[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 7]
[House]
[Pages 9615-9616]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




          SERGEANT FIRST CLASS DANIEL M. FERGUSON POST OFFICE

  Mr. WALKER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 1326) to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 2000 Mulford Road in Mulberry, Florida, as the 
``Sergeant First Class Daniel M. Ferguson Post Office''.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 1326

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

     SECTION 1. SERGEANT FIRST CLASS DANIEL M. FERGUSON POST 
                   OFFICE.

       (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal 
     Service located at 2000 Mulford Road in Mulberry, Florida, 
     shall be known and designated as the ``Sergeant First Class 
     Daniel M. Ferguson 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 ``Sergeant First Class Daniel M. Ferguson 
     Post Office''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
North Carolina (Mr. Walker) and the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands 
(Ms. Plaskett) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from North Carolina.


                             General Leave

  Mr. WALKER. 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 North Carolina?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. WALKER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise today in support of H.R. 1326, introduced by Representative 
Dennis Ross. H.R. 1326 would designate the post office located at 2000 
Mulford Road in Mulberry, Florida, as the Sergeant First Class Daniel 
M. Ferguson Post Office.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge Members to support this bill, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.

                              {time}  1715

  Ms. PLASKETT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I am pleased to join my colleagues in supporting H.R. 1326, a bill to 
designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 
2000 Mulford Road in Mulberry, Florida, as the Sergeant First Class 
Daniel M. Ferguson Post Office.
  Born and raised in Mulberry, Florida, Daniel Ferguson was a standout 
athlete at Mulberry High School, where he lettered in five sports, 
including baseball, football, and track. After joining the Army in 
1993, Daniel dedicated the rest of his life to the service of our 
country. Over the next 20 years, Daniel completed tours in Kuwait, 
Iraq, and Afghanistan. Following his final deployment, Sergeant First 
Class Ferguson was stationed as an Army transportation supervisor at 
Fort Hood, Texas, beginning in March 2013.
  On April 2, 2014, Sergeant First Class Ferguson made the ultimate 
sacrifice. Sergeant First Class Ferguson witnessed a shooting rampage 
break out on base, and seeing the shooter approaching the room where he 
and his colleagues gathered, held himself

[[Page 9616]]

against an unlocked door and used his body as a shield. Tragically, 
Sergeant First Class Ferguson lost his life that day, but through his 
courage and selflessness, many of his colleagues survived. Sergeant 
First Class Ferguson is remembered by his fiance, fellow soldier 
Kristen Haley, and all those who knew him for his loyalty, bravery, and 
heroism. He was awarded the Bronze Star and a Meritorious Service 
Medal, among others, for his military service.
  Mr. Speaker, we should pass this bill to commemorate the ultimate 
sacrifice made by Sergeant First Class Daniel Ferguson, and to honor 
his devoted service to the protection of our country abroad, as well as 
his fellow soldiers at home.
  I urge the passage of H.R. 1326, and I reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. WALKER. Mr. Speaker, at this time, I am pleased to yield such 
time as he may consume to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Ross), the 
sponsor of this legislation.
  Mr. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from North Carolina and 
my colleague from the Virgin Islands.
  Mr. Speaker, today, I rise in support of H.R. 1326, to dedicate the 
post office located at 2000 Mulford Road in Mulberry, Florida, after 
Sergeant First Class Daniel M. Ferguson.
  The tragic events of April 2, 2014, when a shooter killed three of 
his fellow servicemembers at Fort Hood, Texas, shook our military 
community and our Nation.
  However, some may not remember a story of heroism that came out of 
that horrific event. Sergeant First Class Daniel M. Ferguson, who was 
stationed at Fort Hood along with his fiance, sacrificed his life to 
save his fellow soldiers. A veteran of Kuwait, Iraq, and Afghanistan, 
Sergeant First Class Ferguson bravely wedged himself against a set of 
unlocked doors to block the attacker's advance. Without his heroic 
actions, those present that day have said there would have been many 
more casualties and fatalities.
  Sergeant First Class Ferguson succumbed to the wounds he sustained 
during this act of violence, leaving behind many heartbroken loved ones 
but also very many grateful soldiers. Without hesitation, Sergeant 
First Class Ferguson gave his own life to protect the lives of his 
fellow men and women in uniform.
  Sergeant First Class Ferguson was a tremendous soldier and a graduate 
of Mulberry High School who gave the ultimate sacrifice for the love of 
his country.
  That is why, in honor of his courageous sacrifice, I am proud to 
introduce this bill and proud to ask my colleagues to recognize such an 
honorable American.
  For Sergeant First Class Ferguson, his family, and the residents of 
Mulberry, Florida, I ask that my colleagues join me in supporting such 
a worthy cause.
  Ms. PLASKETT. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. WALKER. Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of the bill, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Walker) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1326.
  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.

                          ____________________