[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 11]
[House]
[Pages 15089-15090]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      LAREDO VETERANS POST OFFICE

  Mr. LYNCH. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 2325) to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 1300 Matamoros Street in Laredo, Texas, as the 
``Laredo Veterans Post Office''.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 2325

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

     SECTION 1. LAREDO VETERANS POST OFFICE.

       (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal 
     Service located at 1300 Matamoros Street in Laredo, Texas, 
     shall be known and designated as the ``Laredo Veterans 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 ``Laredo Veterans Post Office''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Ms. Hirono). Pursuant to the rule, the 
gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch) and the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Bilbray) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Massachusetts.


                             General Leave

  Mr. LYNCH. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their 
remarks.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Massachusetts?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. LYNCH. I now yield myself as much time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I am pleased to present for consideration H.R. 2325, 
which is legislation to designate the United States postal facility 
located at 1300 Matamoros Street in Laredo, Texas, as the Laredo 
Veterans Post Office. Introduced by my colleague Representative Henry 
Cuellar of Texas on May 7, 2009, and reported out of the Oversight 
Committee by unanimous consent on June 4, 2009, H.R. 2325 enjoys the 
support of the entire Texas House congressional delegation. As 
evidenced by the short title of the bill, the legislation before us 
seeks to pay tribute to all the brave men and women from the city of 
Laredo, Texas, as well as the State of Texas and across the United 
States who have served our Nation in the United States military both at 
home and abroad. Over 23 million American military veterans are 
currently living in the United States, including nearly 2 million 
veterans living in the State of Texas alone. These fine Americans as 
well as those that are no longer with us have devoted their lives to 
the defense and security of our Nation, notwithstanding the great 
personal risk and sacrifice they must endure. We are eternally in their 
debt and forever grateful for their noble and selfless dedication to 
our Nation and the preservation of its founding principles.
  Madam Speaker, I again want to thank the gentleman from Texas (Mr. 
Cuellar) for being the lead sponsor of this legislation and offering 
such a thoughtful and considerate measure in honor of his constituents. 
With that, let us also pay tribute to the distinguished service of our 
veterans from the city of Laredo, from the State of Texas and across 
the Nation by designating the Laredo Post Office in their honor. I urge 
my colleagues to join me and Representative Cuellar in supporting H.R. 
2325.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BILBRAY. Madam Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may 
consume.
  Today I urge passage of the bill designating the facility of the 
United States Postal Service in Laredo, Texas, as the Laredo Veterans 
Post Office.
  Madam Speaker, the deeds, accomplishments and the many services of 
the individuals of Texas who have served our Armed Forces are written 
in the archives of American history. Their deeds and these military 
personnel occupy an important role in our own history; and in this 
regard, the citizens of Texas and the city of Laredo set a high 
standard for courage and for service for those of us in this country. 
Today I ask that we honor these brave Texans for their service and 
commitment and heroism in defense of America, thus designating the 
United States post office in Laredo in their honor.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LYNCH. Madam Speaker, at this time I would like to yield 5 
minutes to the lead sponsor of this legislation, the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Cuellar).
  Mr. CUELLAR. Thank you, Mr. Lynch. I appreciate the leadership that 
you've shown not only on this bill but on the committee also. We thank 
you for the work that you've done. Mr. Bilbray, thank you also for the 
work that you've done; and thank you, again, for serving in a 
bipartisan way on the Oversight Committee.
  I rise in support of H.R. 2325 to name the post office at 1300 
Matamoros Street in Laredo, Texas, as the Laredo Veterans Post Office. 
When you look at the history of Texas, the State of Texas, the city of 
Laredo, you will see that in that history, the veterans have played a 
very important role.

                              {time}  1515

  The veterans of Laredo, Texas, have served in a very distinguished 
way in many of the wars we have had. Many of them have sacrificed in 
World War I, World War II, the Vietnam War and Korea, and in other 
conflicts we have had, up to the latest war we have.
  I think it is only appropriate that we name the post office, which is 
in front of a plaza where it is also recognized as a way that we have 
recognized the veterans. It is placed in an appropriate place.
  Madam Speaker, I would ask Members to please join me in support of 
H.R. 2325, where we name the post office at 1300 Matamoros Street after 
the brave men and women that we have in Laredo, to be named as the 
Laredo Veterans Post Office.
  Mr. BILBRAY. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. LYNCH. Madam Speaker, I just urge our colleagues to join with 
Congressman Cuellar in naming this post office in memory and in honor 
of our United States and Texas veterans.
  With that, I yield back the balance of our time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by

[[Page 15090]]

the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 2325.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. LYNCH. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

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