Ann Marie Buerkle

Ms. BUERKLE

Ms. BUERKLE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to the Matilda Joslyn Gage Foundation of Fayetteville, New York, upon the occasion of receiving federal funding through the Department of State's Museums Connect Program--a highly selective program that aims to strengthen cultural understanding through collaborative and innovative projects facilitated by museums. The Matilda Joslyn Gage Foundation dedicates its efforts to educating individuals about the life and work of Matilda Joslyn Gage and her significant contributions to the women's suffrage movement of the 19th century. With respect to her commitment and dedication to women's rights and human liberation, the Matilda Joslyn Gage Foundation commits itself to celebrating her life and promoting the continuing significance of the works of Matilda Joslyn Gage for current and future generations. Consistent with her values, the Matilda Joslyn Gage Foundation works to preserve the home of this great American figure, as well as preserve her writings, provide educational programs devoted to the abolitionist and suffrage movements, and promote the history of Central New York as a beacon during our nation's great civil rights movements. It is with honor that I pause in my legislative deliberations to acknowledge the Matilda Joslyn Gage Foundation for its dedication to strengthening and developing cultural and historical understanding throughout Central New York and the United States. Mr. Speaker, I ask that you and my colleagues join me in congratulating The Matilda Joslyn Gage Foundation, recipients of the Department of State's Museums Connect grant.

Ms. BUERKLE

Ms. BUERKLE. Mr. Speaker, October 10 marks 101 years of the Republic of China, ROC, that now exists on Taiwan. Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou was inaugurated for a second and last time on Sunday, May 20. Taiwan limits its presidents to two terms, as do we. But in his already more than four years since first taking office, President Ma has fundamentally altered the dynamic of Taiwan's economic relations with mainland China and by extension, relations with the United States and the rest of the world. Fresh off his first inauguration in 2008, President Ma launched the first regular non-stop flights across the Taiwan Strait since China's Civil War ended in 1949. These flights, now as many as 558 a week, have made life much easier for Taiwanese working and doing business on the mainland. It's in turn also made life much easier for Americans crossing the Taiwan Strait--be it for work or for pleasure. But most significantly, in 2010, Taiwan entered into its Economic and Cooperation Framework Agreement, ECFA, with mainland China that eliminated tariffs on 16 percent of Taiwan exports to the mainland. Now that President Ma was reelected with a fresh mandate this past January, more tariff eliminations under ECFA will follow. There will also be further service sector openings in both directions. Most importantly, ECFA, as does President Ma's other cross-Strait trade and investment relaxations, reintegrates Taiwan into Asia's economic supply chain, allowing Taiwan producers to supply global customers in mainland China directly. The spending power of the millions of mainland Chinese tourists who have visited Taiwan since 2008 has also boosted the island's economy, as well as exposed those same tourists to Taiwan's pluralistic, democratic system. Having now experienced Taiwan's elections firsthand, some mainlanders will demand accountability of their leaders back home as Taiwanese do theirs. Taiwan's elections can serve as an example and milestone for ethnic Chinese worldwide that these universal political freedoms are not somehow incongruous with culture as some mainland autocrats have alleged. I thus urge my colleagues, on this 101st anniversary of the ROC, to congratulate Taiwan on this century-plus milestone and to applaud its recent trade, investment, and travel openings to neighboring mainland China. It suits Taiwan's economic interests as well as our own.

Ms. BUERKLE

Ms. BUERKLE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Kevin W. Bradley. On August 24, 2012 I had the great honor of attending Kevin Bradley's pinning ceremony where he was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General. General Bradley, a native of Binghamton, New York, received his Air Force commission through the Officer Training School program in 1984. After serving in the United States Air Force, General Bradley joined the New York Air National Guard in 1992 where he has commanded frontline combat units at the squadron, group and wing level. He has served at the National Guard Bureau and the Headquarters United States Air Force. General Bradley is a command pilot with over 3500 hours in the T-37, T-38, F-16 and MQ-9 aircraft. He has flown combat missions in support of Operation Provide Comfort, Operation Northern Watch, Operation Southern Watch, Operation Noble Eagle, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. In 2008, General Bradley began a four year tenure as Commander of the 174th Fighter Wing in Syracuse, New York. Under his command, the 174th saw a number of significant milestones including the conversion of the Wing from F-16 fighter jets to MQ-9 Reaper Drones, the standup of the MQ-9 Field Training Detachment, and the addition of numerous support mechanisms at Hancock field, especially the full-time Director of Psychological Health. Brigadier General Kevin W. Bradley currently serves as Assistant Adjutant General--Air, New York Air National Guard. In this role, General Bradley is responsible for five flying wings and the Northeast Air Defense Sector. He is the primary advisor to the Adjutant General on all Air Guard matters. General Bradley has answered the call to serve his country for more than 28 years. His service has made a great difference in the lives of so many. On behalf of the 25th Congressional District of New York, I thank General Bradley for his many years of service to our nation and community. America is grateful for his service and sacrifice, and that of his wife Karen.

Ms. BUERKLE

Ms. BUERKLE. Thank you very much to my friend and colleague from Michigan. Thank you for having this Special Order tonight. And I think it's so critical, Mr. Speaker, when the Docs Caucus has this event, and the people who are speaking are people are passionate about health care. Many of us actually came to Congress because we were so concerned regarding the Affordable Care Act. I spent my life as a nurse and later on as an attorney who represented a large teaching hospital. And so I am passionate about health care. As my colleague before me mentioned, there's nothing more personal than one's health care. And this Nation has the highest quality of health care, and we want to make sure we maintain the standard that we have. I don't think anyone would disagree, Mr. Speaker, that this country needs health care reform. And while this law may have been the most well-intentioned, I disagreed with it philosophically when I decided to run for Congress. But now that I'm in Congress and I have had the opportunity to talk to so many folks in my district, this law, this Affordable Care Act that was supposed to decrease the cost of health care and increase access for Americans, is not going to do that. And let me, if I could, talk just briefly about what is going on in my district. My district is heavy with ``eds and meds,'' we call it. We have a lot of hospitals in my district, and they're the major employers. Now, the hospitals have spoken to me. They're concerned because this Affordable Care Act, this ObamaCare law, will decrease the amount of disproportionate share moneys they give because they treat a population of patients who may not have insurance or who are underinsured. So they're concerned about their fiscal, their financial integrity. Those are the hospitals. Those are providers. The Affordable Care Act doesn't address the SGR fix, the Medicare reimbursements for physicians. So I've got physicians who are concerned. It also creates a scenario where we will not have enough primary care physicians, internal medicine, psychiatry, those types of physicians who can even render the care. So the providers are concerned, the actual people and facilities who render the care. They're concerned that this law is going to adversely affect them. That's my first concern. My second concern are my seniors. And in all of this discussion and debate, I think the most disingenuous discussion that's going on out there is the denial as to what this law will do to seniors and their Medicare coverage. I think my colleague ahead of me talked about the moral obligation we have to our seniors. We have a contract with them that when you retire, when you turn 65, Medicare, you've paid into it all your life, and you will be able to have that benefit. But this law, this Affordable Care Act, cuts Medicare by $716 billion. Now, there's no program in the world that will not be affected by the loss of that much funding and the funding that's being taken out of Medicare, and it's going to be used to fund the rest of the entitlement in this law. So seniors really need to understand the threat to Medicare as we know it is this Affordable Care Act. And it has changed Medicare as we know it for our seniors, and this law will affect everyone who's on Medicare. The discussion about the Ryan budget and the budget we passed out of the House, that discussion is only for those who are 54 and younger. So anyone who is 55 and above, with the Republican proposal for Medicare, can take a deep breath and they can say, My contract with this country, my benefit through Medicare will not be touched, and I can rely and count on that. That's a very important promise that we can make to our seniors. But this Affordable Care Act can't make that promise to our seniors because it is cutting Medicare, and as my colleague from Michigan talked about, this IPAB board will also affect the kinds of services that our seniors receive. So every American, especially our seniors, should be concerned about this law that is in place that will go into effect in 2013 and 2014. So, we've heard from the hospitals and the physicians. They're not happy with this law. We've heard from the seniors. They're not happy with this law. I hear from my businesses, my small businesses, those entities that we're trying to get this economy going, and they're concerned because they don't know how this law is going to affect them. They don't know whether or not they're going to have to pay the penalty or pay the tax. They're very concerned because of the uncertainty this creates in their businesses. So, they sit on cash and they don't invest and they don't hire. So my small businesses don't like this Affordable Care Act. Now, just recently, and we've had a lot of debate about the tax on small medical devices that will occur to any small medical device producer in the country. Now, that's a niche sort of industry. It's one of the only sectors of the economy that has grown. It requires R&D. It requires innovation. It requires real creative production of small medical devices. I have a well-known company right in my district, and on Monday of this week, they announced that they will cut 10 percent of their workforce directly related to two things. The first is that 2.3 percent excise tax on small medical device producers. Ten percent of that workforce will be done away with because of this Affordable Care Act. The other reason they are cutting their workforce is because of the tax and also because of the fact that, with this Affordable Care Act, hospitals and physicians are not buying new equipment because they, too, are uncertain as to what the Affordable Care Act is going to do to them and their business. So they're not buying new equipment for their hospitals and their offices. So, now we've got seniors, hospitals, physicians, small medical device companies, businesses very concerned as to how this law is going to affect them. The Court ruled that it's a tax, and that's why it's constitutional. There's 21 new taxes in this Affordable Care Act. It's going to affect our jobs and our economy. It's going to affect our small businesses. It's not the right direction for this country. Only the practical listening to people over and over again in the district puts that out very, very clearly. So I think the right thing to do for this Nation--and this House, I'm so proud we have voted to repeal this law twice. We also voted in June to repeal the tax on small medical devices. That's the right thing to do. The responsible thing to do is enact true health care reform that will really reduce the cost of health care, that will allow patients choice, that will allow them to cross State lines to buy their insurance. It will allow them to keep their insurance even if they lose their job. It will have tort reform in it and bring down the cost of health care. It will repeal the excise tax on small medical devices. It will keep the good pieces. The two things I hear over and over again: preexisting conditions-- and my colleague from Maryland mentioned it. Preexisting conditions, along with keeping your child on your plan until they're 26. Those two could certainly be incorporated in a new truly reformative health care law in this Nation. So I thank my colleague from Michigan for all of his good work, for his dedication to the health care profession. I'm proud to be a member of the Docs Caucus because we are a group of people who have committed our life to health care. We are passionate about making sure that the United States of America maintains its high quality of health care and also keeps costs and accessibility to the highest standard for the people who live in this country.

Ms. BUERKLE

Ms. BUERKLE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4057, as amended, the Improving Transparency of Education Opportunities for Veterans Act of 2012. As we all know, 11 years ago this morning on September 11, 2001, our country was forever changed when terrorist attacks on American soil resulted in the deaths of over 3,000 innocent souls. Since that time we've been tested like never before, and thanks to the brave service and sacrifices of our Nation's Armed Forces, have emerged as a nation stronger, better, and more resolved to advancing the cause of freedom around the world. We also have emerged a more grateful Nation, ever mindful of the simple truth that the security and freedoms we enjoy were bought and paid for by the blood, sweat, and tears of those in uniform. Caring for and honoring these heroes is one of our Nation's most sacred obligations and the primary purpose of this bill before us today. H.R. 4057, as amended, includes two provisions originating from the Subcommittee on Health, of which I am honored to chair. Section 3 of the bill would require per diem payment recipients under the Department of VA Homeless Grant and Per Diem program to provide VA with a certification of compliance with a Life Safety Code or the International Fire Code and other relevant fire safety building codes in their jurisdiction. This provision would also require the VA to include an accounting and evaluation of the safety and accessibility of facilities used to provide programs for homeless vets in the annual report on assistance to homeless veterans. Current law requires the VA to ensure that entities receiving grants under the homeless grant and per diem program meet fire and safety codes. However, VA lacks a similar requirement to ensure per diem recipients are also compliant with these very important codes. When one of our honored veterans finds him or herself homeless and makes the difficult decision to get help, we must ensure that they are provided the services they need in a safe, secure, and supportive environment. This section of the bill would allow us to do so in a much more comprehensive, effective, and efficient manner. This provision was introduced by my good friend and colleague from West Virginia, David McKinley, and I thank him for his leadership and his advocacy on behalf of the homeless veterans struggling to rebuild their lives. Section 4 of the bill would direct the VA to establish and maintain an open burn pit registry for veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan, who may have been exposed to toxic chemicals and fumes caused by open burn pits during deployment. This provision would also require the VA to develop a public information campaign to inform eligible veterans of their registry and periodically notify them of significant developments in the study and treatment of the conditions that may be associated with burn pit exposure. Further, it would direct the VA to contract with an independent scientific organization to develop a report on the effectiveness of actions taken to collect and maintain information on the health effects of burn pit exposure and submit the completed report to Congress. I have heard from countless veterans who returned home from a war consumed with concern about the air they breathed in the battle, which was often filled with smoke from the burning of solid waste and could affect their health and well-being. With this provision, we will take first steps towards recognizing and respecting these concerns of our veterans. Importantly, it will also allow us to gather data necessary to discovering new and better ways to care to for our veterans today and in future generations. In closing, I would like to offer my sincere gratitude and appreciation to all of the Members who sponsored the provisions included in this legislation. I also would like to thank the ranking member on the Health Subcommittee, Mr. Michaud of Maine, for his support and all of the work on behalf of our veterans. I urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation. On this day of all days, it is so very important that we support the servicemembers and veterans who have fought for the greatest Nation in the history of mankind, the United States of America.

Ms. BUERKLE

Ms. BUERKLE. I rise in support of the Senate amendments to H.R. 1627, the Honoring American Veterans and Caring for Camp Lejeune Families Act of 2012. Included in this bill are provisions that reflect the oversight work of the Subcommittee on Health, which I am honored to chair. Central to the health care portion of this legislation is section 106, which would require the Department of Veterans Affairs to develop and implement a comprehensive policy on the prevention, monitoring, reporting, and tracking of sexual assaults and other safety incidents that occur at VA medical facilities. This provision was originally passed in the House last year in H.R. 2074, as amended, the Veterans Sexual Assault Prevention Act. I introduced this measure last year in response to a disturbing GAO report, which found that between 2007 and 2010 some 284 instances of alleged sexual assault occurred in VA medical facilities around the country. As a former registered nurse and domestic violence counselor, I am all too familiar with the corrosive and harmful effects sexual and physical violence can have in the lives of its victims. Abusive behavior, like the kind documented by the GAO, is unacceptable. For it to be found in what should be an environment of healing for our honored veterans is simply unforgivable. This bill would establish and enforce critically important actions to correct the serious safety vulnerabilities, security problems, and oversight failures by VA leadership that threaten the safety of veterans who seek care through the Department and of the hardworking employees who provide that care. I am confident that the comprehensive requirements mandated in this bill will resolve the deficiencies the GAO uncovered and ensure that the VA health care system is a safe and secure place for our veterans and their families to seek care. I have been working furiously since last October, when this provision first passed the House, to get it through the Senate and signed into law by the President. I am very pleased and relieved that the day has finally come--and not a moment too soon--for those who need it. However, my oversight does not stop at the President's desk. With this statement, I am putting the VA on notice that I will remain vigilant in ensuring that the legislation is implemented swiftly, as intended, to protect veterans and employees at VA medical facilities. Also included in this bill, Mr. Speaker, is a measure that would allow for greater flexibility in establishing rates for reimbursements to State homes for nursing home care that is provided to certain service-connected veterans. This proposal was also included in H.R. 2074. I want to thank the gentleman from Maine and ranking member of the Subcommittee on Health for his very hard work in introducing this provision and the manner in which he continues to embody a true bipartisan spirit to advance legislation for the benefit of our veterans, as well as their families. Additionally, the bill includes a measure to expand the ability of worthy nonprofit entities to obtain grants to provide services for homeless veterans. Our colleague from the State of Washington, Dave Reichert, has been a strong advocate for establishing these important enhancements. I am pleased that this provision he introduced is included in the bill. I'm pleased that this provision for which he has been a strong advocate has been included. There are so many other important provisions, including improving rehabilitative care to veterans with traumatic brain injury, waiving the collection of co-payments for telehealth and telemedicine, establishing an initiative to expand beneficiary travel reimbursements to veterans, clarifying the access rights of service dogs on VA property and VA facilities, and providing medical care for certain veterans and their families who were exposed to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. It has been an honor for me, Mr. Speaker, to work with my colleagues in the House and the Senate on this legislation. In particular, I am grateful for the hard work, as well as the leadership, of our chairman, Mr. Miller of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation.

Ms. BUERKLE

Ms. BUERKLE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding to me, and I rise today in support of my legislation, H.R. 4365, which would make Thrift Savings Plans subject to Federal tax levies. Currently, TSP accounts are not listed in the IRS Code provisions identifying property that is exempt from tax. This bill makes clear that the TSP accounts are to be treated the same as 401(k)s and similar retirement and savings accounts held by private sector employees. This bill is about fairness, Mr. Speaker. It will treat Federal employees the same as private sector employees. H.R. 4365 adds needed clarification to existing law and provides guidance to the Thrift Board on how to honor IRS levies as they arise. In 2010, the Office of Legal Counsel at the Department of Justice concluded that TSPs are subject to levy. And last week, the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board, which oversees TSP accounts, wrote Congress asking that this issue be clarified expeditiously, noting that the lack of clarity is causing significant operational issues. At the end of 2010, Mr. Speaker, the most recent year for which IRS data is available, 279,000 Federal employees owed $3.4 billion in Federal taxes. And the Joint Committee on Taxation estimates that enacting this legislation would increase revenues by $24 million over the 2012-2022 period. Mr. Speaker, $24 million may seem like a small figure to some inside the Beltway. However, I believe any savings Congress can produce in today's fiscal environment is significant. This is a commonsense solution which received bipartisan support in the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. Similar legislation also received overwhelming support in the Senate. I urge passage of this bill.

Ms. BUERKLE

Ms. BUERKLE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a native of my district and 2012 Olympic competitor, Lopez Lomong. Lopez Lomong was born in Kimotong, a small village in southern Sudan in 1985. Lopez had a happy childhood until one day, when he was 6 years old, his whole life was turned upside down. His village was attacked while he was attending church, and Lopez was taken by rebel soldiers from the Sudan People's Liberation Army. After weeks of watching other boys slowly die in the rebel camp, Lopez was able to escape through a hole in the fence with the help of three other boys. Lopez and these boys ran for three days through the African plains until they reached Kenya and were placed in a refugee camp. Lopez would spend the next 10 years in this refugee camp, attending ``school,'' playing soccer and trying to survive day to day on the small rations that were provided to the boys. One day, when Lopez was 16, the opportunity of a lifetime arose. Lopez wrote an essay to the Catholic Charities about what he would do if he were able to come to the U.S. His essay moved the people at Catholic Charities so much that he became one of the Lost Boys of Sudan who were relocated to the United States to begin a new life. Leaving Africa behind, Lopez found himself an adopted member of the Rodgers family in Tully, New York, a stark contrast from the plains of Africa. To feel at home, Lopez would go on long runs, as he had done in Kenya, and he drew the attention of his high school cross country coach. It was here that his running career began. Lopez showed immense potential and went on from New York to Northern Arizona University where he won two NCAA championships. In 2007, Lopez became a professional runner and in 2008, after becoming a U.S. citizen, he made the Olympic team, proudly representing his new country, the U.S.A. At the Beijing Olympics Lopez was voted by his fellow countrymen to carry the U.S. flag into the opening ceremonies, and he went on to perform well, making it to the semi- finals of the 1500m. In addition to his athletic achievement, Lopez has a heart and passion to see peace in the country of his birth that continues to be ravaged by civil war. Lopez's desire is to spread the word about what is happening in Sudan and to build a community center to give hope and opportunities to people who started out just like him. At the 2012 Olympic Games in London, Lopez will once again represent the United States. I have no doubt that he will once again honorably and nobly represent our country as a member of the Olympic team. Like so many others I am truly inspired by Lopez's story. I congratulate him on his success and thank him for his continued efforts on behalf of his home country of the South Sudan.

Ms. BUERKLE

Ms. BUERKLE. Madam Chair, I stand here today in strong support of H.R. 4078, the Red Tape Reduction and Small Business Creation Act, which takes important steps and strides to provide our businesses and our small businesses throughout this country with some certainty, the certainty that they so desperately need. Every time I'm home in my district, I hear from my constituents, my small business owners. They want to know when is this deluge of regulations out of Washington going to end. And that's what this bill addresses today. It's such a harsh reminder that this administration's policies are not working. Rather than looking ahead, our small businesses and our job creators are ducking and hiding behind the myriad, the deluge of mandates and regulations that so restrict their growth. This uncertainty that these regulations create is the enemy of growth, and it's why our economy does not move forward, and it's why it is so stagnant. This year, the Federal Register has reached nearly 42,000 pages with regulations that cost our American businesses $56.6 billion and that result in 114 million hours of paperwork. That's why our economy is not growing. They cannot even deal with the deluge of regulations coming out of Washington. Why should an owner of a supermarket in upstate New York spend his time dealing with the 15,000 pages of regulations from the Affordable Care Act rather than paying attention to the inventory in his grocery store? Simply put, Madam Chair, Washington's attitude toward the private sector is discouraging. It's time for Congress to reverse the trend and to let America's job creators know that we stand beside them rather than in front of them, blocking their progress and their growth.

Ms. BUERKLE

Ms. BUERKLE. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to join me in strong support of this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. BUERKLE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Ms. BUERKLE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1369) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1021 Pennsylvania Avenue in Hartshorne, Oklahoma, as the ``Warren Lindley Post Office''.

Ms. BUERKLE

Ms. BUERKLE. Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support the passage of H.R. 2896, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. BUERKLE. H.R. 2896, introduced by the gentleman from New Jersey, Mr. Payne, would designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 369 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in Jersey City, New Jersey, as the Judge Shirley A. Tolentino Post Office Building. The bill is cosponsored by the entire New Jersey State delegation and was favorably reported by the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on June 27. Although Representative Payne passed away earlier this year, it is our privilege to consider H.R. 2896 today. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in strong support of this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. BUERKLE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2896) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 369 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in Jersey City, New Jersey, as the ``Judge Shirley A. Tolentino Post Office Building''.

Ms. BUERKLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. General Leave 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 materials on the bill under consideration.

Ms. BUERKLE

Ms. BUERKLE. Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support the passage of H.R. 3593. I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. BUERKLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the sponsor of this legislation, my distinguished colleague from the State of New York, Representative Hayworth.

Ms. BUERKLE. 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.

Ms. BUERKLE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3593) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 787 State Route 17M in Monroe, New York, as the ``National Clandestine Service of the Central Intelligence Agency NCS Officer Gregg David Wenzel Memorial Post Office''.

Ms. BUERKLE

Ms. BUERKLE. Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support the passage of H.R. 3477, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. BUERKLE. 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.

Ms. BUERKLE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3477) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 133 Hare Road in Crosby, Texas, as the Army First Sergeant David McNerney Post Office Building.

Ms. BUERKLE

Ms. BUERKLE. I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. BUERKLE. Mr. Speaker, my bill, H.R. 5837, would designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 26 East Genesee Street in Baldwinsville, New York, as the Corporal Kyle Schneider Post Office Building. This bill is cosponsored by the entire New York delegation and was favorably reported by the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on June 27. Kyle R. Schneider was born on January 8, 1988, to Richard and Lorie Schneider. He was raised in the Baldwinsville, New York, area with his brother, Kevin. Kyle was a graduate of Baker High School in Baldwinsville, and attended Onondaga Community College for 1 year in the criminal justice program. While at Baker High School, he played football, baseball, and ran track. Kyle loved the outdoors and was an avid hunter and fisherman. In March of 2008, Kyle joined the United States Marine Corps and graduated from boot camp in June of 2008. He attended the School of Infantry in July and graduated in September. From September to October, he attended the Marine Corps Security Forces Training. In October of 2008 he was with the Guard Company Marine Barracks in Washington, D.C. In May 2010, he was transferred to Echo Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, II Marine Expeditionary Force. In January of 2011, Kyle was assigned to the 3rd Platoon and was deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. In defense of our Nation, Kyle was killed in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, on June 30, 2011, by an improvised explosive device. Corporal Kyle R. Schneider was 23 years old. Corporal Schneider is an American hero. He was a proud and valiant marine. He was also a son, a brother, a grandson, a fiance, a friend, and a comrade. Kyle is greatly missed, and no words will diminish the grief of those who knew and loved him. In his death, he has earned the thanks of a grateful Nation. Mr. Speaker, let us honor the service and sacrifice of Corporal Kyle R. Schneider through the passage of this legislation to designate the Baldwinsville Post Office in his honor. I urge my colleagues to join me in strong support of this bill. I reserve the balance of my time.