[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 10] [House] [Pages 14352-14353] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]MAYOR JOSEPH S. DADDONA MEMORIAL POST OFFICE Mr. DENT. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2490) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 442 West Hamilton Street, Allentown, Pennsylvania, as the ``Mayor Joseph S. Daddona Memorial Post Office''. The Clerk read as follows: H.R. 2490 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. MAYOR JOSEPH S. DADDONA MEMORIAL POST OFFICE. (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal Service located at 442 West Hamilton Street, Allentown, Pennsylvania, shall be known and designated as the ``Mayor Joseph S. Daddona Memorial Post Office''. (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 ``Mayor Joseph S. Daddona Memorial Post Office''. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Dent) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Dent). General Leave Mr. DENT. 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 H.R. 2490. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Pennsylvania? There was no objection. Mr. DENT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2490 honors Joseph S. Daddona for his respected service to the community, my hometown, Allentown, Pennsylvania. Mr. Daddona was born in 1933, the son of Italian American immigrants. He grew up in the Second Ward of Allentown, in an ethnically diverse neighborhood. Too poor to attend college after graduating from what was then Allentown High School, he enlisted in the United States Navy and served his country during the Korean War. After safely returning from overseas, Mr. Daddona put himself through Lehigh University and received an engineering degree. Although he began his career as a planning engineer for the Western Electric Company, he found himself increasingly drawn to politics in the City of Allentown. In the mid-1960s, as a member of the Allentown Jaycees, Joe Daddona spearheaded the effort to create a Charter Study Commission for the city. He subsequently won a seat on that commission, helped draft the city's strong mayor form of government, and later served a term as an Allentown city councilman. In 1973, Daddona was elected mayor for the first time. During his tenure, Allentown was designated an All-American City, one of his proudest accomplishments and something he spoke of often. He stood for reelection in 1977, but lost by 121 votes. Undeterred, Joe Daddona ran again in 1981 and won. He also triumphed in 1985 and 1993, making him the longest serving mayor in the city's history, along with Malcolm W. Gross. Mayor Daddona's other endeavors include establishing parks, fire stations, and high-rise apartments for the elderly. He also improved environmental conditions at the local sewage treatment facility and was responsible for numerous modifications to local traffic patterns. Daddona was a relentless booster for the city of Allentown. He was constantly in touch with his constituents and worked tirelessly to solve neighborhood problems. He loved to show off the city during Super Sunday and Mayfair events. After his political career ended, he appeared on various local television and radio shows, in part to extol the virtues of the city. Daddona died after a long battle with cancer on June 5, 2004. He is survived by his wife Ann and their children. Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to join me in support of H.R. 2490 in recognition and memory of my friend, the late Mayor Joe Daddona. 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. 2490, legislation naming the postal facility in Allentown, Pennsylvania, after the late Joseph S. Daddona, the former mayor of Allentown. This measure, which was introduced by the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Dent) on May 19, 2005 and unanimously reported by our committee on June 16, 2005, enjoys the support and cosponsorship of the entire Pennsylvania delegation. Born and raised in Allentown, Joseph Daddona served 8 years in the U.S. Navy during and after the Korean War. From 1966 to 1994, he served as the mayor of Allentown, the longest serving mayor in the town's history. As mayor, Joseph worked hard to improve the lives of his constituents. He established parks, housing for seniors, and improved environmental conditions. Sadly, he passed away last June. Mr. Speaker, I commend my colleague for seeking to honor the legacy of Joseph Daddona and urge swift passage of this bill. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time. Mr. DENT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I thank all my colleagues for their support of this effort to honor my late friend, Joe Daddona. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Dent) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 2490. 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. [[Page 14353]] ____________________