Blake Farenthold

Mr. FARENTHOLD

Mr. FARENTHOLD. Madam Speaker, I urge all Members to support the passage of this bill, H.R. 3004, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. FARENTHOLD. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, so I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. FARENTHOLD. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. H.R. 3004, introduced by the gentleman from California (Mr. Thompson), would designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 260 California Drive in Yountville, California, as the Private First Class Alejandro R. Ruiz Post Office Building. This bill is cosponsored by the entire California State delegation and was reported by the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on November 3. Madam Speaker, it is altogether fitting and proper that we name this post office in honor of Private First Class Ruiz. Born on April 26, 1924, in Loving, New Mexico, PFC Ruiz enlisted in the Army during World War II and was deployed to the island of Okinawa in 1945. On April 28, 1945, PFC Ruiz and his platoon were ambushed by Japanese soldiers hiding in fortified bunkers. Under a hail of machine gun fire, with enemy grenades being lobbed from every direction, PFC Ruiz single- handedly killed 12 Japanese soldiers and completely destroyed the enemy machine gun nest. In the face of overwhelming odds, PFC Ruiz acted with the utmost courage, risking his own life to save the lives of many of his fellow soldiers. While he was shot in the leg during the battle, PFC Ruiz and his squad leader were the only two men to escape death or serious injury that day. For his bravery and valor, Private First Class Ruiz was presented with the Medal of Honor by President Truman in June of 1946. He went on to continue his service in the Army, fighting in the Korean War and retired a master sergeant in the mid-1960s. Sadly, Madam Speaker, on November 23, 2009, Private First Class Ruiz died of congestive heart failure at a hospital in Napa, California, at 85 years of age. I am truly grateful for the service of Private First Class Ruiz and all the men and women who put their lives on the line to protect and defend our country each day. I urge all Members to join me in strong support of this bill. With that, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. FARENTHOLD. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3004) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 260 California Drive in Yountville, California, as the ``Private First Class Alejandro R. Ruiz Post Office Building''.

Mr. FARENTHOLD

Mr. FARENTHOLD. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2660) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 122 North Holderrieth Boulevard in Tomball, Texas, as the ``Tomball Veterans Post Office''.

Mr. FARENTHOLD

Mr. FARENTHOLD. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 298) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 500 East Whitestone Boulevard in Cedar Park, Texas, as the ``Army Specialist Matthew Troy Morris Post Office Building''.

Mr. FARENTHOLD

Mr. FARENTHOLD. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2079) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 10 Main Street in East Rockaway, New York, as the ``John J. Cook Post Office''.

Mr. FARENTHOLD

Mr. FARENTHOLD. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Ryan) be permitted to revise and extend his remarks and insert extraneous material into the Record.

Mr. FARENTHOLD

Mr. FARENTHOLD. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table the bill (S. 1487) to authorize the Secretary of Homeland Security, in coordination with the Secretary of State, to establish a program to issue Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Business Travel Cards, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. FARENTHOLD

Mr. FARENTHOLD. Mr. Speaker, I send to the desk a concurrent resolution and ask unanimous consent for its immediate consideration.

Mr. FARENTHOLD

Mr. FARENTHOLD. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet at 10 a.m. on Monday, November 7, 2011; when the House adjourns on that day, it adjourn to meet at 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, November 10, 2011; and when the House adjourns on that day, it adjourn to meet at 2 p.m. on Monday, November 14, 2011.

Mr. FARENTHOLD

Mr. FARENTHOLD. This year Mr. Arnold De La Paz, the founder and president of DLP Group, Inc., in Corpus Christi, was named the Small Business Association's Lower Rio Grande Valley District Minority Small Businessperson of the Year. Mr. De La Paz is a service-disabled veteran who started his career with a small painting company and eventually, through hard work and dedication, founded the DLP Group, which is now one of the largest paint manufacturers in America. Mr. De La Paz is one of many small business owners that work every day to live and realize the American Dream. We must continue to foster an environment where job creators like Mr. De La Paz can succeed. We can do that here in Washington by simplifying the Tax Code, reducing government regulation, and getting the Federal budget under control. I think Mr. De La Paz summed it up well when he said, ``Our Nation has always been about the urge to dream and the will to enable it.'' Mr. De La Paz is an example to other small business owners. His contributions as a job creator who has worked tirelessly to put Americans back to work is what this country is based upon.

Mr. FARENTHOLD

Mr. FARENTHOLD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Cally Coleman Fromme, Executive Vice President of Zarsky Lumber Company in Victoria, Texas. Founded in 1928, Zarsky Lumber has ten locations throughout Texas, including Corpus Christi, Kingsville, Harlingen and Los Fresnos, serving builders, contractors and consumers. On October 26, 2011, Cally Fromme will become the first woman to lead the National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association (NLBMDA) as chair of the board. NLBMDA represents the interests of over 6,000 lumber and building material dealers across the country. Prior to becoming NLBMDA chair, Cally served as chair-elect and vice chair of NLBMDA. She also served as chair of the Association's Regulatory, Codes and Standards Committee and as president of the Lumbermen's Association of Texas and Louisiana, becoming the first woman to hold that position as well. A native of Victoria, Texas, Cally graduated with a degree in Business Administration from Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas. She has been honored as one of the Magazine of the Golden Crescent's 2010 Top 5 Businesswomen, as a two time Paul Harris Fellowship winner, and as a North American Retail Hardware Association (NRHA) 2011 Top Gun. Cally has a long history providing service to others, especially in her hometown, as the first woman president of the 92-year-old Victoria Rotary Club and a Red Coat Ambassador for the Greater Victoria Area Chamber of Commerce. Cally has also worked on the boards of the Victoria Economic Development Corporation, the Victoria Regional Museum Association, the Trinity Episcopal School and the Planning Commission for the City of Victoria. She has been politically active since she was a congressional intern in Washington, DC. Cally is married to Travis Fromme, and they have two children, Karoline, age 10 and Coleman, age 7. Congratulations to Cally Fromme for her many achievements throughout her career, and I wish her the best of luck in her future endeavors.

Mr. FARENTHOLD

Mr. FARENTHOLD. I rise today in support of the TRAIN Act. Despite what my friends and colleagues across the aisle say, we are not out to poison America. My children, my wife, I breathe the air and drink the water in this country. What we are asking for is to look at regulations with a scientific analysis and not an emotional analysis. Do what every business in this country does. Do what every family in this country does when they are faced with tough decisions or any decision. When I go to the grocery store, I have the option of buying ramen noodles or lobster, and I usually settle somewhere in the middle on chicken. Businesses look at the cost and benefit of everything that they do just like families do. What we are asking through the TRAIN Act is to take a look at what these oppressive regulations cost. We've got great regulations in place now. We've improved the air immensely. Let's see if it's worth going the next step. We can factor in all of the things that our friends on the other side of the aisle want, but we need to do the study, and we need to have the information so we can make informed decisions. The money that these excessive regulations cost businesses are passed on to the consumer. American families are asked all the time to make sacrifices to make ends meet. As these regulations run up energy costs, our families' electric bills and gasoline bills go up, and they have to make decisions about whether they're going to fill their car with gas or what kind of food they're going to buy, if any, to put on their tables. We have got to keep people working. If these regulations put people out of work, the families that the wage owners support suffer too. They don't have the money to pay their bills. They don't have the money to buy food. They don't have the money to buy medicine. We have got to be as intelligent as we are compassionate. The intelligent thing to do is to do a cost-benefit analysis of what regulations do. That's what we are asking in the TRAIN Act. Let's use our brains.

Mr. FARENTHOLD

Mr. FARENTHOLD. Mr. Speaker, since December, fires have been ravaging drought-stricken Texas, claiming 2 lives, more than 1,500 homes, and 3.5 million acres of land. My deepest prayers and sympathy go out to the victims of these wildfires. My thanks and appreciation go out to those brave firefighters battling these devastating flames. FEMA and the White House must help Texas during this time of natural disaster and provide the tools needed to fight these devastating fires. Disasters like these fires is why FEMA was created. Just this week, fires have crept into eight more counties, forcing thousands to evacuate and wait in fear, praying their homes and life savings don't go up in smoke. I'll do more than pray. The House of Representatives will find the necessary tools to combat this disaster, and I'll push government at all levels to provide the necessary resources for firefighters. If you live in one of these danger zones, like folks in Bastrop and surrounding counties, please listen to Federal, State, and local officials' warnings and advice. And I will continue to pray for rain and the safety of those involved in this disaster and those in harm's way.

Mr. FARENTHOLD

Mr. FARENTHOLD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, S. 349, introduced in the Senate by Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio, would designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 4865 Tallmadge Road in Rootstown, Ohio, as the Marine Sgt. Jeremy E. Murray Post Office. From a young age, Marine Corps Sergeant Jeremy E. Murray had a strong desire to join the military and to serve his country. According to his mother, Pam, Sergeant Murray talked constantly about wanting to join the military. In fact, he prepared so well for boot camp that he was able to break down a rifle faster than his superiors--something that didn't please his drill instructor. Sergeant Murray joined the Marines in 1996, after graduating from Waterloo High School in Atwater Township. He was later assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, and served three tours of duty in Iraq. Tragically, on November 16, 2005, Sergeant Murray was killed by a roadside bomb outside of Fallujah. Sergeant Murray was 27 years old and left behind his wife, Megan, and his son, Ian. He was awarded the Purple Heart, a Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, and a Gold Star for his heroism. In closing, I would like to read a quote from Sergeant Murray, as recalled by his father, Harold. Sergeant Murray told his father, ``If I don't come home, Dad, you know I died proudly. I died for what I wanted to do. This is my lifetime dream.'' America and I are grateful for Sergeant Murray's service to our country and for all our brave men and women in uniform who sacrifice so much for us each and every day. I urge all Members to join me in strong support of this bill. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. FARENTHOLD. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 349) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 4865 Tallmadge Road in Rootstown, Ohio, as the ``Marine Sgt. Jeremy E. Murray Post Office''.

Mr. FARENTHOLD. 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.

Mr. FARENTHOLD

Mr. FARENTHOLD. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Lubbock, Texas (Mr. Neugebauer), the sponsor of this legislation, who represents Texas Tech University and a fine area of west Texas.

Mr. FARENTHOLD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1632, introduced by the gentleman from Texas, Mr. Neugebauer, would designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 5014 Gary Avenue in Lubbock, Texas, as the Sergeant Chris Davis Post Office. The bill is cosponsored by the entire Texas delegation; and, Mr. Speaker, I am proud to be an original cosponsor myself. Mr. Speaker, it is altogether fitting and proper that we name this post office in Lubbock for Army Sergeant Davis to honor a true American hero and his service to our country. Sergeant Davis was born on October 25, 1971, in Lubbock; and according to his sister Margaret, he was always helping people and serving, even from a young age. She recalled that ``he was always helping and serving and always thinking of someone else. That was Chris.'' With his passion for service, Chris joined the Army in 1999 and was eventually assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, based out of Fort Benning, Georgia. While deployed in Iraq, Sergeant Davis was tragically killed on June 23, 2007, when his unit was attacked by insurgents using an improvised explosive device and small arms fire in Baghdad. He was 35 years old and left behind his wife, Debbie, and two children. As a Representative from Texas, it is my honor to stand in this Chamber and pay tribute to fellow Texans who have made the ultimate sacrifice courageously defending our country's freedom. I am truly grateful for the service of Sergeant Chris Davis and for all those who serve and protect us each day. I urge all Members to join me in strong support of this bill. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. FARENTHOLD

Mr. FARENTHOLD. Mr. Speaker, I too urge all Members to support the passage of S. 655, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. FARENTHOLD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. S. 655, introduced in the Senate by Senator Thad Cochran of Mississippi, would designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 95 Dogwood Street in Cary, Mississippi, as the Spencer Byrd Powers, Jr. Post Office. Spencer Byrd Powers, Jr., was born on February 12, 1945, and grew up in Cary, Mississippi, a town that his family has called home for nearly a century. While growing up in Cary, Spencer Powers had a sense of duty and service ingrained in him by his father, uncle, and other relatives, all who bravely served our country during World War II. During the mid-1960s, as the Vietnam War progressed, Spencer Powers decided it was time to step up and serve his country. He was commissioned in the U.S. Army as a second lieutenant and fought valiantly until his tragic death on February 8, 1968, during an offensive attack operation in South Vietnam. He was only 22 years old at the time and just a few days shy of his 23rd birthday. Mr. Speaker, I am truly grateful for each and every member of our armed services that has paid the ultimate price and given the ultimate sacrifice in the name of freedom and in defense of our Nation. Spencer Byrd Powers, Jr., and his family are a great example of the values that make this country a wonderful place, a country where sacrifice, duty, and a selfless desire to serve inspire and motivate people to a cause greater than themselves. To the Powers family and to all the others who have served, I say thank you. I'd like to urge all Members to join me in strong support of this bill. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. FARENTHOLD. 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 S. 655.

Mr. FARENTHOLD. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 655) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 95 Dogwood Street in Cary, Mississippi, as the ``Spencer Byrd Powers, Jr. Post Office''.