[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 2]
[House]
[Pages 2530-2531]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




        LIEUTENANT COLONEL JAMES ``MAGGIE'' MEGELLAS POST OFFICE

  Mr. RUSSELL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (S. 1826) to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 99 West 2nd Street in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, as the 
Lieutenant Colonel James ``Maggie'' Megellas Post Office.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                S. 1826

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

     SECTION 1. LIEUTENANT COLONEL JAMES ``MAGGIE'' MEGELLAS POST 
                   OFFICE.

       (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal 
     Service located at 99 West 2nd Street in Fond du Lac, 
     Wisconsin, shall be known and designated as the ``Lieutenant 
     Colonel James `Maggie' Megellas 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 ``Lieutenant Colonel James `Maggie' 
     Megellas Post Office''.

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


                             General Leave

  Mr. RUSSELL. Mr. 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?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. RUSSELL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise today in support of S. 1826, introduced by Senator Ron Johnson 
of Wisconsin.
  The bill designates the post office at 99 West Second Street in Fond 
du Lac, Wisconsin, as the Lieutenant Colonel James ``Maggie'' Megellas 
Post Office.
  Our colleague and fellow member of the House Committee on Oversight 
and Government Reform, Representative Glenn Grothman, introduced a 
House companion bill, but we are pleased today to be taking up the 
Senate version, as it will get to the President's desk faster.
  Retired United States Army Lieutenant Colonel Megellas is a highly 
decorated veteran of World War II and an individual whose story is one 
of remarkable bravery.
  He graduated from college in 1942, accepting a commission as a second 
lieutenant in the United States Army, where he served--courageously, I 
might add--as an elite paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division.
  One of the most remarkable stories about Lieutenant Colonel Megellas 
comes during service in the Battle of the Bulge, where he single-
handedly destroyed a German Panther tank and saved the lives of many of 
his men.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge Members to support this bill and name a post 
office after this true American hero.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Megellas was born and raised in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, and was 
commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army following his 
graduation from Ripon College in 1942.
  As was mentioned, serving as a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne 
Division during World War II, then-1st Lieutenant Megellas courageously 
led his platoon in the Battle of the Bulge.
  Mr. Speaker, we should pass this bill to commemorate the strong 
leadership Lieutenant Colonel James Megellas exhibited in his 
courageous defense of our country during World War II.
  I urge the passage of S. 1826.
  I reserve the balance of my time.

                              {time}  1445

  Mr. RUSSELL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
Wisconsin (Mr. Grothman), my friend and colleague.
  Mr. GROTHMAN. First, I thank my colleague from Oklahoma and my 
colleague from Missouri for saying such nice things about Lieutenant 
Colonel Megellas. I also thank Senator Johnson, who did a good job of 
getting this through the U.S. Senate.
  Mr. Speaker, as has been said, Lieutenant Colonel Megellas was born 
in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, and went to school in Ripon, Wisconsin, 
before he joined the military. He was truly a hero of the Greatest 
Generation. His most notable battle experiences included action in the 
Italian mountains near the Anzio beachhead, his combat jump into 
Holland as part of the Operation Market Garden, his crossing of the 
Waal River under heavy German fire in broad daylight, and the Battle of 
the Bulge in January of 1945, when he singlehandedly destroyed a German 
Mark V Panther Tank and led his platoon on one of the most distinctive 
actions of the war without there being a single American casualty.
  We have also offered a private bill that tries to get Mr. Megellas 
the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Battle of the Bulge.

[[Page 2531]]

  Today, Mr. Megellas lives in Colleyville, Texas, with his wife, 
Carole. I have met him and it was just tremendous. Currently he is 98 
years old. In a couple of weeks he will be 99. He is as sharp as a tack 
and is agile. I am very honored to be able to introduce this bill, and 
I just can't look forward enough to the day in Fond du Lac when I will 
see Lieutenant Colonel Megellas' name up there at the post office on 
2nd Street.
  Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, that was quite a description of Mr. Megellas 
at the young age of--about to be--99. He should be an inspiration to us 
all. I urge the passage of the bill.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. RUSSELL. Mr. Speaker, I urge the adoption of the bill.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. MARCHANT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call for the immediate 
passage of S. 1826, a bill to rename the post office located at 99 West 
2nd Street in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, as the Lieutenant Colonel James 
``Maggie'' Megellas Post Office.
  It is my great honor to recognize Lieutenant Colonel James Megellas 
(Ret), and to call Maggie a constituent of the 24th District of Texas.
  In 1942, Maggie accepted an ROTC commission as a second lieutenant in 
the infantry and shortly thereafter faced combat in Italy. Notably, in 
January 1945, Maggie and his platoon advanced toward Herresbach, 
Belgium, and came upon 200 German troops who were advancing out of 
town. In an act of selflessness and bravery, Lt. Col. Megellas sprinted 
toward a German tank as it took aim at his fellow soldiers. He disabled 
the tank with a grenade, then dropped another into the tank eliminating 
the threat his men faced from the combat vehicle.
  Lt. Col Megellas has been honored with many awards, including the 
Silver Star and the Distinguished Service Cross. Lt. Col Megellas is 
beyond deserved of having this post office location named in his honor. 
I continue to commend Maggie on serving his country with honor and 
bravery, as a shining example of courage and as a member of the 
greatest generation America has known.
  Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the 24th Congressional District of Texas, I 
ask all my distinguished colleagues to join me in recognizing the 
sacrifice and bravery of Lt. Col Megellas and urge for the swift 
passage of S. 1826.
  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, S. 1826.
  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. RUSSELL. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a 
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not 
present.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this question will be postponed.
  The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.

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