[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 17]
[House]
[Pages 24075-24076]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 FRANK J. GUARINI POST OFFICE BUILDING

  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (H.R. 2467) to designate the facility of the United 
States Postal Service located at 69 Montgomery Street in Jersey City, 
New Jersey, as the ``Frank J. Guarini Post Office Building''.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 2467

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

     SECTION 1. FRANK J. GUARINI POST OFFICE BUILDING.

       (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal 
     Service located at 69 Montgomery Street in Jersey City, New 
     Jersey, shall be known and designated as the ``Frank J. 
     Guarini 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 ``Frank J. Guarini Post Office Building''.

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


                             General Leave

  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their 
remarks.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Illinois?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may 
consume to the author of this legislation, the former speaker of the 
house assembly in New Jersey and a distinguished Member of this body, 
Representative Albio Sires.
  Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2467, which will 
designate the U.S. Postal Service building at 69 Montgomery Street in 
Jersey City, New Jersey, as the ``Frank J. Guarini Post Office 
Building.''
  Frank Guarini was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, and has served his 
State and country in a variety of positions. Early in his career, he 
was commissioned as a Naval officer at Columbia University and went on 
to serve in the United States Navy aboard the USS Mount McKinley, 
receiving the Naval Commendation Medal and three battle stars during 
World War II.
  In 1965, he was elected to the New Jersey State Senate where he 
served for the next 7 years. On January 3, 1979, he was elected to 
represent New Jersey's 14th Congressional District in the United States 
House of Representatives, completing seven terms before retiring in 
1993.
  As a member of the House Committee on Ways and Means, Frank Guarini 
was a true champion for education, serving as the chief sponsor of 
legislation that encouraged employers to provide educational assistance 
to its employees tax free.
  Even after his retirement, Frank Guarini's commitment to education 
and public service has not wavered. In 1994, he established the Guarini 
Center for Government Affairs at St. Peter's College in Jersey City, 
New Jersey, which strives to provide a forum for nonpartisan discussion 
of public policy issues and encourages today's students to take up 
careers in public service.
  A central part of the Guarini Center's mission is to promote critical 
thinking and debate among the next generation of leaders at its Annual 
High School Oratorical Contest. The event is open to all high school 
students in New Jersey and throughout the tri-State area and attracts 
more than 100 students from 75 schools to compete each year.
  I have known Frank Guarini for many years, and I can personally 
attest to the commitment and passion that he has for the State of New 
Jersey and this country.

                              {time}  1215

  I can think of no better way to honor the public service of this 
former New Jersey Congressman than to designate a U.S. postal office in 
his name.
  I urge all my colleagues to support this legislation.
  Mr. SALI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  H.R. 2467 honors the life of Frank J. Guarini in naming a post office 
for him in his hometown of Jersey City, New Jersey. Frank J. Guarini, a 
former Congressman and prominent public figure, has dedicated his life 
to serving his country and community.
  He was born in 1924 in Jersey City, New Jersey. His sense of civic 
duty and honor began at an early age, and as a young man, he was 
commissioned as a Navy officer at Columbia University. From there, he 
went on to serve in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Mount McKinley.
  After his military career ended, he was elected to the New Jersey 
State Senate where he served for the following seven years. In 1979, he 
won

[[Page 24076]]

election to serve in the House of Representatives, where he completed 
seven terms before retiring in 1993.
  On his return to private life, he has been active in his community 
and supports the library of New Jersey City University, which has been 
named in his honor. He is the chairman of the National Italian American 
Foundation, and through it, he created the Frank J. Guarini public 
policy forums. The forums feature local and national government leaders 
discussing issues such as public policy, international economy, trade 
and foreign affairs.
  I support H.R. 2467 in the naming of the post office in Jersey City, 
New Jersey, for Frank J. Guarini.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
might consume.
  Mr. Speaker, as a member of the House Committee on Oversight and 
Government Reform, I'm pleased to join my colleagues in the 
consideration of H.R. 2467, which names a postal facility in Jersey 
City, New Jersey, after Frank Guarini.
  H.R. 2467, which was introduced by Representative Albio Sires on May 
23, 2007, was reported from the Oversight Committee on July 19, 2007, 
by voice vote. This measure has the support of the entire New Jersey 
congressional delegation.
  Mr. Frank Guarini was born on August 20, 1924, in Jersey City, New 
Jersey. Former Congressman Guarini served his State and country in a 
variety of positions. Early in his career, he was commissioned as a 
naval officer at Columbia University and went on to serve in the United 
States Navy aboard the USS Mount McKinley.
  In 1965, he was elected to the New Jersey State Senate where he 
served for the next 7 years. On January 3, 1979, he was elected to 
represent New Jersey's 14th Congressional District in the United States 
House of Representatives, completing seven terms before retiring in 
1993.
  Mr. Speaker, I commend my colleague, Representative Albio Sires, for 
introducing this legislation and urge swift passage.
  Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2467, 
which would designate the Post Office facility located at 69 Montgomery 
Street in Jersey City, NJ, as the ``Frank J. Guarini Post Office 
Building.''
  Former Congressman Frank J. Guarini represented the 14th 
Congressional District of New Jersey for 14 years, from 1979 to 1993. 
He did so in an exemplary fashion, serving his constituents, and all 
Americans, in a way in which we should strive to attain.
  Because of his intellect and work ethic he became a rising star early 
in his career. He was the first Representative to be appointed to the 
Ways and Means Committee during his first term in Congress in over 200 
years.
  While on this vital committee, Mr. Guarini worked to modernize our 
trade and tariff laws with heads of state to assure that other 
countries open their markets to the United States.
  In recognition of this work, he received the award ``for outstanding 
contributions to the administration of justice in International Trade 
Law'' from the U.S. Court of International Trade.
  He also served with Chairman Charles Rangel and Ben Gilman on the 
Select Committee on Narcotic Abuse, developing expertise on drug issues 
and bringing about vital legislation and strategies to fight the war 
against drugs both here and abroad.
  In addition, Mr. Guarini was a senior member of the Budget Committee, 
where he chaired the Task Force on Urgent Fiscal Issues. Throughout his 
distinguished career, Mr. Guarini was an outspoken advocate for fiscal 
responsibility and fought to provide education and job opportunities 
for our Nation's young while also reducing wasteful government 
spending.
  Since his retirement from Government service, Congressman Guarini has 
proudly served as the National Italian-American Foundation's chairman 
emeritus.
  As co-chair of the Italian-American Congressional Delegation, Frank 
and I often work together to promote Italian-American culture and 
traditions in the United States Congress. Just like his congressional 
career, he does an extraordinary job on this front.
  I am proud to be the first New Jersey Member of Congress to serve on 
the Ways and Means Committee since Mr. Guarini's retirement in 1993.
  Mr. Guarini was a great Member of this body and I am honored to call 
him my friend.
  I would like to thank my New Jersey colleague Albio Sires for 
introducing this resolution and honoring Mr. Guarini, and I urge my 
colleagues to vote in favor of this resolution.
  Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my support for H.R. 
2467, a bill to designate the United States Postal Service facility 
located at 69 Montgomery Street in Jersey City, NJ, as the ``Frank J. 
Guarini Post Office Building.'' I also urge my colleagues to support 
this bill.
  Congressman Guarini was born on August 20, 1924, in Jersey City, NJ. 
His career in public service began in the United States Navy during 
World War II, where he served on the USS Mount McKinley from 1944 to 
1946. After the war, he decided to pursue higher education, earning a 
B.A. degree from Dartmouth, a J.D. degree from New York University, and 
a LL.M. from the same institution in 1955.
  From 1965 to 1972, he served in the New Jersey Senate and was elected 
to represent the 14th Congressional District of New Jersey in 1979 and 
retired in 1993.
  He was an active and productive member of the Ways and Means 
Committee, where I was proud to work closely with him to ensure income 
security and health care coverage for many Americans. In the spirit of 
this historic committee, Frank was a colleague who always sought to 
achieve bipartisanship.
  Congressman Guarini is a dear friend with whom I enjoyed working in 
this great body. I admire him not just because we have very similar 
backgrounds, but because I share his pride in his Italian-American 
heritage. He is fully entitled to the honor being bestowed today.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I don't have any additional 
speakers, but I am going to reserve for the gentleman from Idaho, and 
then I will close.
  Mr. SALI. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. 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 Illinois (Mr. Davis) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 2467.
  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.

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