[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 10]
[House]
[Pages 14121-14122]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




          CORPORAL JUAN MARIEL ALCANTARA POST OFFICE BUILDING

  Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules 
and pass the bill (H.R. 4443) to designate the facility of the United 
States Postal Service located at 90 Vermilyea Avenue, in New York, New 
York, as the ``Corporal Juan Mariel Alcantara Post Office Building''.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 4443

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

     SECTION 1. CORPORAL JUAN MARIEL ALCANTARA POST OFFICE 
                   BUILDING.

       (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal 
     Service located at 90 Vermilyea Avenue, in New York, New 
     York, shall be known and designated as the ``Corporal Juan 
     Mariel Alcantara 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 ``Corporal Juan Mariel Alcantara Post 
     Office Building''.

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


                             General Leave

  Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Madam 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 materials on the bill under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Georgia?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  I rise in support of H.R. 4443, introduced by Representative Charlie 
Rangel of New York, which would designate the postal facility located 
at 90 Vermilyea Avenue, in New York, New York, as the Corporal Juan 
Mariel Alcantara Post Office Building.
  Army Corporal Alcantara was killed on August 6, 2007, in Baqubah, 
Iraq. He died due to wounds suffered from an improvised explosive 
device. Juan was posthumously awarded a Bronze Star; a Purple Heart; an 
Army Good Conduct Medal; and, prior to his death, the Army's 
Commendation Medal.
  Originally from the Dominican Republic, Juan moved to the United 
States with his family when he was 5 years old. Growing up in 
Washington Heights in New York, he became known as a kind and helpful 
person.
  He mentored youth and encouraged them to set goals and aspire to 
their dreams. After his father passed away, Juan became even more 
dedicated to taking care of his family. He made the courageous decision 
to join the Army and serve his adopted country. He was posthumously 
awarded naturalized U.S. citizenship.
  It is my honor to ask my colleagues to support H.R. 4443 and 
memorialize the sacrifice and heroism of Corporal Juan Mariel 
Alcantara.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HORSFORD. Madam Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume 
to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel), who represents the 
fabulous community of Harlem, and in support of H.R. 4443.
  Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I sincerely thank the gentleman from 
Nevada for this opportunity to support H.R. 4443, naming a post office 
in my district after a fallen hero who, as was reported by the 
chairman, came to this country as a kid on August 24, 1984, with his 
family from the Dominican Republic.
  He didn't come to this country to become a hero; he came in search of 
the American Dream, as so many thousands of people have. Ultimately, 
after living and playing in the vicinity of this post office that we 
will name after him, he finished school and saw an opportunity in 
serving in the United States Armed Forces, as a matter of fact, joining 
the 2nd Infantry Division, which I was honored to serve from 1948 to 
1952.
  Juan lost his life, and he gained his citizenship after that through 
provisions that we have made in the immigration law. There are so many 
thousands of young people that won't have post offices named after 
them, and some will be forgotten by many people who have no idea where 
our young people have lost their lives or what even they were fighting 
for.
  That is why it is so important for us as Americans, as we continue to 
fight the longest war in our history, you should remember that it is 
more than the post office, it is more than their life, but it is what 
this great country stands for as we try to protect America all over the 
world.
  It is so important to us, as Members of Congress who have this 
responsibility to determine when that moment comes, that our Nation's 
national security is threatened and when we will be going to war, and 
that these thousands of lives, not just the people who for economic or 
other adventurous reasons join the military, but in fact, a sacrifice 
that all of us have to make when our great Nation is threatened.
  We are still going through this period, and it seems to me, Madam 
Speaker, that when the President of the United States or Members of the 
United States Congress believe that our Nation's national security has 
been threatened, that we should also make certain that we have a 
mandatory service that goes with us, so that no matter what 
neighborhood, no matter what the economic status is, that when that 
flag goes up, all Americans, regardless of their age, should be 
prepared--should be prepared and anxious to make some type of sacrifice 
in support of our Nation's security.
  Certainly for those who are young enough to serve, they should not be

[[Page 14122]]

confined to just those who volunteer, but everyone should be made 
vulnerable or at least given the opportunity to be drafted into the 
military to serve this great Nation.
  So I appreciate the support of the House to name this post office--it 
will be symbolic--on Vermilyea Avenue after the name of this brave 
young person, a son, a brother, a father, and--most of all now--an 
American who gave his life for this great Nation.
  I thank the gentleman from Nevada for giving me this opportunity.
  Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, we have no other speakers, and 
we are ready to close.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HORSFORD. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Again, we support the passage of this bill to honor the ultimate 
sacrifice that Corporal Juan Alcantara made for this country. He and so 
many other servicemen and -women risk their lives every day to protect 
the freedoms that we hold so dear, and it is only right that we 
recognize and respect their great courage.
  We thank Representative Charlie Rangel for bringing this important 
legislation to us and ask the body's full support of H.R. 4443.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, it is always a privilege to 
honor those who have sacrificed for us.
  With that, I urge all Members to support the passage of H.R. 4443, 
and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Collins) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 4443.
  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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