[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 11]
[House]
[Pages 15458-15459]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




            JONATHAN ``J.D.'' DE GUZMAN POST OFFICE BUILDING

  Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 5948) to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 830 Kuhn Drive in Chula Vista, California, as the 
``Jonathan `J.D.' De Guzman Post Office Building''.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 5948

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

     SECTION 1. JONATHAN ``J.D.'' DE GUZMAN POST OFFICE BUILDING.

       (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal 
     Service located at 830 Kuhn Drive in Chula Vista, California, 
     shall be known and designated as the ``Jonathan `J.D.' De 
     Guzman 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 ``Jonathan `J.D.' De Guzman Post Office 
     Building''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Arizona (Mr. Gosar) and the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands (Ms. 
Plaskett) 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 have 
5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include 
any 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.
  I rise today in support of H.R. 5948, introduced by my colleague, 
Representative Susan Davis of California. The bill designates a post 
office in Chula Vista, California, as the Jonathan ``J.D.'' De Guzman 
Post Office Building.
  Jonathan De Guzman was born in the Philippines in 1972. He later 
traveled to the United States and became an American citizen and served 
as an officer with the San Diego Police Department. Officer De Guzman 
received the Purple Heart for bravery from the San Diego Police 
Department in 2003 after being stabbed in the line of duty. He returned 
to work, but tragically was killed in the line of duty in July of this 
year.
  I join my colleague, Representative Davis of California, in honoring 
Officer De Guzman.
  I urge Members to support the bill.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. PLASKETT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 5948, a bill to 
designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 
830 Kuhn Drive in Chula Vista, California, as the Jonathan ``J.D.'' De 
Guzman Post Office Building.
  Jonathan De Guzman emigrated to the U.S. from the Philippines with a 
strong desire to become a contributor to his new community. His 
selflessness led him to join the San Diego Police Department, where he 
served for 16 years.
  Officer De Guzman was awarded the San Diego Police Department's 
Purple Heart in 2003 after surviving a stabbing while on duty. Officer 
De Guzman was again attacked while on duty in July of 2016. This time, 
however, he was shot multiple times at pointblank range and tragically 
did not survive.
  Mr. Speaker, we should pass this bill to honor Officer Jonathan De 
Guzman's courageous life of public service and ensure that the ultimate 
sacrifice he made is never forgotten.
  I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5948.
  I reserve the balance of my time.

                              {time}  1630

  Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers. I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Ms. PLASKETT. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to 
the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Davis).
  Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask for 
support of H.R. 5948 in commemorating the life of a humble role model 
and a courageous American hero. Officer Jonathan De Guzman, or J.D., as 
he was better known by family and friends, dedicated his life to 
protecting and serving the San Diego community that he loved.
  Born in the Philippines, J.D. traveled to the United States at the 
age of 20 with high hopes of achieving the American Dream. Through hard 
work and perseverance, he achieved this dream as a San Diego law 
enforcement officer, serving in many different roles within the San 
Diego Police Department, including serving on the gang suppression 
unit.

                              {time}  1630

  A devoted public servant, J.D. felt most rewarded by the bonds he 
created through community engagement. J.D.'s family, his friends, and 
fellow officers characterized him as a selfless,

[[Page 15459]]

honorable, and caring warrior. San Diego Police Chief Shelley Zimmerman 
praised J.D. saying: ``He always raised the bar'' and ``cared deeply 
for his community.''
  In 2003, he survived a brutal stabbing from a suspect he had stopped 
for speeding. A true warrior, indeed, upon recovery, he quickly 
returned to the force to defend the people of San Diego. In that same 
year, he was awarded the San Diego Police Department's Purple Heart for 
bravery in the line of duty. Although he appreciated the gesture, the 
accolades were not what motivated him to serve. The reactions of the 
community brought J.D. true fulfillment.
  Tragically, on July 28, 2016, Officer De Guzman, a 16-year veteran of 
the force, was shot multiple times at pointblank range and killed. 
Prosecutors on the case say the attack happened so quickly that J.D. 
never had the opportunity to pull his service weapon.
  On August 5, thousands--I mean thousands--of fellow officers and 
private citizens lined the streets of San Diego for J.D.'s funeral 
procession, tossing flowers along the path, holding signs, and waving 
American flags. I can assure you, it was really a moving experience. 
The amount of love and admiration I witnessed that day showed just how 
deeply he touched the lives of everyone he encountered in a life that 
was cut much too short.
  He was only 43 years old. He was a beloved son to his proud parents, 
a caring husband to his adoring wife, Mary Jane, and a hero to their 
beautiful children, Amira and Jonathan, Jr. I had the pleasure of 
meeting with his family and some of his close friends to offer my 
deepest condolences. I saw the wound that was left behind, a wound that 
may never truly be healed, but through loving memories of their time 
together, combined with the support of the community, his strong family 
will endure the pain.
  While nothing will ever fill the void, we can take action today to 
ensure that his legacy will never be forgotten. J.D. made the ultimate 
sacrifice in protecting our community, and this bill will mean that 
future generations will know and understand the commitment that Officer 
De Guzman made and our law enforcement officers continue to make every 
day.
  I urge you to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 5948 to designate the facility of 
the United States Postal Service located at 830 Kuhn Drive in Chula 
Vista, California, as the Jonathan ``J.D.'' De Guzman Post Office 
Building. This post office sits right in the Eastlake community that 
Officer De Guzman called home and will stand as a lasting remembrance 
of a true role model and American hero.
  Ms. PLASKETT. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Speaker, I urge the adoption of the bill. I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. VARGAS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5948--An Act 
to designate the United States Postal Service facility in Chula Vista 
as the ``Johnathan `J.D.' De Guzman Post Office Building.'' This 
legislation is sponsored by my colleague, the gentlewoman from San 
Diego, Susan Davis. I urge my colleagues to support this bill, so that 
we may forever honor the sacrifice that Officer De Guzman made for the 
San Diego community and our great nation.
  San Diego Police Officer Johnathan `J.D.' De Guzman was a true 
American hero who was killed in the line of duty. Born in the 
Philippines on September 17, 1972, Officer De Guzman traveled to the 
United States at the age of 20 and eventually became an American 
citizen. He believed deeply in the American Dream and in the importance 
of public service and community involvement, leading him to join the 
San Diego Police Department (SDPD) in 2000.
  Officer De Guzman was a SDPD 16 year veteran and a member of the 
department's gang suppression unit. In 2003, he received the SDPD's 
Purple Heart. Officer De Guzman was characterized as a caring, 
selfless, honorable, and courageous individual. It wasn't uncommon for 
him to show up at his children's school and engage students about 
careers in law enforcement.
  Tragically, Officer De Guzman was killed while on patrol on July 
28th, 2016. He is survived by his parents, his wife Mary Jane, and his 
two children Amira and Jonathan De Guzman II.
  I urge my colleagues to pass H.R. 5948.
  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. 5948.
  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.

                          ____________________