[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 4]
[House]
[Pages 4484-4485]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




          SGT. 1ST CLASS TERRYL L. PASKER POST OFFICE BUILDING

  Mr. BLUM. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 4605) to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 615 6th Avenue SE in Cedar Rapids, Iowa as the 
``Sgt. 1st Class Terryl L. Pasker Post Office Building''.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H. R. 4605

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

     SECTION 1. SGT. 1ST CLASS TERRYL L. PASKER POST OFFICE 
                   BUILDING.

       (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal 
     Service located at 615 6th Avenue SE in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, 
     shall be known and designated as the ``Sgt. 1st Class Terryl 
     L. Pasker 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 ``Sgt. 1st Class Terryl L. Pasker Post 
     Office Building''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Iowa (Mr. Blum) and the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. 
Norton) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Iowa.


                             General Leave

  Mr. BLUM. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have five 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 Iowa?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. BLUM. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a constituent of mine who paid the 
ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.
  The bill before us would designate the post office located at 615 6th 
Avenue SE in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, as the

[[Page 4485]]

Sgt. 1st Class Terryl L. Pasker Post Office Building. This bill pays 
tribute to the life of Sergeant First Class Pasker, who was, 
unfortunately, killed in Afghanistan in 2011.
  Mr. Speaker, Sergeant Pasker was born February 26, 1972, in Anamosa, 
Iowa, the son of David and Mary Pasker. He joined the Army in 1990, 
after graduating from Lisbon High School, transitioning to the National 
Guard in 1995.
  Sergeant Pasker served in Afghanistan in 2004 and 2005, deploying 
again in 2011 with the 334th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Brigade 
Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division. He served in Panjshir province, 
where he was responsible for maintaining electronic equipment and 
mentoring Afghan police and military leaders.
  Mr. Speaker, on July 9, 2011, Sergeant First Class Terryl L. Pasker 
gave his last full measure of devotion to his country when he was 
killed at the age of 39 at a checkpoint, only days before the end of 
his combat tour.
  He is survived by his wife, Erica; his parents, Mary and David; his 
brother, Andrew; and his two sisters, Christine and Rebecca. His family 
told me that he always said he would rather be a sermon than preach 
one, a belief that I believe he exemplified throughout his life.
  Admired by his fellow soldiers, Pasker was known for his humility, 
his sense of humor, and his willingness to selflessly serve others. 
Away from service, Terryl was a homebuilder, taught karate, and was 
active in his local church. During his life, he would remind others 
that freedom is not free.
  So, Mr. Speaker, as we honor the sacrifice of Sergeant First Class 
Pasker, I ask us to also remember the thousands of servicemembers who 
sacrifice their time, their relationships, and even their lives to 
protect the freedom of this great Nation. I urge Members to support 
this bill.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join my colleagues in the consideration 
of H.R. 4605, a bill to designate the facility of the United States 
Postal Service located at 615 6th Avenue SE in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, as 
the Sgt. 1st Class Terryl L. Pasker Post Office Building.
  Born in Anamosa, Iowa, Terryl Pasker joined the Army in 1990, 
following his high school graduation. In 1995, he joined the Iowa 
National Guard, deploying to Afghanistan from 2004 to 2005. Six years 
later, Sergeant First Class Pasker decided to return for a second 
deployment with the 34th Infantry Division. During this tour, he 
mentored Afghan police forces and military leadership.

                              {time}  1715

  Tragically, Sergeant First Class Pasker was killed at a checkpoint in 
Panjshir province on July 9, 2011, just days before he was to return 
home from his combat duty. He was awarded a Bronze Star and a Purple 
Heart for his sacrifice.
  Sergeant First Class Pasker is remembered as an active member of his 
church, who taught karate and served as a mentor to many in his 
community. A diligent, hardworking carpenter and owner of a contracting 
business, Terryl Pasker had intended to return to his trade and start a 
family with his wife, Erica, whom he married in 2006.
  Mr. Speaker, we should pass this bill to recognize Sergeant First 
Class Terryl Pasker for the bravery, courage, and selflessness that he 
exhibited in his 20 years of honorable military service. I urge the 
passage of H.R. 4605.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. BLUM. Mr. 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 Iowa (Mr. Blum) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the bill, H.R. 4605.
  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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