[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 5]
[House]
[Page 6863]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1715
        SERGEANT FIRST CLASS WILLIAM ``KELLY'' LACEY POST OFFICE

  Mr. WALKER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 4987) to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 3957 2nd Avenue in Laurel Hill, Florida, as the 
``Sergeant First Class William `Kelly' Lacey Post Office''.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 4987

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

     SECTION 1. SERGEANT FIRST CLASS WILLIAM ``KELLY'' LACEY POST 
                   OFFICE.

       (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal 
     Service located at 3957 2nd Avenue in Laurel Hill, Florida, 
     shall be known and designated as the ``Sergeant First Class 
     William `Kelly' Lacey 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 section 1 shall be deemed to be a 
     reference to the ``Sergeant First Class William `Kelly' Lacey 
     Post Office''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
North Carolina (Mr. Walker) and the gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. 
Lawrence) 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. 4987, introduced by Congressman Jeff 
Miller of Florida.
  H.R. 4987 designates the post office located at 3957 2nd Avenue in 
Laurel Hill, Florida, as the Sergeant First Class William ``Kelly'' 
Lacey Post Office.
  Sergeant Kelly Lacey enlisted in the Army on October 16, 2002, and he 
served with dedication for nearly 12 years. Sergeant Lacey was on a 
tour of duty in Afghanistan when he was killed in action on January 4, 
2014.
  During his time in the Army, Sergeant Lacey earned more than 30 
military awards and decorations, including a Bronze Star with Valor and 
two more Bronze Star Medals.
  Mr. Speaker, Sergeant Lacey exemplified leadership throughout his 
career. Just months before his death, he fulfilled one of his lifelong 
dreams by reaching the rank of E-7, the same rank that his father 
achieved in his service.
  I urge all Members to honor Lacey's great sacrifice by naming a post 
office in his honor. I will soon yield to the bill's sponsor, and my 
friend, Congressman Jeff Miller, to tell us more about Sergeant First 
Class William ``Kelly'' Lacey.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. LAWRENCE. 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. 4987, a bill to designate the facility in Laurel Hill, Florida, 
as the Sergeant First Class William ``Kelly'' Lacey Post Office.
  Sergeant First Class Lacey is remembered as a wonderful family man by 
those he leaves behind, particularly his wife, Ashley, daughter, Lily, 
three stepdaughters, and parents.
  Sergeant First Class Kelly's military honor includes three Bronze 
Stars, including one with valor, a Purple Heart, and a Humanitarian 
Award for his relief work following Hurricane Katrina.
  We should pass this bill to remember Sergeant First Class Lacey's 
heroic deeds on the battlefield as well as his compassion for others at 
home.
  I urge its passage.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. WALKER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
Florida (Mr. Miller).
  Mr. MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend, Mr. 
Walker.
  A little over 2 years ago, northwest Florida and our Nation lost a 
warrior and a patriot upon the death of Army Sergeant First Class 
William ``Kelly'' Lacey. Kelly was assigned to the 201st Brigade 
Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team of the 1st Infantry Division 
out of Fort Knox, Kentucky, and was killed on January 4, 2014, in 
Nangarhar province, Afghanistan, while in support of Operation Enduring 
Freedom.
  Today I stand before you to honor this true American hero by 
designating the facility of the United States Postal Service, located 
at 3957 2nd Avenue in Laurel Hill, Florida, as the Sergeant First Class 
William ``Kelly'' Lacey Post Office.
  Kelly had served three tours in Iraq and was completing his second 
tour in Afghanistan when his life was tragically taken. During the 
mission that took his life, Kelly protected fellow soldiers during an 
attack where a car bomb had breached his base perimeter, allowing 
multiple combatants, many bearing suicide vests, to initiate an 
assault. Kelly took a guard tower and began providing cover fire, 
killing three assailants before a rocket-propelled grenade took his 
life. He was scheduled to return home just 2 weeks from the time of his 
death.
  We must never forget, nor take for granted, the many liberties we 
enjoy as Americans--liberties earned and fortified by soldiers like 
Kelly, who never hesitate when called upon. Kelly bravely dedicated his 
life to protect our freedom. While there is nothing we can do today to 
bring Kelly back to us and take away the pain that is felt by his loved 
ones that have been left behind, we can help memorialize his ultimate 
sacrifice.
  America's sovereignty and democracy is deeply rooted in the 
courageous acts of our men and women in the Armed Forces, who willingly 
serve knowing that at any time they could pay the ultimate sacrifice. 
Renaming the post office will help ensure that future generations 
forever remember that sacrifice and understand the true cost of 
freedom.
  I ask my colleagues for your support on this legislation.
  Mrs. LAWRENCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. WALKER. 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 North Carolina (Mr. Walker) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 4987.
  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.

                          ____________________