[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 5]
[House]
[Pages 6866-6868]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




              MAJOR GREGORY E. BARNEY POST OFFICE BUILDING

  Mr. WALKER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 4747) to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 6691 Church Street in Riverdale, Georgia, as the 
``Major Gregory E. Barney Post Office Building''.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 4747

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

     SECTION 1. MAJOR GREGORY E. BARNEY POST OFFICE BUILDING.

       (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal 
     Service located at 6691 Church Street in Riverdale, Georgia, 
     shall be known and designated as the ``Major Gregory E. 
     Barney 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 ``Major Gregory E. Barney Post Office 
     Building''.

  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 within which to revise and extend their remarks 
and to 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 in support of H.R. 4747, introduced by Congressman David Scott 
of Georgia. H.R. 4747 designates the post office located at 6691 Church 
Street, in Riverdale, Georgia, as the Major Gregory E. Barney Post 
Office Building.
  Major Greg Barney was a Riverdale police officer for 26 years before 
he was tragically shot and killed in the line of duty earlier this 
year. Major Barney was a United States Navy veteran, and we are 
thankful for his service to our country and to his community.
  I will soon yield to my colleagues to tell us more about Major 
Barney's life and sacrifice. For now, I urge Members to support this 
bill to name a post office after Major Greg Barney in honor of his 
valiant service.
  I reserve the balance of my time.

                              {time}  1745

  Mrs. LAWRENCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to 
the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. David Scott), the sponsor of the bill.
  Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, first of all, let me thank 
Chairman Jason Chaffetz, chairman of the Oversight and Government 
Reform Committee, for helping me, for working with me, and for taking 
time with me in getting this bill through the Oversight and Government 
Reform Committee and here on the House floor for a vote before we break 
for the Memorial Day holiday observance.
  Chairman Chaffetz and I had a wonderful conversation, and we both

[[Page 6867]]

agreed that we wanted to get this bill out before the Memorial Day 
observance because this bill represents a most appropriate way for us 
to begin the observance of Memorial Day.
  I thank Ranking Member Elijah Cummings. I want to thank, also, the 
committee members of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee. I 
want to thank Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Speaker Paul Ryan for 
their help in moving expeditiously with this bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to tell you that the idea for this bill came to 
me directly from the heart and the soul of the wonderful people of 
Riverdale, Georgia, who truly love and endear Major Barney.
  Riverdale, Georgia, is an extraordinary city with a rich history. It 
is led by Mayor Evelyn Wynn-Dixon, Police Chief Todd Spivey, council 
members Cynthia Stamps-Jones, An'Cel Davis, Wanda Wallace, and Kenny 
Ruffin. As a matter of fact, Mr. Speaker, council members Stamps-Jones 
and An'Cel Davis stopped by my office in Jonesboro and presented this 
idea to me.
  I want to thank my chief of staff, Michael Andel, and my senior 
staffer here in Washington, William Burriss, for their tremendous work 
in helping. I also thank my district director, Chandra Harris, and 
deputy district director, Isaac DoDoo, for working with us in Georgia.
  Now I want to say the other important thing about this bill. This is 
truly a bipartisan bill. This bill honoring Major Barney is cosponsored 
by all 14 members of the Georgia congressional delegation, Democrats 
and Republicans, and by both of our United States Senators, Johnny 
Isakson and David Perdue, who will handle this in the Senate.
  I want to thank, as I look over and I see some of my Republican 
friends and colleagues on the floor, Tom Price, Lynn Westmoreland, and 
Jody Hice for joining us here for this important bill.
  Now, Mr. Speaker, why are we here?
  On February 11, 2016, Major Gregory E. Barney, who also, notably, was 
the very first African American interim police chief in the history of 
Riverdale, Georgia, was fatally shot in the line of duty while he was 
serving a warrant for the arrest of a drug dealer, the dregs of our 
community right now. Major Barney stepped up and responded. He was 
working with a detail of the Clayton County Police, their narcotics 
unit and their SWAT team; and they were there to put forward this 
warrant for this arrest, and the drug dealer shot Mr. Barney.
  Now, the day of this tragic death, also, Mr. Speaker, the 11th of 
February, there was something else significant. It also marked the 
anniversary of his 25-year career. Major Barney was shot on the 25th 
anniversary of his 25 years of service to the Clayton County and 
Riverdale police forces.
  So I know, with a heavy heart and deep condolences, that each of us 
in this United States Congress takes this moment to extend our 
heartfelt condolences to the family of Major Barney: his lovely wife, 
Lisa, and his two sons, Gregory and Robert. Mr. Speaker, these were 
twin boys who have lost their father.
  It is most fitting, also, Mr. Speaker, that the post office that we 
are naming for Major Barney is located directly across the street from 
the Riverdale Police Department headquarters now. Mr. Speaker, it is 
also within the view of the apartment complex where the drug raid took 
place where Major Barney lost his life.
  Mr. Speaker, Major Barney became the first police officer in 
Riverdale, Georgia, to be slain in the line of duty.
  Mr. Speaker, as we are here and we look forward to that day when we 
name this post office, we hope that in some small way that, to the 
family, to his children, to the people of Riverdale, Georgia, and the 
people of this Nation, when they pass by this post office, they will be 
able to pass by with a sense of great pride, great respect, and great 
gratitude for Major Barney, who was truly a Georgia hero.
  Not only was Major Barney a Georgia hero, he was an American hero. 
For, as you and I and all of us here in Congress know, when we 
recognize Major Barney, we are recognizing so many of our brave men and 
women who put their lives on the line every single day to protect us in 
law enforcement and in the military.
  Mr. Speaker, Jesus Christ, just a few hours before he was crucified, 
said to his disciples: This is my commandment: that you love one 
another as I loved you.
  And then Jesus said: Greater love hath no man than this, that a man 
lay down his life for his friend.
  Mr. Speaker, such a man was Major Gregory E. Barney.
  I ask this House for a unanimous ``yes'' vote.
  God bless you.
  Mr. WALKER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Georgia (Mr. Tom Price).
  Mr. TOM PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I am so pleased to join my 
colleagues today to honor Major Greg Barney, who was tragically shot 
and killed, as has been defined, in the line of duty on February 11, 
this year, while serving in the city of Riverdale, Georgia.
  Major Barney was a United States Navy veteran and had served with the 
Riverdale Police Department for over 25 years, including as a school 
resource officer at Riverdale High School. We all know what a selfless 
role that is, a true labor of love. Major Barney embodied the kind of 
courageous and valiant men and women we all want on our police forces.
  Mr. Speaker, on behalf of Georgia's Sixth District, I offer our 
deepest condolences to his wife, Lisa, and their 15-year-old twin boys, 
Robert and Greg, and their family and friends. I offer our heartfelt 
gratitude for his service and sacrifice. It is because of his type of 
heroism that we all feel protected in our communities.
  So this is a fitting tribute, Mr. Speaker, and I ask my colleagues to 
join us in support of H.R. 4747, to designate the facility of the 
United States Postal Service located on Church Street in Riverdale, 
Georgia, as the Major Gregory E. Barney Post Office Building.
  My colleague David Scott has worked tirelessly on this bill, and I am 
proud to be a cosponsor. I thank Congressman Scott for his efforts and 
this House for your support.
  Mrs. LAWRENCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I am pleased to join my colleagues in the consideration of H.R. 4747, 
a bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service 
located in Riverdale, Georgia, as the Major Gregory E. Barney Post 
Office Building.
  Mr. Speaker, we should pass this bill to honor Major Gregory Barney's 
25 years of service to his community, in addition to his service to his 
country and to commemorate the life that he led. I urge its passage.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. WALKER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished 
gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Jody B. Hice).
  Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from 
North Carolina for yielding.
  I also rise in support of H.R. 4747, to designate the U.S. post 
office in honor of Riverdale Police Major Gregory E. Barney.
  I also sincerely want to thank Congressman David Scott from Georgia's 
13th District for his great leadership on this bill.
  As has been spoken already, Major Barney led a life of service both 
to his community and of devotion to his family. Starting his career as 
a firefighter and then later serving in an ambulance squad, Major 
Barney joined the Riverdale Police Department in 1990. There he served 
for the next 25 years, as has already been mentioned, serving, 
ultimately, as the first African American chief of police in Riverdale.
  Tragically, as we have heard tonight, his life ended in a shooting 
while trying to execute a no-knock warrant. On that tragic night of 
February 11, he gave his life trying to bring drug dealers to justice. 
Although I did not know him personally, from all accounts, Major Greg 
Barney died just as he

[[Page 6868]]

lived: going above and beyond the call of duty to make his community a 
better place.
  It is fitting that the Riverdale Post Office that we are discussing 
is directly across the street from the Riverdale Police Department. It 
will serve as a daily reminder to all who enter those buildings of 
Major Barney's dedication to the community and of his valor in the line 
of duty.
  Also, as has been mentioned, I would like for us to remember his 
loving wife, Lisa, and twin teenage boys, Robert and Greg, in our 
thoughts and prayers while they continue to mourn his passing.
  I urge our colleagues to support H.R. 4747.
  Mrs. LAWRENCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. WALKER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Georgia (Mr. Westmoreland).
  Mr. WESTMORELAND. Mr. Speaker, I am honored today that my colleague, 
Congressman David Scott, asked me to participate in this.
  My father was a firefighter for 26 years in the city of Atlanta, and 
he died answering an alarm in 1972. So I understand the heartache of a 
family when a loved one goes to do their job, to be that first 
responder, that first person on the scene, and does not come back.

                              {time}  1800

  I think it is particularly interesting that, in this case, this 
officer and his colleagues were serving a no-knock warrant. No-knock 
warrants are issued by a judge because they are basically the most 
protective type of warrant for a police officer because they go in, and 
they know there is criminal activity or there are drug sales, gambling, 
or whatever the circumstance is, that they can go in.
  Major Barney was out in the field and happened to give chase to a 
gentleman who ran out the back door. A lot of times when these first 
responders put their lives on the line, I don't think people understand 
that they have got a wife, such as he had, Lisa, sons, Robert and Greg, 
who he wanted to go home to that night. Those boys wanted their daddy 
to come home, and that wife wanted her husband to come home. He was out 
serving the community.
  I think that is one of the great attributes that, if you look at 
Major Barney and how other people looked at him, it is what he did for 
his family, what he did for his community and all the different 
services that have already been mentioned here tonight. A lot of times, 
for some reason, the public does not want to understand that these law 
enforcement officers, these first responders, these medics who go out 
and do this, they do this for the protection of all of us--at the risk 
of their lives. Major Barney gave the ultimate sacrifice.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Bost). The time of the gentleman has 
expired.
  Mr. WALKER. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to the 
gentleman from Georgia.
  Mr. WESTMORELAND. Mr. Speaker, I think, as we remember his family and 
the other families tonight, we should remember them for a while and 
thank them.
  We have just recently had another officer who was killed. We have to 
remember these people and their families and not only pray for the 
protection of the public servant, but pray for those families that, 
when that loved one leaves their house, like in my case, and you don't 
know whether your loved one is coming back, pray for them that they 
would have that strength and that encouragement and that love to let 
that loved one go do their job.
  How appropriate, as has been mentioned, that this post office is 
right across the street from the Riverdale Police Department. A post 
office is somewhere where the community comes and gathers and talks. I 
don't think there is any more honorable tribute. I have lived in 
Riverdale. I know that area. I know that post office. I know how the 
community respects that, so there could be no greater tribute than to 
have a post office named after you.
  I want to encourage all my colleagues to help us send a great message 
to this hero's family and support H.R. 4747.
  Again, I thank the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. David Scott), my 
friend, for letting me participate in this.
  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. 4747.
  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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