with 
him as a member of the Housing and Buildings and Economic Development 
Committee of the New York City Council, a committee which he chaired 
for many years with great distinction, with great judgment, honesty, 
and fairness. In a city that has a terrific need, a deep need for 
affordable housing, he was one of the truly outstanding leaders in our 
city in the area of working to build more housing that is affordable, 
and truly as a leader in our city, serving for many years as the deputy 
majority leader.
  He was also active on a national level, with the League of Cities. He 
dedicated, really, his life to the problems of cities; and he used to 
say that one of the great challenges of the next century would be who 
pays for the cities, with their ailing infrastructure and their many, 
many needs for housing and other areas.
  He not only was active in the National League of Cities. He was on 
the Finance Committee and the City Committee on the Budget, and I had 
the honor of serving with him on the Committee on the Budget where he 
was a great bridge-builder. He would often negotiate compromises that 
would enable us to move a budget to the floor for a vote. He is an 
outstanding person, kind and wonderful. He is very active politically 
also and played a major role in the election of one of my good friends 
and colleagues, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Meeks), along with 
many other important leaders in New York City and State.
  Even though Archie retired from the City Council in 2001, he has 
continued to be an important leader and adviser on both the city and 
local level. He is a terrific person. To know him is to love him.
  I am delighted to join my colleagues today in naming this important 
building after him and in really applauding his lifetime of service to 
the communities in Queens and the City and the State of New York.
  Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise to join my colleague and fellow New 
Yorker, Mr. Meeks in supporting this bill, H.R. 4632, to name the post 
office in St. Albans, Queens, New York after my old and close friend, 
Archie Spigner.
  Archie Spigner and I go back a long time in the political life of New 
York; myself in Harlem and Archie in St. Albans. He has been providing 
leadership in his community for nearly four decades. He has provided 
the shoulders for many of our current successful leaders. It is 
unfortunate that term limits have deprived his community of his 
representation. Archie held his seat from 1974 until term limits ended 
his service in the New York City Council in 2001.
  As District Leader and Executive Member of the Guy R. Brewer United 
Democratic Club, he was instrumental in electing the first African-
American Supreme Court Justice, Assembly Member, State Senator and 
Congress Member in the Borough of Queens. He was a leader in the 
campaigns of the Hon. David Dinkins, Hon. Percy Sutton, Hon. Carl 
McCall, our former colleague Congressman Floyd H. Flake and the sponsor 
of this bill, the current member from St. Albans, our distinguished

[[Page 18157]]

colleague Greg Meeks. He and I have been allies on countless battles in 
the effort to provide equality, opportunity, and justice for our 
constituents, for New Yorkers and Americans.
  Having a public building in this historic African American community 
named after as an esteemed member of the community as Archie Spigner is 
quite fitting.
  Mr. MEEKS of New York. Mr. Speaker, I come before you today to honor 
a man that has given much to my district and asked for very little.
  Former City Council Member Archie Spigner is considered the Godfather 
of African American politics in my district in southeast Queens. A 
mentor to many of our current successful leaders, Archie held his seat 
from 1974 until term limits ended his service in the New York City 
Council in 2001.
  As a member of the City Council, Archie rose to the post of Deputy 
Majority Leader--the second highest position in the Council. HIs 
legislative responsibilities included Chairmanships of the Committees 
on Housing and Buildings, Economic Development and the Legislative 
Office of Budget Review. He also served on the Council's Budget 
Negotiating Team and acted as liaison for the Council's 14 member 
Queens delegation. He was elected to and served on the advisory board 
of the National League of Cities, an advocacy group for our Nation's 
urban areas.
  As District Leader and Executive Member of the Guy R. Brewer United 
Democratic Club, he was instrumental in electing Queens' first African-
American Supreme Court Justice, the first African-American Assembly 
Member, the first African-American State Senator, and the first 
African-American Member of Congress. He played a pivotal role the 
mayoral campaigns of David N. Dinkins and Percy Sutton, as well as the 
gubernatorial campaign of H. Carl McCall. Archie helped elect my 
precedessor to Congress, and of course, provided indispensable support 
and counsel when I sought this office.
  A post office facility bearing Archie's name, located a few blocks 
from the headquarters from which Archie's political organizing emanated 
will be a reminder to the community he served long and well of the 
gratitude they owe to this man who made a difference in their everyday 
lives and effectively represented them in the corridors of New York 
City government.
  Please join me in designating the Saint Albans postal facility the 
Archie Spigner Post Office Building, in honor of this accomplished 
gentleman.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, we have no further requests for 
time, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. TURNER of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of H.R. 4632, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Turner) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the bill, H.R. 4632.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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