[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 19]
[House]
[Pages 26054-26056]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   PHILIP A. BADDOUR, SR. POST OFFICE

  Mr. CLAY. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 3382) to designate the facility of

[[Page 26055]]

the United States Postal Service located at 200 North William Street in 
Goldsboro, North Carolina, as the ``Philip A. Baddour, Sr. Post 
Office''.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 3382

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

     SECTION 1. PHILIP A. BADDOUR, SR. POST OFFICE.

       (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal 
     Service located at 200 North William Street in Goldsboro, 
     North Carolina, shall be known and designated as the ``Philip 
     A. Baddour, Sr. 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 ``Philip A. Baddour, Sr. Post Office''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Missouri (Mr. Clay) and the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Westmoreland) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Missouri.


                             General Leave

  Mr. CLAY. Madam 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 Missouri?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. CLAY. Madam Speaker, as a member of the House Committee on 
Oversight and Government Reform, I am pleased to join my colleague in 
consideration of H.R. 3382, which names a postal facility in Goldsboro, 
North Carolina, after Philip A. Baddour, Sr.
  H.R. 3382 was introduced by Representative G.K. Butterfield on March 
1, 2007, and was reported from the Oversight Committee on September 20, 
2007, by a voice vote. This measure has the support of the entire North 
Carolina congressional delegation.
  Mr. Baddour was born on March 16, 1915. He was a business and civic 
leader in Goldsboro, North Carolina. He was a merchant for over 30 
years and served on the city council from 1979 until 1995. During his 
tenure on the council, he also served as mayor pro tempore.
  Upon his retirement as a city councilman, Mr. Baddour was honored 
with a key to the City of Goldsboro and a resolution from the North 
Carolina League of Municipalities for his years of public service. 
Former Governor Jim Hunt honored him as a recipient of the Long Leaf 
Pine. Mr. Baddour died on April 6, 2002.
  Madam Speaker, I commend my colleague, Representative Butterfield, 
for introducing this legislation, and I urge the swift passage of this 
bill.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. WESTMORELAND. Madam Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may 
consume.
  I rise today to join my fellow Members of Congress in recognizing 
Philip Baddour, Sr., and his extraordinary contributions to Goldsboro, 
North Carolina. A steadfast business and civic leader, Mr. Baddour 
served on the Goldsboro City Council from 1979 to 1995 and owned 
several downtown businesses.
  Mr. Baddour passed away in April 2002 at the age of 87. As a young 
man, he served in World War II. After the war, he returned to 
Goldsboro, North Carolina, where he married his wife, Louise, and was 
the father of four sons.
  He was known for his love of the community and affection for what he 
called the ``little man,'' the average working person in Goldsboro.
  As the son of Lebanese immigrants, his desire to give back to the 
community that had welcomed him when he was just an infant took many 
paths. He served as a director of Wayside Fellowship, was active in Boy 
Scouts, Lions Club, and St. Mary's Catholic Church.
  Mr. Baddour's popularity as a public servant was a result of his 
compassion and interest in helping his fellow citizens. He also felt it 
his civic duty to wisely spend the taxpayers' money while delivering 
needed city improvement projects. His legacy of sacrifice and service 
to others is a wonderful example to his children, grandchildren and 
great grandchildren, and the citizens of Goldsboro.
  With gratitude for his devotion to the Goldsboro community, it is 
particularly fitting that we would rename the William Street Post 
Office in his honor.
  Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. CLAY. Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to my friend from North 
Carolina (Mr. Butterfield).
  Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Madam Speaker, I want to thank my friend and my 
colleague, Mr. Clay from Missouri, for yielding this time to me to 
speak to this very important legislation. I also want to thank Mr. 
Westmoreland for his leadership on the committee. This is a bipartisan 
piece of legislation that I hope this body will pass unanimously.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today to express my strong support for H.R. 
3382 and to urge my colleagues to support this legislation. I am the 
primary sponsor of H.R. 3382, and I'm proud to say that I am joined by 
the entire North Carolina delegation, both Democrat and Republican. I 
am seeking to name the post office located in the downtown area of 
Goldsboro, North Carolina, which incidentally is the home of Seymour 
Johnson Air Force Base. We're seeking to name this post office as the 
Philip A. Baddour, Sr. Post Office.
  Madam Speaker, Mr. Baddour was my friend. He was also a well-
respected member of the Goldsboro City Council for 16 long years. After 
his service on the council was complete, Mr. Baddour continued to be 
involved in the civic life of his community, and he leaves a legacy of 
service in the perfect sense of the word.
  Madam Speaker, Philip Baddour, Sr.'s occupation was that of a 
downtown merchant for more than 30 years. His service on the city 
council was his second calling, and he served in that capacity from 
1979 until 1995. During his tenure on the council, he served as mayor 
pro tempore and was instrumental in improving the lives of the citizens 
of Goldsboro, of all races and backgrounds. He was known as the 
people's representative because of his ability to listen and understand 
the concerns of his constituents and because he always stood up for 
those who did not have a voice.
  Upon his retirement from the council, Mr. Baddour was honored with a 
key to the City of Goldsboro and a resolution from the North Carolina 
League of Municipalities for his many years of public service. Former 
North Carolina Governor James B. Hunt, Jr., honored Mr. Baddour as a 
recipient of the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, for individuals who have 
a proven record of extraordinary service to our State. It is the 
highest civilian honor that can be granted in the State of North 
Carolina.
  Mr. Baddour dedicated his time and was very compassionate about his 
community, a community that had given him so much in his youth. He 
served as director of Wayside Fellowship and was the recipient of the 
Cancer Society's Outstanding Crusade Volunteer Award. He was also 
active in the Cub Scouts and the Boy Scouts of America. He was a 
lifelong member of St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church and served as 
chairman of the parish council. He was also a member of the Knights of 
Columbus.
  Nothing was more important to Philip Baddour, Sr. than his family. He 
was married to Louise Farfour for 60 years. Together, they reared 4 
sons who have followed in their father's footsteps by themselves being 
community leaders and outstanding citizens. Philip, Jr., his son, my 
dear friend, is an attorney and former majority leader of the North 
Carolina House of Representatives. Richard is the athletic director at 
the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Stephen is a retired 
public schoolteacher. And Neil is a real estate broker. Philip Baddour 
also had eight grandchildren and eight great grandchildren.
  Sadly, Madam Speaker, Mr. Baddour, Sr. passed away in April of 2002 
after giving so much to his community, to his State and his country.
  Madam Speaker, I can think of no finer individual in Wayne County, 
North Carolina, and no person who is

[[Page 26056]]

more deserving of this honor than Philip A. Baddour, Sr. The people of 
Goldsboro and Wayne County and the First Congressional District of 
North Carolina are grateful for his commitment to community and his 
great leadership. I ask my colleagues to join me today in honoring this 
great public servant by passing H.R. 3382.
  Again, I want to thank the gentleman from Missouri and the gentleman 
from Georgia, my friends, for yielding this time. I thank them for 
their service.

                              {time}  1545

  Mr. CLAY. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to swiftly pass H.R. 
3382, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Clay) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the bill, H.R. 3382.
  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.

                          ____________________