[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 5]
[House]
[Pages 6869-6870]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




      PETTY OFFICER 1ST CLASS CALEB A. NELSON POST OFFICE BUILDING

  Mr. WALKER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 4975) to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 5720 South 142nd Street in Omaha, Nebraska, as the 
"Petty Officer 1st Class Caleb A. Nelson Post Office Building''.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H. R. 4975

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

     SECTION 1. PETTY OFFICER 1ST CLASS CALEB A. NELSON POST 
                   OFFICE BUILDING.

       (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal 
     Service located at 5720 South 142nd Street in Omaha, 
     Nebraska, shall be known and designated as the ``Petty 
     Officer 1st Class Caleb A. Nelson 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 ``Petty Officer 1st Class Caleb A. Nelson 
     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 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. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4975, introduced by the 
gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Ashford).
  Petty Officer Nelson was a Navy SEAL who served a tour of duty in 
Iraq and, later, another tour in Afghanistan. On his 2011 tour in 
Afghanistan, he was killed when his vehicle struck an explosive device.
  His friends and family remember him as a cherished teammate, a gifted 
SEAL operator, and a loving husband and father.
  Mr. Speaker, Petty Officer Nelson made a great sacrifice by giving 
his life in the service of his country. I urge Members to honor his 
sacrifice by naming a post office in his honor.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. LAWRENCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Nebraska (Mr. Ashford), the sponsor of this bill.

                              {time}  1815

  Mr. ASHFORD. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman of the committee and 
the ranking member for helping us get this legislation through today. I 
also thank my fellow Nebraskans, Congressman Fortenberry and 
Congressman Smith, for their cosponsorship of this important 
legislation.
  Today I stand with a heavy heart and great pride to honor the life 
and legacy of Omaha native, Petty Officer 1st Class Caleb A. Nelson.
  On October 1, 2011, Petty Officer Nelson gave his life in service to 
his country when he was killed on a combat patrol by an explosive 
device that struck his vehicle in Zabul province, Afghanistan. His 
selfless and courageous service to our country will never be forgotten. 
Though we cannot repay the ultimate sacrifice that Petty Officer Nelson 
made while protecting our Nation, his legacy will now have a permanent 
physical memory through H.R. 4975.
  This legislation will designate the post office located a 5720 South 
142nd

[[Page 6870]]

Street, near my home in Omaha, Nebraska, as the Petty Officer 1st Class 
Caleb A. Nelson Post Office Building.
  Our Nation is defended by men and women who sacrifice to keep us 
free, protect our liberty, and strengthen our country. We have lost 
many brave men and women who have left this country to protect our 
life, and I am proud and humbled to stand here before this House to 
honor the life and bravery of one of those men today.
  Petty Officer Nelson entered the Navy in the engineering career field 
and graduated from boot camp on October 11, 2005. After graduating from 
Navy technical training, Petty Officer Nelson was accepted to attend 
Basic Underwater Demolition SEAL training. He graduated from SEAL 
training in November 2006.
  As a member of the elite team of Navy SEALs, Petty Officer Nelson 
continued to serve his country as a seasoned combat veteran, with a 
deployment to Iraq in 2009, and a deployment to Afghanistan in March 
2011.
  Petty Officer Nelson's awards and decorations speak to his selfless 
heroism. These awards include the Bronze Star with Valor, Purple Heart 
Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Good Conduct Medal, National 
Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on 
Terrorism Service Medal, Sea Service Ribbon, NATO Service Medal, Expert 
Rifle Ribbon, and Expert Pistol Ribbon.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
  Mrs. LAWRENCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield the gentleman an additional 1 
minute.
  Mr. ASHFORD. To those who knew Petty Officer Nelson best--his 
parents, wife, and two sons--he will be remembered as a loving son, 
husband, and father. To his fellow Navy SEALs, he will be remembered as 
a cherished teammate and a gifted SEAL operator. To this country, he 
will be remembered as an embodiment of the Navy's motto: ``Not for 
self, but for country.''
  Mrs. LAWRENCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, we should pass this bill to commemorate the courage and 
the valor exhibited by Petty Officer 1st Class Caleb Nelson and honor 
the ultimate sacrifice he made.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of H.R. 4975.
  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. 4975.
  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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