[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 2]
[House]
[Pages 2524-2525]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   FRANCIS MANUEL ORTEGA POST OFFICE

  Mr. RUSSELL. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 3274) to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 4567 Rockbridge Road in Pine Lake, Georgia, as the 
``Francis Manuel Ortega Post Office''.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                H.R. 3274

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

     SECTION 1. FRANCIS MANUEL ORTEGA POST OFFICE.

       (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal 
     Service located at 4567 Rockbridge Road in Pine Lake, 
     Georgia, shall be known and designated as the ``Francis 
     Manuel Ortega 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 ``Francis Manuel Ortega Post Office''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Oklahoma (Mr. Russell) and the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Brendan 
F. Boyle) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Oklahoma.


                             General Leave

  Mr. RUSSELL. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days 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 Oklahoma?

[[Page 2525]]

  There was no objection.
  Mr. RUSSELL. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3274, introduced by 
the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Johnson). The bill designates the post 
office located at 4567 Rockbridge Road in Pine Lake, Georgia, as the 
Francis Manuel Ortega Post Office.
  Madam Speaker, Officer Ortega was a dedicated public servant who was 
tragically killed in the line of duty. He was born in New York City on 
February 27, 1980. He later attended Lawrence High School in Lawrence, 
Massachusetts. At the time of his death, he was pursuing an associate 
of science degree in criminal justice from Griffin Technical College in 
Griffin, Georgia.
  Officer Ortega had two children, Frankey and Kaylie. He worked as a 
part-time officer at Pine Lake Police Department and as a full-time 
officer at Georgia Regional Hospital. His dedication to peace and 
safety compelled Officer Ortega to regularly work 80-hour weeks.
  Tragically, on August 11, 2005, a suspect fatally shot Officer Ortega 
in front of the Pine Lake Post Office during a routine traffic stop. It 
is only fitting that this post office be named in honor of this 
dedicated public servant.
  Madam Speaker, Officer Ortega will be remembered for his commitment 
to justice and courage in the face of danger. He desired to stand up 
for what was right and not what was easy, having made the ultimate 
sacrifice in giving his life for the protection of his community.
  Naming this post office after Officer Francis Ortega will memorialize 
his passion for justice and tremendous dedication to the community of 
Pine Lake, Georgia. I urge Members to support this bill.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I yield myself 
such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman 
from Georgia (Mr. Johnson) in order to speak and elaborate a little 
more on Officer Ortega's life and his sacrifice and service.
  Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I thank the ranking member, 
and I also thank the chair for bringing this bill forward. I also want 
to thank the members of the DeKalb County, Georgia, chapter of the 
Fraternal Order of Police, as well as the Georgia chapter of the 
Fraternal Order of Police, for helping us with this legislation.
  Madam Speaker, today I rise in support of H.R. 3274, a bill to rename 
the Pine Lake, Georgia, Post Office in honor of a fallen police 
officer, Officer Francis Manuel Ortega.
  On August 11, 2005, Officer Ortega was tragically killed in front of 
the Pine Lake Post Office while conducting a routine traffic stop. 
Officer Ortega was shot and killed after stopping a vehicle for a minor 
traffic violation.
  As Officer Ortega communicated with dispatch, the perpetrator exited 
his vehicle and approached the police cruiser. The perpetrator ignored 
Officer Ortega's order to get back into his vehicle, and a struggle 
ensued. The perpetrator pulled a gun, shot, and killed Officer Ortega. 
The killer then ran into the post office and committed suicide.
  Officer Ortega was a part-time officer of the Pine Lake Police 
Department, and he was a full-time officer at the Georgia Regional 
Hospital. Officer Ortega, like many men and women who choose law 
enforcement as a career, was not driven by the mere pursuit of wealth. 
Officer Ortega was motivated by the desire to serve others and to keep 
our communities safe.
  Unfortunately, because society doesn't pay police officers the full 
value of their service, Officer Ortega was forced to work a number of 
part-time jobs. His dedication to peace and safety within the community 
compelled him to work, regularly, 80-hour workweeks. As the chair just 
mentioned, he was a student pursuing a degree in criminal justice.
  Officer Ortega is survived by his parents, Francisco and Luz; his 
sister, Joann; and his children, Frankey and Kaylie.
  Officer Ortega made the ultimate sacrifice and gave his life to 
protect his community. I can think of no better way to preserve his 
memory and to honor his legacy than to dedicate this facility as the 
Francis Manuel Ortega Post Office Building.

                              {time}  1345

  Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, like we heard 
previously about Officer Holloway, Officer Francis Manuel Ortega is 
clearly worthy of this honor.
  My heartfelt sympathies go to his family. I hope today it might bring 
them some small measure of comfort.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. RUSSELL. Madam Speaker, I urge adoption of the bill.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Russell) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 3274.
  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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