[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 19]
[House]
[Pages 26860-26861]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




        CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER AARON WEAVER POST OFFICE BUILDING

  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (H.R. 3530) to designate the facility of the United 
States Postal Service located at 1400 Highway 41 North in Inverness, 
Florida, as the ``Chief Warrant Officer Aaron Weaver Post Office 
Building''.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 3530

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

     SECTION 1. CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER AARON WEAVER POST OFFICE 
                   BUILDING.

       (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal 
     Service located at 1400 Highway 41 North in Inverness, 
     Florida, shall be known and designated as the ``Chief Warrant 
     Officer Aaron Weaver Post Office Building''.

[[Page 26861]]

       (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 ``Chief Warrant Officer Aaron Weaver Post 
     Office Building''.

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


                             General Leave

  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that 
all Members 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. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  As a member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government 
Reform, I am pleased to join my colleague in the consideration of H.R. 
3530, which names a postal facility in Inverness, Florida, after Chief 
Warrant Officer Aaron Weaver.
  H.R. 3530, which was introduced by Representative Ginny Brown-Waite 
on September 14, 2007, was reported from the Oversight and Government 
Reform Committee on September 20, 2007, by voice vote. This measure has 
the support of the entire Florida congressional delegation.
  Madam Speaker, Chief Warrant Officer Aaron A. Weaver was killed on 
January 8, 2004, while on board a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter when it 
crashed during a Medevac mission in Fallujah, Iraq. He was assigned to 
C Troop, 1st Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division in 
Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
  Chief Warrant Officer Weaver's job in Iraq was to fly observation 
helicopters, monitor the enemy and send the information he gathered 
back to headquarters. He was on a Black Hawk helicopter en route to 
Baghdad for a checkup when the craft was shot down by enemy fire. Eight 
soldiers besides Chief Warrant Officer Weaver were killed. Chief 
Warrant Officer Weaver survived the October 1993 battle of Mogadishu in 
Somalia, but did not survive his tour in Iraq. He was a committed 
soldier and leader who served his country with honor and distinction.
  Madam Speaker, I commend my colleague, Representative Ginny Brown-
Waite, for introducing this legislation and urge its passage.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as she 
may consume to the gentlewoman from Florida, the author of this 
legislation, Ms. Ginny Brown-Waite.
  Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today in 
support of my bill, H.R. 3530, which will rename the post office on 
Highway 41 in Inverness, Florida, after Chief Warrant Officer Aaron 
Weaver.
  Aaron was a resident of my district from Floral City who gave his 
life for his country while serving in Iraq. After graduating from 
Citrus High School in 1989, Aaron Weaver joined the Army. Aaron's 
grandfather served in World War II and the Korean War, and his father 
was a very proud marine. Following in the family tradition, Aaron and 
his 2 brothers joined the military as well.
  As a member of the elite Army Rangers in 1993, Aaron Weaver received 
the Bronze Star with valor for extreme courage for saving another 
soldier's life in the battle of Mogadishu in Somalia. Weaver's actions 
that day and the battle in Mogadishu were portrayed in the book and 
film ``Black Hawk Down.''
  Aaron Weaver also fought another battle. He was diagnosed with 
testicular cancer, but would not let that get in the way of his mission 
to serve his country. The cancer could have easily been his way out of 
Iraq, but instead, Aaron urged his officers to let him enter the combat 
zone. In Iraq, Aaron served as a member of the 82nd Airborne Division 
and arranged to have his medical checkups for cancer while he was 
there. Aaron was actually on his way to a checkup not long before his 
tour of duty in Iraq was to end when his helicopter crashed on January 
8, 2004, in southern Fallujah.
  I hope that in the simple of act of renaming this post office that we 
will memorialize Aaron's incredible story. Aaron Weaver epitomized 
courage and patriotism. We must never forget his great sacrifice to our 
Nation.
  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve.
  Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as 
I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I want to pay tribute to a remarkable soldier, and 
another true American hero, Chief Warrant Officer Aaron Weaver, who at 
the age of 32 paid the ultimate price while in defense of his country.
  On January 8, 2004, he was on his way to have his blood work tested 
for cancer when the Black Hawk he was riding was shot down, killing all 
on board. As was noted before, Aaron was a testicular cancer survivor. 
He was still being treated when his unit was called to active duty in 
Iraq. He could have stayed at Fort Bragg, but that wasn't like him. His 
father said, He wanted to go to Iraq. When you're in a close group like 
that, you don't want your friends to leave you behind.
  As an Army Ranger, Weaver survived the October 1993 battle of 
Mogadishu in Somalia that was recounted in the book and film ``Black 
Hawk Down.'' His heroism in saving a friend's life was also featured in 
that documentary on the battle. Not only was Chief Warrant Officer 
Weaver a fighter, he was a husband, a father, and a son. He was proud 
to serve his Nation. And with gratitude for his bravery and sacrifice 
to his country, I would urge all members to join me in supporting H.R. 
3530.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. GARRETT of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I am pleased that today we 
can honor a true American hero, Aaron Weaver of Inverness, Florida. 
Weaver is yet another example of the dedication of many men and women 
serving in our military today.
  Weaver has a great family history of service and I am proud to work 
with his uncle, Naval Academy graduate and veteran Bill Schmidt, on 
behalf of the veterans in the fifth district of New Jersey. I know that 
Bill will miss him dearly but I also know that he is proud of his 
courageous nephew.
  Weaver served in Mogadishu with the rangers who were immortalized by 
the movie Black Hawk Down. These brave Americans held out against 
superior numbers of armed rebels and conducted their mission in Somalia 
with dedication and dignity. For his actions in Somalia he was awarded 
a Bronze Star.
  When Warrant Officer Weaver was diagnosed with his illness he chose 
to fight both cancer and the forces of Saddam Hussein. While he could 
have chosen a medical discharge he instead pressed to be with his 
comrades defending our Nation. If there were American soldiers 
defending freedom on foreign shores then Weaver wanted to be with them.
  It's only proper that we should honor this hero with a lasting 
memorial in his community. I hope that his courage and sacrifice will 
not be forgotten and that he can serve as an inspiration to those who 
are serving our Nation now in the field of battle.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam 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. 3530.
  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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