[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 10]
[House]
[Pages 14127-14128]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




        CORPORAL CHRISTIAN A. GUZMAN RIVERA POST OFFICE BUILDING

  Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (H.R. 5030) to designate the facility of the United 
States Postal Service located at 13500 SW 250 Street in Princeton, 
Florida, as the ``Corporal Christian A. Guzman Rivera Post Office 
Building''.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 5030

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

     SECTION 1. CORPORAL CHRISTIAN A. GUZMAN RIVERA POST OFFICE 
                   BUILDING.

       (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal 
     Service located at 13500 SW 250 Street in Princeton, Florida, 
     shall be known and designated as the ``Corporal Christian A. 
     Guzman Rivera Post Office Building''.
       (b) References.--Any references 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 Christian A. Guzman Rivera Post 
     Office Building''.

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


                             General Leave

  Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their 
remarks and include extraneous materials on the bill which is now 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. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may 
consume to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen), and it is 
with great joy that I look forward to her remarks and her speaking on 
this important measure.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Mr. Collins and 
especially Mr. Issa, the chairman of the Oversight and Government 
Reform Committee, as well as our ranking member, for approving this 
bill and for bringing it one step closer to its full consideration by 
the House today.
  This legislation would name a post office in my congressional 
district in Princeton, Florida, an area in the southern part of Miami-
Dade County, after a local hero, Marine Corporal Christian A. Guzman 
Rivera, who was killed by an IED, an improvised explosive device, while 
serving our country in Afghanistan.
  Christian was 21 years old, and was killed in the western province of 
Afghanistan in a place called Farah by the enemies of freedom and 
democracy.
  Christian was born on the tropical island of Puerto Rico on December 
3, 1987. Two years later he moved with his family to south Florida, 
where he attended our public schools and joined the Junior ROTC at 
Homestead Senior High School.
  Previously a shy boy, Christian became a more confident young man 
through his leadership experience in JROTC.
  Upon graduation from Homestead High in 2006, he enrolled in Miami-
Dade County's Fire Rescue Academy and graduated from the firefighter 
program. Christian also became a certified emergency medical 
technician, an EMT.
  But Christian, who was always dedicated to public service, also 
wanted to serve our country in our Armed Forces. His peers say that for 
Christian, becoming a Marine was not a spur of the moment decision, it 
was his destiny. He knew it all along.
  As the proud wife of a Vietnam combat veteran who volunteered for 
service and was severely injured in battle, and as the stepmother of 
two Marine aviators, I am familiar with this military calling.
  During a time when the United States was involved in wars in both 
Iraq and Afghanistan, Christian volunteered for Active Duty service. He 
enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps.
  In May 2009, Christian was deployed to Afghanistan as a combat 
engineer attached to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment.
  In Afghanistan, Christian excelled. He understood his duties and his 
responsibilities and carried them out to the best of his abilities. He 
was known to be one of the most dependable combat engineer Marines in 
the battalion.
  When his squad leader was wounded and hospitalized for a month, 
Christian stepped up and assumed his leadership role. Other Marines 
sometimes requested him specifically by name to accompany them on 
dangerous patrols.
  First Lieutenant Enming Lou, a former Marine Corps officer, said this 
about Christian A. Guzman Rivera: ``Senior explosive technicians 
thought of Christian as among the best combat engineers in the 
battalion.''
  On August 6, 2009, Christian was killed while serving during 
Operation Enduring Freedom in Farah Province, Afghanistan. Christian 
made the ultimate sacrifice in the name of liberty and democracy, the 
cornerstones of America's ideals.
  His military awards include the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation 
Medal, the Purple Heart Medal, and the Combat Action Ribbon.
  Five years have passed, and Christian was and still is deeply missed 
by close friends in south Florida, by fellow Marines who had the 
privilege of serving with him, and a close-knit family who could never 
replace the void left in their lives.
  He is survived, loved, and remembered by his mother, Velma, a 
wonderful lady; by his wonderful stepdad, Felix; his brother, Jonathan; 
his uncle, Chris, and aunts Rebecca and Vilma; his grandmother, Carmen; 
and cousins and friends who have endured great pain remembering 
Christian's sacrifice in the name of country and honor.
  Mr. Speaker, Christian's brave service exceeded all measures of 
selflessness and devotion to our country, and I encourage my colleagues 
to honor Corporal Christian Guzman's memory and support this bill.
  I am proud to name the Corporal Christian A. Guzman Rivera Post 
Office Building after our local hero who courageously sacrificed his 
life in the line of duty so that we could enjoy the freedom that makes 
our wonderful country so special.
  Christian is deserving of our continuous praise and gratitude, and I 
am humbled in presenting this bill to my colleagues, and I pray that 
our good Lord will continue to give strength to Christian's family.
  Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time 
as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I don't think there is any greater service that one can 
give than to give the gift of their life fighting for their country. 
Therefore, I am pleased to join my colleagues in the consideration of 
H.R. 5030, a bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 13500 Southwest 250 Street in Princeton, Florida, as 
the Corporal Christian A. Guzman Rivera Post Office Building.
  A native of Homestead, Florida, Christian Guzman Rivera graduated 
from Homestead Senior High's ROTC program in 2006.

                              {time}  1530

  With dreams of becoming a Marine firefighter, Christian graduated 
from the Miami-Dade Fire Academy, and in 2007, was assigned as a 
battalion engineer in Okinawa, Japan.
  Tragically, on August 6, 2009, after having just received a promotion 
to corporal, Christian Guzman Rivera was killed while supporting combat 
operations in Afghanistan. Although he never got the chance to fight 
fires as he had hoped, Corporal Rivera was named an honorary member of 
the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Department, and he still remains a role 
model to his younger siblings.

[[Page 14128]]

  Mr. Speaker, we should pass this bill, H.R. 5030, to recognize 
Corporal Christian Guzman Rivera's honor, courage, and sacrifice.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, as has been stated by my friend, 
Reverend Davis, and also by my dear friend from Florida (Ms. Ros-
Lehtinen), at this point, you do not have to live many decades to live 
a full and vibrant life.
  This young man proved that you can live a full life if you live each 
of your days to their fullest. To his credit, we will be proving this, 
that spirit of living a life that is full and in service to others.
  With that, I would ask all of my colleagues to support H.R. 5030, 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. 5030.
  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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