[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 8]
[House]
[Pages 11885-11886]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




         STAFF SERGEANT MANUEL V. MENDOZA POST OFFICE BUILDING

  Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 4416) to redesignate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 161 Live Oak Street in Miami, Arizona, as the 
``Staff Sergeant Manuel V. Mendoza Post Office Building''.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 4416

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

     SECTION 1. STAFF SERGEANT MANUEL V. MENDOZA POST OFFICE 
                   BUILDING.

       (a) Redesignation.--The facility of the United States 
     Postal Service located at 161 Live Oak Street in Miami, 
     Arizona, shall be known and designated as the ``Staff 
     Sergeant Manuel V. Mendoza 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 ``Staff Sergeant Manuel V. Mendoza 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 
to include extraneous material 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. 4416, introduced by Representative Ann Kirpatrick of Arizona, 
would redesignate the facility of the United States Postal Service 
located at 161 Live Oak Street in Miami, Arizona, as the Staff Sergeant 
Manuel V. Mendoza Post Office Building.
  Staff Sergeant Mendoza was born in Arizona in 1922. Mendoza entered 
the United States Army in November of 1942, at the outset of the U.S.'s 
entry into World War II. Mendoza was a highly decorated soldier. He was 
awarded the Medal of Honor for his action on Mount Battaglia in Italy 
on October 4, 1944, where it is said he broke up a German counterattack 
on his own. Mendoza also served with distinction in the Korean war. In 
addition to the Medal of Honor, Mendoza earned a number of other medals 
and the Bronze Star. Staff Sergeant Mendoza passed away in 2001.
  With that, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentlewoman from Arizona, 
Representative Ann Kirpatrick, for introducing H.R. 4416, a bill to 
redesignate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 
161 Live Oak Street in Miami, Arizona, as the Staff Sergeant Manuel V. 
Mendoza Post Office Building.
  Manuel Verdugo Mendoza was born in 1922 in Miami, Arizona. Manuel was 
known as a man who worked hard to provide for his family.
  He married his wife, Alice Gaona, in August 1942, and was drafted 
into the Army in November of that same year.
  Just this year, Manuel was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor 
for his actions on October 4, 1944, in Italy. On that day, Staff 
Sergeant Mendoza is credited with breaking up a German counterattack of 
200 troops.
  After World War II, Staff Sergeant Mendoza went on to serve with 
distinction in the Korean war before being honorably discharged in 
1954.
  Staff Sergeant Mendoza passed away at the age of 79 in 2001. He was 
survived by his wife, two daughters, and a son. In addition to the 
Medal of Honor, he also received the Bronze Star, two Purple Hearts, 
and a host of other honors and distinctions.
  We should pass this bill today to recognize Staff Sergeant Mendoza's 
service to our Nation and bravery in combat.
  With that, I urge all of my colleagues to vote in favor of the bill, 
and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
Arizona (Mrs. Kirkpatrick), my distinguished colleague, the sponsor of 
the legislation.
  Mrs. KIRKPATRICK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the late 
Staff Sergeant Manuel Mendoza, an American hero, who was born in my 
Arizona district, and to urge support for my bill to rename the United 
States Post Office in Miami, Arizona, in his honor.

[[Page 11886]]

  Staff Sergeant Mendoza was born in 1922 in the eastern Arizona mining 
town of Miami. At the age of 20, he was drafted into the United States 
Army, where he was nicknamed ``the Arizona Kid'' for his heroism in 
battle.
  Staff Sergeant Mendoza posthumously received the Medal of Honor for 
singlehandedly repelling a 1944 German assault on Italy's Mount 
Battaglia during World War II. That afternoon, the Germans launched a 
fierce counterattack against Allied forces, but due to Staff Sergeant 
Mendoza's determination, bravery, and selflessness, he was able to kill 
30 enemy troops and successfully defend the Allied position.
  Later in his service, he went on to fight in Korea. After retiring 
from the Armed Forces, Mr. Mendoza returned to Mesa, Arizona, where he 
died in 2001. He is survived by his wife and three children.
  It is my honor to introduce H.R. 4416, which redesignates the 
facility of the United States Postal Service located at 161 Live Oak 
Street in Miami, Arizona, as the Staff Sergeant Manuel V. Mendoza Post 
Office Building.
  Staff Sergeant Mendoza's service was in keeping with the highest 
traditions of military service, as he demonstrated outstanding heroism 
above and beyond the call of duty.
  To name a U.S. post office in my district after such a man is not 
only a credit to him, but to the State of Arizona and our Armed Forces.
  On behalf of Arizona's entire delegation, I thank you, Mr. Gosar, for 
your support on this bill, and I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 
4416 when it comes to a vote later today.
  Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for acknowledging all 
the members of the Arizona delegation for looking forward to the post 
office in Miami to be looked at in fond remembrance of ``the Arizona 
Kid.'' It is fitting that today is an Arizona day for post offices here 
on the House floor.
  With that, I ask all Members of Congress to pass H.R. 4416, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. LaMalfa). 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. 4416.
  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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