[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 8]
[House]
[Pages 11884-11885]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




         CAPTAIN HERBERT JOHNSON MEMORIAL POST OFFICE BUILDING

  Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 3085) to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 3349 West 111th Street in Chicago, Illinois, as the 
``Captain Herbert Johnson Memorial Post Office Building''.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 3085

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

     SECTION 1. CAPTAIN HERBERT JOHNSON MEMORIAL POST OFFICE 
                   BUILDING.

       (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal 
     Service located at 3349 West 111th Street in Chicago, 
     Illinois, shall be known and designated as the ``Captain 
     Herbert Johnson Memorial 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 ``Captain Herbert Johnson Memorial Post 
     Office Building''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Arizona (Mr. Gosar) and the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cummings) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arizona.


                             General Leave

  Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous materials on the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Arizona?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  H.R. 3085, proposed by the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Lipinski), 
will designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located 
at 3349 West 111th Street in Chicago, Illinois, as the Captain Herbert 
Johnson Memorial Post Office Building.
  Fire Captain Herbert Johnson was an outstanding member of Chicago's 
fire department, proudly serving the city and its people for 32 years 
as a firefighter. Tragically, Johnson passed away on November 2, 2012, 
while battling flames in Chicago's Englewood neighborhood.
  A decorated firefighter, Johnson earned the Illinois Medal of Honor 
in 2007 for the rescue of several children from a burning apartment. 
Captain Johnson was only 54.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3085, a bill to designate the 
facility of the United States Postal Service located at 3349 West 111th 
Street in Chicago, Illinois, as the Captain Herbert Johnson Memorial 
Post Office Building.
  I want to thank Representative Dan Lipinski for introducing this 
measure to honor a hero from the city of Chicago. Captain Johnson was a 
32-year veteran firefighter who was remembered by friends and family as 
an all-around great guy and great fireman.
  Johnson comes from a family of public servants. Three of his brothers 
serve as Chicago police officers. His sister is a retired policewoman, 
and another brother is a Chicago firefighter.
  Captain Johnson died after sustaining heavy injuries while responding 
to a fire in the Gage Park neighborhood of Chicago.
  Captain Johnson, who had just been promoted 3 months before his 
death, is survived by his wife, Susan, a daughter, and two sons.
  Mr. Speaker, we should pass this legislation. I urge all of my 
colleagues to vote in favor of it.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

[[Page 11885]]


  Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Lipinski), the distinguished sponsor of the bill.
  Mr. LIPINSKI. Mr. Speaker, today, I stand to ask my colleagues to 
join me in supporting H.R. 3085, a bill I introduced to rename 
Chicago's Mount Greenwood Post Office at 3349 West 111th Street in 
honor of Chicago Fire Captain Herbert ``Herbie'' Johnson.
  Captain Johnson died 2 years ago at the age of 54, while fighting a 
house fire on Chicago's South Side. Captain Johnson heroically served 
in the Chicago Fire Department for over 32 years. He learned public 
service from his family.
  Three of his brothers are Chicago police officers. A sister is a 
retired Chicago police officer. Another brother is a Chicago 
firefighter. So his family knows the danger of being a first responder.
  Captain Johnson served in almost every Chicago neighborhood as a 
firefighter, but his heart belonged to the southwest side, especially 
to the close-knit community of Mount Greenwood.
  Over the years, Captain Johnson taught over 1,000 recruits as an 
instructor at the Robert J. Quinn Fire Academy. He is fondly remembered 
by those he taught.
  After the horrible terrorist attacks of 9/11, Herbert Johnson went to 
New York City to volunteer with the rescue efforts. In 2007, he was 
awarded the State's highest honor for firefighters, the Illinois Medal 
of Honor, for rescuing several children from a burning apartment 
building.
  Captain Johnson's life came to a tragic end on November 2, 2012, 
while battling flames in the attic of a two-story home on Chicago's 
South Side.
  He is survived by his wife of 28 years, Susan; two sons, Thomas and 
Michael; and daughter, Laurie. He also left behind so many others in 
Mount Greenwood and the surrounding area who knew him well not only as 
a courageous and dedicated public servant, but also as an outgoing and 
caring neighbor and friend. The outpouring of grief after his death 
demonstrated the impact he had on so many people.
  Naming a postal facility honoring Fire Captain Johnson is just a 
small tribute to our community's appreciation not only for him, but all 
first responders who bravely put their lives on the line every day for 
people they do not know.
  This post office naming will ensure that Captain Herbie Johnson, his 
family, and the sacrifices of all first responders will always be 
remembered and appreciated. It will hopefully inspire more to follow in 
his footsteps.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank all of my colleagues from Illinois 
for cosponsoring this bill, and I ask all of my colleagues to join me 
in supporting H.R. 3085 in honoring Captain Herbert ``Herbie'' Johnson.

                              {time}  1700

  Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support the passage of 
H.R. 3085, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Gosar) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the bill, H.R. 3085.
  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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