[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 15]
[House]
[Pages 20643-20644]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                MAJOR GEORGE QUAMO POST OFFICE BUILDING

  Mr. MARCHANT. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
Senate bill (S. 3613) to designate the facility of the United States 
Postal Service located at 2951 New York Highway 43 in Averill Park, New 
York, as the ``Major George Quamo Post Office Building''.
  The Clerk read as follows

                                S. 3613

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

     SECTION 1. MAJOR GEORGE QUAMO POST OFFICE BUILDING.

       (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal 
     Service located at 2951 New York Highway 43 in Averill Park, 
     New York, shall be known and designated as the ``Major George 
     Quamo 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 ``Major George Quamo Post Office 
     Building''.

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


                             General Leave

  Mr. MARCHANT. 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 now under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Texas?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. MARCHANT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, Major George Quamo was the youngest member of the 
Special Forces Unit during the Vietnam War. He was the leader of three 
reconnaissance teams while serving in Vietnam and was responsible for 
the safe return of 14 men whose lives would have otherwise been lost.
  Throughout his career, the major was awarded 26 medals, including the 
Distinguished Service Cross and two Silver Stars. He was killed at the 
very young age of 27 when the helicopter he was flying in went down.
  I urge all Members to join me in honoring Major Quamo for his 
remarkable life and service to the United States. Without the courage, 
dedication, and talent of soldiers like him, our country would not be 
what it is today.
  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, Senate bill 3613, legislation introduced by Senator 
Hillary Rodham Clinton, was unanimously approved by the Senate on 
August 2, 2006. The bill designates the facility of the United States 
Postal Service located at 2951 New York Highway 43 in Averill Park, New 
York, as the Major George Quamo Post Office Building.
  Major George Quamo was a highly dedicated and decorated member of the 
Special Forces Unit in the Vietnam War. He was killed in 1968 when the 
helicopter in which he was traveling crashed.
  Mr. Speaker, we can see by the number of medals and honors and 
decorations that this soldier earned that he is indeed deserving of 
this honor. I urge its passage.
  Mr. SWEENEY. Mr. Speaker, as the sponsor of the corresponding House 
legislation, I rise in strong support of S. 3613, a bill to designate 
the Post Office in Averill Park, NY, the Major George Quamo Post 
Office.
  Major Quamo was a resident of my congressional district. He attended 
Averill Park High School, where he was the president of his class, and 
graduated with distinction in 1958. Less than 3 months later he 
enlisted in the U.S. Army.
  After serving honorably in the Army for nearly 10 years, his life was 
cut tragically short in the Vietnam War, at the young age of 28.
  Major Quamo commanded a team of the Army Special Forces, a group that 
led a number of covert missions during Vietnam Conflict. He was the 
youngest Major in Vietnam's Military Assistance Command.
  When his helicopter crashed in the Vietnamese jungle, his remains 
were not discovered until 6 years later. He was returned to the U.S. 
and quietly buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
  Having saved over 14 soldier's lives and exhibiting legendary 
heroism, his accomplishments went unrecognized until recently. Major 
Quamo was awarded over 26 medals including the Distinguished Service 
Cross, 2 silver stars, a bronze star, the Legion of Merit and the 
Presidential Unit Citation.
  Major Quamo served his country with extraordinary courage and was one 
of the most highly decorated soldiers in the Vietnam Conflict. I would 
be privileged and honored to name a post office in his memory to rest 
in his hometown to remind all of the residents in Averill Park of his 
exemplary valor and service to his country.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. MARCHANT. Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support the passage 
of Senate 3613, and 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. Marchant) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the Senate bill, S. 3613.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof)

[[Page 20644]]

the rules were suspended and the Senate bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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