[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 3]
[House]
[Pages 3907-3909]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




               SPECIALIST JAKE ROBERT VELLOZA POST OFFICE

  Mr. ROSS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (H.R. 793) to designate the facility of the United States 
Postal Service located at 12781 Sir Francis Drake Boulevard in 
Inverness, California, as the ``Specialist Jake Robert Velloza Post 
Office''.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                H.R. 793

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

[[Page 3908]]



     SECTION 1. SPECIALIST JAKE ROBERT VELLOZA POST OFFICE.

       (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal 
     Service located at 12781 Sir Francis Drake Boulevard in 
     Inverness, California, shall be known and designated as the 
     ``Specialist Jake Robert Velloza 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 ``Specialist Jake Robert Velloza Post 
     Office''.

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


                             General Leave

  Mr. ROSS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their 
remarks and to include extraneous material on the bill under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Florida?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. ROSS of Florida. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 793, introduced by the gentlelady from California 
(Ms. Woolsey), would designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 12781 Sir Francis Drake Boulevard in Inverness, 
California, as the ``Specialist Jake Robert Velloza Post Office.'' The 
bill is cosponsored by the entire California State delegation and was, 
favorably, without amendment, reported out of the Committee on 
Oversight and Government Reform last Thursday, March 10.
  It is altogether fitting and proper that we name this post office in 
Inverness for Army Specialist Velloza to honor a true American hero and 
his service to our country.
  Jake Robert Velloza was born on June 21, 1986, in Santa Rosa, 
California; and he grew up in Inverness. From a young age, he knew that 
he wanted to serve his country in the military. His high school 
football coach recalled after his death: ``He was set on his goals. He 
was one of those young men who knew what he wanted to do and did it. 
Service to his country is what appealed to him.''
  Specialist Velloza enlisted in the Army in 2006 and was assigned to 
the Army's 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat 
Team, 1st Cavalry Division based out of Fort Hood, Texas. Tragically, 
on May 2, 2009, Specialist Velloza was shot and killed by enemy forces 
while on his second tour of duty in Mosul, Iraq. He was 22 years old, 
and left behind his fiancee, Danielle Erwin, whom he had proposed to 
just 6 months prior to his tragic death. For his bravery and service to 
his country, Specialist Velloza was awarded the Bronze Star and Purple 
Heart, both of which were presented to his parents, Robert and Susan 
Velloza.
  Mr. Speaker, having a father who fought and served in World War II, 
along with three brothers who are all combat veterans of the Vietnam 
war, it is a privilege for me to stand here today before this body and 
honor the memory of a true American hero. As the Representative of 
Florida's 12th Congressional District, I have the honor of representing 
many of our brave retired servicemembers who were based out of MacDill 
Air Force Base in Tampa, just a few miles west of my district.
  The men and women who were once based out of MacDill and those who 
currently work there have much in common with Specialist Velloza, a 
courageous young man who made the ultimate sacrifice promoting freedom 
and protecting our great Nation.
  I am grateful for the service of Specialist Velloza and for all of 
those who serve and protect us each and every day. I urge all Members 
to join me in strong support of this bill.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LYNCH. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  First of all, I would like to thank the gentleman for his kind 
remarks.
  Mr. Speaker, as a member of the House Committee on Oversight and 
Government Reform, I am pleased to join my colleagues in the 
consideration of H.R. 793, which would rename the United States Postal 
Service facility at 12781 Sir Francis Drake Boulevard in Inverness, 
California, as the Specialist Jake Robert Velloza Post Office Building.
  The measure before us was first introduced by my colleague and 
friend, Representative Lynn Woolsey from California, on February 17, 
2011. The bill is cosponsored by all 52 members of the California 
delegation. Further, H.R. 793 was taken up by the House Committee on 
Oversight and Government Reform on March 10, 2011, and was reported out 
of the committee on the same day.
  I would like to briefly highlight some of the achievements and 
honorable service of Specialist Velloza. The only son of Robert and 
Susan Velloza, Specialist Jake Velloza was a lifelong resident of 
Inverness, California. Specialist Velloza graduated from high school in 
2004 and attended the College of Marin before enlisting in the Army in 
2006. Specialist Velloza was a member of the 1st Battalion, 12th 
Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division stationed out of 
Fort Hood, Texas. Army Specialist Velloza was serving in Mosul, Iraq, 
when he was killed in action by enemy fire on May 2, 2009.
  Mr. Speaker, in recognition of this young man's bravery and 
accomplishments, I ask that we pass the underlying bill without 
reservation and pay tribute to the commitment and sacrifice made by 
Specialist Velloza on behalf of our country.
  I urge the passage of H.R. 793.
  Mr. Speaker, at this time, I yield 5 minutes to the lead sponsor of 
this measure, the gentlewoman from California, Representative Lynn 
Woolsey.
  Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, it has been my honor to introduce and 
shepherd to the floor H.R. 793, a bill paying tribute to an American 
hero in my home district.
  On May 2, 2009, Army Specialist Jake Robert Velloza of Inverness, 
California, was shot and killed during an attack by Iraqi soldiers near 
the city of Mosul. He was 22 years old and on his second tour in Iraq. 
He was the only child of Bob and Susan Velloza. He was engaged to be 
married to Danielle Erwin, proposing to her on the Golden Gate Bridge, 
between deployments, 6 months before his death.
  Jake was a stand-out athlete at Tomales High School like his father 
before him. He attended the College of Marin, and following in his 
grandfather's footsteps, worked at the North Marin Water District. Yet 
he knew from the time he was in his teens that he wanted to serve, and 
he joined the Army in 2006. Jake knew that he might not make it back 
home.
  He left behind a moving poem, full of courage and grace, that was 
read at his funeral. In it, he comforted his family and his friends by 
saying: ``Don't grieve for me now for I am free. Be not burdened with 
times of sorrow. I wish you the sunshine of tomorrow.''

                              {time}  1710

  Mr. Speaker, I think everyone knows my strong feelings about our 
Nation's policies toward Afghanistan and Iraq, but my opposition to 
these wars is matched in intensity only by my admiration and support 
for the men and women risking their lives to fight them. And that's 
why, when members of Jake's church and others in the community 
approached my office about honoring his memory, we went right to work.
  I was proud to introduce legislation last month to name the post 
office at 12781 Sir Francis Drake Boulevard in Inverness, California, 
the ``Specialist Jake Robert Velloza Post Office.'' I am grateful to 
all my colleagues in the California delegation for cosponsoring and to 
the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, especially Chairman 
Issa, Ranking Member Cummings, and Member Lynch, for approving the bill 
last week.
  I urge all my House colleagues to approve this designation with the 
hope that the Senate will soon follow to make sure this proud soldier's 
service and sacrifice are never forgotten. Please pass H.R. 793.

[[Page 3909]]


  Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. ROSS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I again urge all Members to support 
passage of H.R. 793.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Ross) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the bill, H.R. 793.
  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. ROSS of Florida. Mr. 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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