Paul Gosar

Mr. GOSAR

Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Zeldin).

Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Amodei).

Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Diaz-Balart).

Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Speaker, I urge the adoption of the bill. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GOSAR

Mr. GOSAR. 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 material on the bill under consideration.

Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today in support of H.R. 5384, the Federal Register Printing Savings Act of 2016, introduced by my colleague on the Oversight and Government Reform Committee, the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Russell). This commonsense legislation will help curb government waste. The Federal Register is aptly described as the official newspaper of the Federal Government. Its daily editions include copies of proposed and final regulations, requests for comment, executive orders, and information concerning other government activities. Today, virtually every Member of Congress, the White House, and many Federal agencies receive printed copies of the Federal Register. It is important to note that Members of Congress do not proactively request, or pay for this service. However, for the public, an annual subscription costs $929 annually. In the days before the Internet, this paper-based service brought great value to Members, agencies, and the White House, allowing them to keep track of activity across the government. Today, though, the full Federal Register is available online in a completely searchable and downloadable format. As a result, offices on Capitol Hill and across the government throw away the paper version every morning, often unopened, resulting in hundreds of thousands of dollars of waste. This legislation, H.R. 5384, would change this dynamic by banning automatic subscriptions to the Federal Register by the Federal Government. Instead, Members of Congress and offices across the Federal Government who still want to receive printed copies would be required to request individual copies, or an annual subscription. This is a simple, good government piece of legislation that will save the American taxpayer potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars every year. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation. I reserve the balance of my time. House of Representatives, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Washington, DC, November 29, 2016. Hon. Candice S. Miller, Chairman, Committee on House Administration, Washington, DC. Dear Madam Chairman: On November 16, 2016, the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform ordered reported without amendment H.R. 5384, the Federal Register Printing Savings Act of 2016. The bill was referred primarily to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, with an additional referral to the Committee on House Administration. I ask that you allow the Committee on House Administration to be discharged from further consideration of the bill so that it may be scheduled by the Majority Leader. This discharge in no way affects your jurisdiction over the subject matter of the bill, and it will not serve as precedent for future referrals. In addition, should a conference on the bill be necessary, I would support your request to have the Committee on House Administration represented on the conference committee. Finally, I would be pleased to include this letter and any response in the bill report filed by the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, as well as in the Congressional Record during floor consideration, to memorialize our understanding. Thank you for your consideration of my request. Sincerely, Jason Chaffetz, Chairman.

Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Speaker, I urge the adoption of the bill. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GOSAR

Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6009) to ensure the effective processing of mail by Federal agencies, and for other purposes.

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

Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of H.R. 6009, the Federal Agency Mail Management Act of 2016, introduced by my colleague on the Oversight and Government Reform Committee, Representative Steve Russell of Oklahoma. This legislation is intended to make a bipartisan technical correction to the Presidential and Federal Records Act Amendments of 2014, enacted as Public Law 113-187. Among the provisions of that bipartisan law was language designed to eliminate outdated references to the General Services Administration, or GSA, relating to records management. These changes updated outdated references from a time period when the National Archives was a part of the GSA. Since the National Archives became independent in 1984, these housekeeping changes were long overdue. However, after the bill was enacted, the GSA and the Archives realized that the GSA had relied upon the now altered provisions for its oversight and management authority for Federal agency mail processing and management, which is a function that had not previously been transferred to the Archives. It was never the intent of the Congress to transfer this function. The Archives and the GSA have been working closely together to ensure the law is being appropriately followed, but both agencies support clarification that this responsibility is properly the GSA's. This legislation provides that exact clarification. Specifically, the bill makes technical corrections to the 2014 law to carve out the responsibility for mailroom management from records management to ensure that the former is properly the GSA's duty and that the latter is the Archives'. I believe this is a commonsense, good-government bill, and I am pleased to see that my colleague Representative Gerald Connolly is a cosponsor. I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I hope it will move quickly through the legislative process so that we can properly resolve any lingering uncertainty that has been created regarding Federal mail management. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Speaker, I urge the adoption of the bill. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GOSAR

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

Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6186) to amend title 5, United States Code, to extend certain protections against prohibited personnel practices, and for other purposes.

Mr. GOSAR

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

Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today in support of my bill, H.R. 6304. The bill designates a post office in Florence, Arizona, as the Adolfo ``Harpo'' Celaya Post Office. Mr. Speaker, this bill honors a great man and an Arizona hero. He has served his Nation both in combat and with a lifetime of community service. That man is Adolfo ``Harpo'' Celaya. The bill being considered here today, H.R. 6304, would designate the United States Postal Service facility in Florence, Arizona, as the Adolfo ``Harpo'' Celaya Post Office. This is a small gesture to honor a man who has given so much to this Nation and to his community. By way of background, Harpo Celaya was born in Florence, Arizona, on May 16, 1927. He worked numerous jobs, including picking cotton and working at the local dairy from the time he was only 8 years old. He earned the nickname ``Harpo'' because he had thick black curls that reminded his friends of Harpo Marx. When he was just 17 years old, he read a recruitment poster that boasted ``Join the Navy, see the world'' and he begged his father to let him join. He was assigned to the USS Indianapolis, the flagship of the 5th Fleet. The Indy saw many battles during World War II, and Harpo was there with the ship at the battle of Iwo Jima and witnessed the historic flag-raising on the island in February of 1945. He was also aboard when the Indy went on a secret mission delivering parts for Little Boy, the atomic bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima. His experiences on the Indy would change his life forever. On the night of July 30, 1945, the Indy was on its way back to the Philippines after a secret mission delivering the atomic bomb. Harpo and many of his mates were sleeping on the deck because it was too hot to sleep in their bunks below. Despite the heat, Harpo covered himself with a blanket, as had been his habit for many years in trying to ward off mosquitoes in the Arizona desert. Shortly after midnight, a Japanese submarine hit the Indy with two torpedoes. Fire tore through the deck, burning Harpo and his mates. Harpo credits his blanket, which was essentially vaporized in the heat, for saving him from being burned more severely. He was en route to retrieve his lifejacket when he ran into his friend, Santos Pena, who told him that the ship was sinking and they needed to abandon it immediately. The USS Indianapolis sank within 12 minutes. The two friends separated after jumping into the water, and 3 days passed before they found each other again. They continued to endure excruciating conditions with their fellow sailors in the choppy open seas, most slowly succumbing to dehydration, exposure, and shark attacks. The survivors of the Indy were eventually rescued after spending almost 5 harrowing days in the water. Of the 1,196 men aboard, only 317 survived. After this incident, Harpo was medically discharged from the Navy and awarded the Purple Heart. Still only 17 years of age, he went back to high school in his hometown of Florence, Arizona, and was recruited to play on the Florence Gophers basketball team. Even though none of the players were over 6 feet tall, Harpo led his team to the Arizona State Basketball Championship and was named captain of the first-string all-state team. Harpo continued his winning streak by playing for and eventually coaching the basketball team at Palo Verde Community College in Blythe, California. Harpo went on to become a cowboy for a few years and eventually ran his own small business, providing heating and air-conditioning services to his new community of San Jose, California. Throughout his life, Harpo could often be found coaching or refereeing games for local youth. He knew firsthand of the value of sports and exercise as a means to keep young boys out of trouble. Harpo's walls are adorned by many plaques and awards honoring his efforts. He is honored in the Arizona Basketball Hall of Fame at Arizona State University, the Florence High School Athletic Hall of Fame, and served as grand marshal for the Florence Junior Parade in November 2009. Harpo Celaya is a true hero, beloved by his hometown of Florence. I would like to thank all of the survivors of the USS Indianapolis for their sacrifice. Of the 23 survivors still alive today, Harpo is the only Native American. We are humbled to honor him today. I would like to thank the town of Florence for their support of this bill and for proposing this great honor for Mr. Celaya. Thank you to the Oversight and Government Reform Committee for their expertise and patience in bringing this bill forward. I urge Members to support my bill. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Speaker, I ask that Members pass this bill. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GOSAR

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

Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today in support of H.R. 5948, introduced by my colleague, Representative Susan Davis of California. The bill designates a post office in Chula Vista, California, as the Jonathan ``J.D.'' De Guzman Post Office Building. Jonathan De Guzman was born in the Philippines in 1972. He later traveled to the United States and became an American citizen and served as an officer with the San Diego Police Department. Officer De Guzman received the Purple Heart for bravery from the San Diego Police Department in 2003 after being stabbed in the line of duty. He returned to work, but tragically was killed in the line of duty in July of this year. I join my colleague, Representative Davis of California, in honoring Officer De Guzman. I urge Members to support the bill. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GOSAR

Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6138) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 560 East Pleasant Valley Road, Port Hueneme, California, as the U.S. Naval Construction Battalion ``Seabees'' Fallen Heroes Post Office Building.

Mr. GOSAR. 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 material on the bill under consideration.

Mr. GOSAR. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 6138, introduced by the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Brownley). The bill designates a post office in Port Hueneme, California, as the U.S. Naval Construction Battalion ``Seabees'' Fallen Heroes Post Office Building. The Seabees were founded during World War II to help complete construction projects, such as airstrips and bridges necessary to help U.S. servicemen win the war. These brave servicemen and -women have since risked their lives in many conflicts to build bases, roadways, airstrips, and other construction projects, often in combat zones while under fire. I look forward to hearing more about the achievements of the Seabees from the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Brownley). For now, I urge Members to support the bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GOSAR. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Speaker, I urge the adoption of the bill. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GOSAR

Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6282) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 2024 Jerome Avenue, in Bronx, New York, as the ``Dr. Roscoe C. Brown, Jr. Post Office Building''.