Danny Davis

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he might consume to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Sires).

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of our time.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentlewoman from Florida for yielding. I rise in strong support of this rule and the underlying bill. Like all of my colleagues, I want to commend Representatives Kennedy and Ramstad for their unrelenting advocacy for mental health. As a matter of fact, we have watched them travel all across the country, holding hearing after hearing, engaging people, trying to help them understand that mental illness, that mental health is just as important as any other aspect. I have heard us debate cost. All of us know that insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. We know that education, early diagnosis and prevention can save us billions of dollars in mental health. And so I would urge passage of this rule and passage of the underlying bill.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I'm convinced that the most widespread and most impactful health issue and problem which we face today is in the area of mental health and mental illness. The numbers of individuals affected are so great until it is more than difficult to get a handle on them, and that is one of the reasons that I rise in support of H.R. 1424, the Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act of 2007. Mr. Speaker, I commend Representatives Kennedy and Ramstad for their leadership in introducing this legislation and shepherding it to the floor. When we consider the numbers of people who suffer from drug addiction, whose lives are filled with anxiety, depression, fear, and uncertainty, we can readily see that more attention must be paid to our mental health needs. When we see the numbers of people living in shelters, halfway houses, and in many instances under viaducts, abandoned cars, and in the streets, when we see the numbers of people who make up the criminally ill, who hurt, injure, maim and sometimes kill other people because they've never been able to shake their demons who disrupt and plague their lives because they've had no mental health attention or treatment, Mr. Speaker, it is clear to me that this is an idea whose time has come. I urge passage of this legislation.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the Senate bill (S. 2478) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 59 Colby Corner in East Hampstead, New Hampshire, as the ``Captain Jonathan D. Grassbaugh Post Office''.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I might consume. As a member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, I am pleased to join my colleagues in the consideration of S. 2478 which names a postal facility in the town of East Hampstead, New Hampshire, after Captain Jonathan D. Grassbaugh. S. 2478, which was introduced in the Senate by Senator John Sununu on December 13, 2007, and passed by the Chamber under unanimous consent on December 19, 2007, has been considered and reported out of the Oversight Committee by voice vote as of January 29, 2008. Like many of the postal naming measures in which this body has previously considered and passed over the past couple of years, S. 2478 seeks to honor the service and dedication of a heroic American serviceman, the Honorable Captain Jonathan D. Grassbaugh, by naming after him the post office in his hometown of East Hampstead, New Hampshire. Born and raised in the fine city of East Hampstead, New Hampshire, Captain Grassbaugh is held in high esteem by friends and family alike who recall him as an exceptional student and active community volunteer. After graduating from high school with honors, Captain Grassbaugh attended Johns Hopkins University where he graduated in 2003 with a bachelor's degree in computer science. During his collegiate pursuits at Johns Hopkins, Captain Grassbaugh also served as the battalion commander for the school's ROTC program. After completing U.S. Army Ranger School in April 2004, Captain Grassbaugh was assigned to the 5th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division out of Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Sadly, however, on April 7, 2007, while serving in Iraq, Captain Jonathan Grassbaugh was tragically killed when an improvised explosive device detonated near his unit in Zaganiyah, Iraq. Mr. Speaker, given Captain Grassbaugh's commitment to his community, his vocation and, of course, his country, I think it only fitting that we pass the underlying measure to designate the post office on Colby Corner in East Hampstead, New Hampshire, as the Captain Jonathan D. Grassbaugh Post Office. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she might consume to Representative Carol Shea-Porter from New Hampshire.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of this resolution and yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3936) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 116 Helen Highway in Cleveland, Georgia, as the ``Sgt. Jason Harkins Post Office Building''.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. As a member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, I am pleased to join my colleagues, particularly the gentleman from Georgia, in the consideration of H.R. 3936, which names a postal facility in Cleveland, Georgia, after a fallen hero, Sergeant Jason Harkins. Introduced on October 23, 2007, H.R. 3936 is sponsored by Congressman Nathan Deal, the Representative from Georgia's Ninth Congressional District and cosponsored by the entire Georgia delegation. Mr. Deal's measure, H.R. 3936, was reported from the Oversight Committee on January 29, 2008, by voice vote. This morning's postal-naming bill honoring Sergeant Jason Harkins brings to light the special story of a staunch soldier who, along with five of his comrades from the Army's 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division out of Fort Lewis, Washington, were tragically killed while serving our country nobly in the Baqubah region of Iraq. Sadly, none of the six soldiers killed in one of the deadliest attacks on the Fort Lewis unit lived to see his 30th birthday. Yet, as soldiers, Sergeant Jason Harkins and his fellow servicemen, all of whom had entered active duty service within only the past 6 years, bravely placed their lives on the front line in allegiance and service to this great country of ours. At the heart of this story is the subject of H.R. 3936, Sergeant Jason R. Harkins. Sergeant Harkins was only 25 years old and serving his second tour of duty in Iraq when he succumbed to wounds sustained from an improvised explosive device that detonated near his vehicle during combat operations. A native of the northern Georgia town of Clarksville, Sergeant Harkins attended and graduated from the State's public school system before enlisting in the Army Reserve in 1999 and later volunteering for active duty service in December of 2002. Described as a true God-fearing country boy, Sergeant Harkins proudly served over 3 years in the U.S. Army Reserves and is a recipient of the Bronze Star of Valor and the Purple Heart. In addition to these honors, Mr. Speaker, let us also pay tribute to the life of Sergeant Harkins and pass H.R. 3936 and designate the Helen Highway Post Office Building in Cleveland, Georgia, in his honor. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to extend and revise their remarks.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, we have no further speakers. I would urge passage of this legislation. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4454) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 3050 Hunsinger Lane in Louisville, Kentucky, as the ``Iraq and Afghanistan Fallen Military Heroes of Louisville Memorial Post Office Building'', in honor of the service men and women from Louisville, Kentucky, who died in service during Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, now I would like to yield such time as he might consume to the sponsor of this legislation, Representative John Yarmuth from Kentucky.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 2272) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service known as the Southpark Station in Alexandria, Louisiana, as the John ``Marty'' Thiels Southpark Station, in honor and memory of Thiels, a Louisiana postal worker who was killed in the line of duty on October 4, 2007.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. As a member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, I am pleased to join my colleagues in the consideration of S. 2272, which names the postal facility in the town of Southpark Station in Alexandria, Louisiana, as the John ``Marty'' Thiels Southpark Station in honor and memory of Thiels, a Louisiana postal worker who was killed in the line of duty on October 4, 2007. S. 2272, which was introduced on October 31, 2007, in the Senate by Senator David Vitter of Louisiana and passed by the Chamber under unanimous consent on November 16, 2007, has been considered and reported out of the Oversight Committee by voice vote as of January 29, 2008. S. 2272 comes to us today from our friends from the State of Louisiana as a way of acknowledging and honoring the work of one of the postal service's own, John Thiels. Affectionately referred to as Marty, Mr. Thiels spent a significant portion of his professional career working for the United States Postal Service. In fact, Thiels served as a letter carrier for nearly 30 years, and 24 years out of those 30 he spent delivering mail to the downtown section of Alexandria, Louisiana. A devout husband and a loving father of four, Mr. Thiels' life was cut dramatically short when on October 4, 2007, a distraught 64-year- old gunman went on a shooting rampage near the Rapides Parish Courthouse in Alexandria, Louisiana, wounding three and killing two, one of whom was John Thiels, and the other was Camille Giordano, II, a 32-year-old assistant district attorney. An obvious and heartbreaking misfortune, Mr. Thiels lost his life while doing something that he had done so diligently for so many years, delivering mail. John Marty Thiels will long be remembered by many in the Alexandria, Louisiana, area for his years of service and his virtuous reputation. Mr. Speaker, let us pay tribute to the life of this gentleman by passing S. 2272 and renaming the Southpark Post Office Station in Alexandria, Louisiana, as the John ``Marty'' Thiels Southpark Station. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.