[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 4]
[House]
[Pages 5667-5668]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      SISTER ANN KEEFE POST OFFICE

  Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules 
and pass the bill (H.R. 651) to designate the facility of the United 
States Postal Service located at 820 Elmwood Avenue in Providence, 
Rhode Island, as the ``Sister Ann Keefe Post Office''.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                H.R. 651

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

     SECTION 1. SISTER ANN KEEFE POST OFFICE.

       (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal 
     Service located at 820 Elmwood Avenue in Providence, Rhode 
     Island, shall be known and designated as the ``Sister Ann 
     Keefe Post Office''.
       (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 ``Sister Ann Keefe Post Office''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Georgia (Mr. Jody B. Hice) and the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. 
Cicilline) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Georgia.


                             General Leave

  Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia. 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 material 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. JODY B. HICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as 
I may consume.
  I rise today in support of H.R. 651, introduced by Representative 
David Cicilline, for the purpose of designating the United States 
Postal Service located at 820 Elmwood Avenue in Providence, Rhode 
Island, as the Sister Ann Keefe Post Office.
  Sister Ann Keefe was a dedicated public servant and a community 
activist who touched the lives of many, many people in Providence, 
Rhode Island. In fact, for over 30 years, Sister Keefe led the Social 
Justice ministry at St. Michael's church. She was instrumental in 
founding nearly two dozen community organizations.
  Unfortunately, Sister Keefe passed away from cancer earlier this 
year, on January 18, at the young age of 62.

                              {time}  1615

  Sister Keefe will be remembered for her incredible ability to get 
things done and to turn an idea into reality. She will be remembered 
for her many accomplishments and as an example of selfless and faithful 
service.
  Naming a postal facility for Sister Ann Keefe in the community that 
she served and lived in for so many years will help memorialize her 
dedication to the people of Providence and encourage others to follow 
her example of public service. So I urge Members to support this bill.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I thank the gentleman from Georgia for his kind words with respect to 
Sister Ann Keefe.
  I rise today to speak in support of H.R. 651, to designate the 
facility of the United States Postal Service located at 820 Elmwood 
Avenue in Providence, Rhode Island, as the Sister Ann Keefe Post 
Office.
  Sister Ann, who passed away on January 18 of this year, was a 
dedicated activist for the poor and disenfranchised, an advocate for 
nonviolence, a champion of social justice and equal opportunity, and a 
beloved member of the Rhode Island community.
  Sister Ann was born in Warren, Massachusetts, in 1952 to a large 
family. A dedicated Catholic, Sister Ann joined the Sisters of St. 
Joseph in 1982 after first earning a master's degree in social work 
from Fordham University. Sister Ann spent the next 33 years of her life 
in service at St. Michael the Archangel Church in south Providence and 
left an indelible mark on Rhode Island that will not be forgotten.
  Sister Ann was instrumental in the founding and development of over 
22 organizations that aimed to improve the lives of members of the 
community most in need. These organizations included the Institute for 
the Study and Practice of Nonviolence, Providence CityArts for Youth, 
the Community Boating Center, and AIDS Care Ocean State. These 
organizations embody the passion and relentless work Sister Ann 
dedicated her life to and serve as a reminder of her tireless advocacy 
and selfless commitment to others.
  I offer this legislation today along with my colleagues in the Rhode 
Island delegation to designate the facility at 820 Elmwood Avenue in 
Providence as the Sister Ann Keefe Post Office in order to create a 
permanent reminder of Sister Ann's contributions and of her 
accomplishments in our community.
  I had the extraordinary honor of working with Sister Ann over many 
years and treasure our friendship. Her life was spent magnanimously. 
Her dedication, spirit, and generosity to others will be missed by all 
who knew her.
  I thank Chairman Chaffetz and Ranking Member Cummings of the House 
Oversight and Government Reform Committee for their work in passing 
this legislation and urge my colleagues to support H.R. 651 to honor 
Sister Ann's memory and her extraordinary legacy.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I would like to make the 
gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Cicilline) aware that I have no 
further requests for time, and I am prepared to close.
  Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time.
  Again, I move the passage of this piece of legislation, which will 
honor a great woman who contributed so much to my great State. I thank 
the gentleman from Georgia for his accommodation.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I am very much pleased to 
support this legislation honoring Sister Ann Keefe by lending her name 
to the Elmwood Avenue post office in Providence, Rhode Island.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of the bill, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Sister Ann Keefe, 
who touched the lives of countless individuals in her service to Rhode 
Island, and in support of H.R. 651, to designate the facility of the 
United States

[[Page 5668]]

Postal Service located at 820 Elmwood Avenue in Providence, Rhode 
Island, as the ``Sister Ann Keefe Post Office.''
  Sister Ann's generosity, compassion, and fearless advocacy for social 
justice have left an indelible mark on our state. She was a true public 
servant, speaking for those who had no voice and working tirelessly to 
assist the disadvantaged. In her more than 33 years of service as a 
Sister of Saint Joseph, Sister Ann worked to address the challenges 
facing Providence. No feat was too great; Sister Ann knew how to roll 
up her sleeves and get the job done, bringing a patient, faithful voice 
to issues affecting the most vulnerable among us.
  Sister Ann's legacy endures through the many lives she touched and 
the dozens of initiatives and organizations she founded, including the 
Institute for the Study and Practice of Nonviolence, Providence 
CityArts for Youth, AIDS Care Ocean State, and the Providence Human 
Relations Commission. These programs continue to serve those in need 
and work to make our communities stronger.
  Sister Ann faced the problems that others ignored, and her example 
serves as a reminder that with love, compassion, and determination, a 
single individual can make a tremendous difference. Sister Ann left us 
too soon, but our state and our world are better places because she 
passed through. I am proud to support the naming of this facility as 
yet another marker of appreciation for, and in remembrance of, Sister 
Ann, and I thank my good friend and colleague from Rhode Island for 
introducing this legislation.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Jody B. Hice) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 651.
  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. JODY B. HICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas 
and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.

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