[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 7]
[House]
[Pages 9973-9974]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




           FIRST SERGEANT LANDRES CHEEKS POST OFFICE BUILDING

  Mr. FARENTHOLD. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass 
the bill (H.R. 3772) to designate the facility of the United States 
Postal Service located at 150 South Union Street in Canton, 
Mississippi, as the ``First Sergeant Landres Cheeks Post Office 
Building''.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 3772

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

     SECTION 1. FIRST SERGEANT LANDRES CHEEKS POST OFFICE 
                   BUILDING.

       (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal 
     Service located at 150 South Union Street in Canton, 
     Mississippi, shall be known and designated as the ``First 
     Sergeant Landres Cheeks 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 ``First Sergeant Landres Cheeks Post 
     Office Building''.

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


                             General Leave

  Mr. FARENTHOLD. I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 
legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Texas?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. FARENTHOLD. H.R. 3772, introduced by the gentleman from 
Mississippi (Mr. Thompson), would designate the facility of the United 
States Postal Service located at 150 South Union Street in Canton, 
Mississippi, as the First Sergeant Landres Cheeks Post Office Building. 
This bill was introduced on January 13 and was reported from the 
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform with a favorable report on 
February 7.
  Sergeant Cheeks served in the United States Army Medical Corps for 30 
years, serving in World War II in Germany and France and also in the 
Vietnam war. He is a decorated serviceman, having received numerous 
distinctions, including the National Defense Medal, the Army 
Commendation Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Army Occupational Medal of 
Germany, the Bronze Star Medal, the World War II Victory Medal, and the 
American Campaign Medal.
  Beyond military service, Sergeant Cheeks was a role model in his 
community in Mississippi, serving with numerous community 
organizations, including the Madison County Union for Progress as 
chairman. The Union for Progress is a private organization that helps 
citizens seek and secure employment. He also served on the board of 
directors of the Canton Housing Authority.
  Cheeks was married for 66 years and raised six sons and three 
daughters. Six of his children followed in his footsteps and served 
this country in the military.
  Madam Speaker, First Sergeant Landres Cheeks is a worthy designee of 
this postal naming. I urge all Members to join me in support of this 
bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CLAY. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  As a member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, I 
join my colleagues in the consideration of H.R. 3772, a bill to 
designate the facility of the U.S. Postal Service at 150 South Union 
Street in Canton, Mississippi, as the First Sergeant Landres Cheeks 
Post Office Building.
  The measure was first introduced on January 13, 2012, by my 
colleague, Representative Bennie Thompson. In accordance with committee 
requirements, the bill is cosponsored by all members of the Mississippi 
delegation and was reported out of the committee by unanimous consent 
on February 7, 2012.
  Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman 
from Mississippi (Mr. Thompson).
  Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Madam Speaker, today, I rise in support 
of my bill, H.R. 3772, which seeks to designate the United States 
postal facility located at 150 South Union Street in Canton, 
Mississippi, as the First Sergeant Landres Cheeks Post Office.
  I introduced this bill to bring recognition to the outstanding works 
and commitment of Retired First Sergeant Landres Cheeks to both the 
United States of America and to the city of Canton, Mississippi. I'm 
pleased to have my colleagues in the Mississippi delegation join me as 
original cosponsors: Congressmen Harper, Palazzo, and Nunnelee.
  First, Sergeant Cheeks has been a true patriot of our country and an 
integral part of his community for more than 60 years. He's dedicated 
his life, after serving our country for three decades, to giving back 
to the citizens of Canton. His mission to economically empower, 
inspire, and motivate the people of Canton has proved him to be an 
invaluable asset to the community.
  Sergeant Cheeks served the United States Army Medical Corps for 30 
years, participating in Germany and France during World War II and the 
Vietnam war. He's a decorated serviceman, having received the National 
Defense Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam 
Campaign Medal, Army Occupational Medal of Germany, Bronze Star Medal, 
World War II Victory Medal, American Campaign Medal, and a Good Service 
Conduct Medal.
  In 2001, he was awarded the Blue Cross Blue Shield Ageless Hero 
Award. This honor is given in celebration of the spirit and vitality of 
our Nation's seniors aged 65 and over who have proven themselves 
exemplary in the areas of community involvement, creativity, good 
neighboring, love of learning, new beginning and vitality. Sergeant 
Cheeks has proven himself to be a role model of his community.
  After having been honorably discharged from the military, it was 
later discovered that Sergeant Cheeks had contacted agent orange and 
developed post-traumatic stress syndrome. Nevertheless, Sergeant Cheeks 
persevered and began actively assisting the people of Canton with 
searches for employment and with formulating and sponsoring 
extracurricular activities for the youth of Canton.
  Not only is Sergeant Cheeks committed to economic quality and 
bettering the community, but he's also committed to civic engagement 
and involvement. He currently sits on the Voter Registration Committee 
and serves as chairman of the membership of the Canton branch of the 
NAACP.
  Sergeant Cheeks has been a pillar in his community more than half a 
century and has served our country honorably. I cannot find anyone 
nobler or better suited to have a building named in their honor.
  Madam Speaker, the House Government and Oversight Reform Committee 
reported First Sergeant Landres Cheeks Post Office Building favorably

[[Page 9974]]

by voice vote on February 7. I urge my colleagues to support this 
necessary bipartisan and noncontroversial bill, which will bring much 
deserved and appropriate recognition to a true patriot and outstanding 
member of society.
  Mr. CLAY. Madam Speaker, we have no further requests for time. I 
think my friend and colleague from Mississippi has sufficiently given 
us the reasons why this House should adopt this resolution, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  Mr. FARENTHOLD. I urge my colleagues to support renaming the postal 
facility at 150 South Union Street in Canton, Mississippi, the First 
Sergeant Landres Cheeks Post Office Building and support the passage of 
H.R. 3772.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Farenthold) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 3772.
  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. CLAY. Madam Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a 
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not 
present.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this question will be postponed.
  The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.

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