Stephen Lynch

Mr. LYNCH

Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, at this time I would like to yield such time as she may consume to the lead sponsor of this measure, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee).

Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, at this time I would like to yield 3 minutes to a cosponsor of this measure, the gentlelady from the U.S. Virgin Islands, Donna Christensen.

Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, at this time I would like to yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia, Mr. Hank Johnson, also a cosponsor of this resolution.

Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, in conclusion, I'd just ask all of our Members to support Ms. Barbara Lee, the lead sponsor of this legislation, in support of Caribbean-American Heritage Month, and I ask all of our Members to join her in that effort.

Mr. LYNCH. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LYNCH

Mr. LYNCH. Madam Speaker, I would like to thank Chairman Towns and Chairman Skelton for their leadership on this bill, H.R. 2990, and I am pleased to be a cosponsor of this bill. There is a saying which is true, that we can never fully repay our men and women in uniform for what they have given to our Nation. We can never fully repay them for their sacrifice and their service. But I am happy to say that Chairman Skelton is trying his best, along with Chairman Towns and the ranking member, to do just that. As chairman of the Subcommittee on the Federal Workforce, Postal Service and the District of Columbia, I am delighted that key civil service retirement provisions are also approved by this Chamber included in the measure being considered today. Federal employee and postal unions, as well as employee retiree and management groups, all support these provisions. These provisions will improve the Federal Employee Retirement System by providing workers with retirement credit for unused sick leave. Additionally, the civil service retirement annuity calculations problem for those employees who wish to phase down to part-time work at the end of their Federal careers will also be rectified. The Office of Personnel Management has long supported this fix as a way to retain the skilled and knowledgeable employees who are nearing the end of their careers at a time of a more mature Federal workforce. The government, as an employer, must take the lead in addressing these workplace realities. This bill will also provide retirement credit for hundreds of D.C. Government employees who now serve as Federal employees. I would like to make it clear that these retirement provisions are paid for by treating Federal workers in Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Northern Mariana Islands the same as all other Federal employees, and I look forward to working with the respective delegates of those areas on this issue.

Mr. LYNCH

Mr. LYNCH. Madam Chair, I thank the gentleman from North Carolina for his work on this bill. I also thank the Chairman for incorporating my amendment into the manager's amendment and for giving me time to speak. My amendment to H.R. 2892, the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act would afford D.H.S. workers the right to voluntarily don and access personal protective equipment (PPE), including surgical masks, the N-95 respirator, gloves and hand sanitizer without fear of reprisal. Given the reluctance on the part of D.H.S. to address the voluntary use of personal protective equipment amidst the H1N1 flu outbreak, as Chair of the Federal Workforce Subcommittee, it has fallen on my shoulders to ensure the health and safety of Federal employees-- especially frontline Federal workers at D.H.S. who are tasked with the tremendous job of keeping the American public safe. In my opinion it is unconscionable that our workers have been repeatedly denied the use of these protective items--and even threatened with disciplinary action for attempting to protect themselves from a communicable disease that has resulted in the World Health Organization, WHO, declaring its highest pandemic alert possible--Phase Six. Further, it is alarming that D.H.S. has been unable--or unwilling--to issue and to distribute comprehensive, written guidance on the voluntary usage of PPE to its own employees during a public health emergency. Federal workers such as Transportation Security Officers, TSOS, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol Officers and Border Patrol Agents, and ICE Agents who work in high risk areas and come in contact with thousands of individuals per shift deserve better. C.B.P. Officers working at the Laredo, Texas port of entry and the Otay Mesa port of entry in San Diego, CA, can screen over 5,000 individuals per shift and have been routinely threatened for asking to wear masks. The nineteen-month-old baby of an ICE agent in Miami, Florida, who works at the Krome Immigration Service Processing Center which has six confirmed H1N1 flu cases, has been diagnosed with the H1N1 virus. I simply cannot fathom why these workers are not being supported, but I am committed to ensuring that common-sense policies are implemented at D.H.S. It is essential that Federal agencies implement adequate and uniform worker protection policies for the employees who protect the Nation as part of their daily duties. These are the very employees who will be called upon to respond in the event of an emergency. Without such policies, not only is the health of front line employees being put at risk, but the health of their families and the general welfare of the public is also placed at risk. In short, the Federal Government cannot ably respond to emergencies if the very personnel needed as part of that response are themselves compromised. I thank Chairmen Price and Thompson for their support of this amendment.

Mr. LYNCH

Mr. LYNCH. Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of an outstanding soldier and my good friend, Maj. Michael S. Avey, whose exemplary and dedicated service as a Congressional Liaison Officer in support of the United States House of Representatives stands as a testament to the honor and excellence of the United States Army. A native of Redford, Michigan, Maj. Avey joined the United States Army House Liaison Division in January of 2008, following the completion of his one-year post as a Staff Action Officer with the United States Army Joint Staff. Maj. Avey's prior military experience also includes distinguished service in Bosnia-Herzegovina as part of Stabilization Force 8 and deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, during which he commanded the A/2-327th Infantry Regiment with distinction. In recognition of his distinguished service, Maj. Avey has received several military awards and decorations, including the Bronze Star Medal, two Army Meritorious Service Medals, the Ranger Tab, and the Combat Infantryman Badge. For the past year and a half, Maj. Avey has provided exemplary and indispensable service to Members of Congress and staff as a Congressional Liaison Officer for the United States Army. In addition to assisting our offices on all matters relating to United States Army practice and policy, Maj. Avey has played an instrumental role in the design, development, and execution of Congressional Delegations, through which Members of Congress are afforded the invaluable opportunity to conduct firsthand oversight of areas of legislative concern. Since joining the Army House Liaison Division, Maj. Avey has served as my primary military liaison and escort officer on several Congressional Delegations, including site visits to Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, and the Gaza Strip. Accordingly, I have had ample opportunity to witness the excellence, professionalism, and pride with which Maj. Avey conducts his work and in particular, the extent of his admirable commitment to ensuring the safety and security of Members and staff. In addition, I have also had the great privilege to come to know Maj. Avey on a personal level and can genuinely say that his character never fails to reflect the loyalty, honor, and distinction that have come to define his service in the United States Army. Madam Speaker, Maj. Michael S. Avey stands as the personification of the United States Army's motto, ``Army Strong.'' On behalf of the entire United States House of Representatives, I would like to express my deepest and sincerest gratitude to Maj. Avey for his exemplary and dedicated service and wish him, his wife, Margaret, his son, Brendan, and his daughter, Kate, the best of luck on all of their future endeavors.

Mr. LYNCH

Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2470) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 19190 Cochran Boulevard FRNT in Port Charlotte, Florida, as the ``Lieutenant Commander Roy H. Boehm Post Office Building''.

Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks.

Mr. LYNCH. I thank the gentleman from California for his words in support of this measure. I also want to thank Congressman Rooney for being the lead sponsor here, the gentleman from Florida. In closing, I again urge my colleagues to join me in honoring Lieutenant Commander Roy Boehm for his good work through the passage of H.R. 2470.

Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, I stand for the consideration of H.R. 2470, legislation that designates the United States Postal Service facility located at 19190 Cochran Boulevard, FRNT, in Port Charlotte, Florida, as the ``Lieutenant Commander Roy H. Boehm Post Office Building''. Introduced by Representative Thomas J. Rooney on May 18, 2009, and reported out of the Government Reform and Oversight Committee on June 4, 2009, by unanimous consent, H.R. 2470 enjoys the support of Florida's entire House congressional delegation. A longtime resident of Punta Gorda, Florida, Lieutenant Commander Roy Boehm served with distinction in the United States Navy for over 30 years. Lieutenant Commander Boehm enlisted in the United States Navy in April of 1941 at the age of 17. His subsequent and remarkable Navy career included service in World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War, and resulted in his receipt of nearly 30 military awards, including the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star with Valor Device and the Meritorious Service Medal. Notably, Lieutenant Commander Boehm's extensive combat experience over the course of three wars led him to determine that highly specialized and diverse training would give his men a significant tactical advantage in the conduct of unconventional warfare. Accordingly, in 1960, Lieutenant Commander Boehm began developing, designing and assembling an elite special operations unit within the United States Navy that would later become known as the Navy SEALs. In fact, Commander Boehm was the first officer in charge of the Navy SEAL team, which is why he became known as the first United States Navy SEAL. United States Navy Admiral Whitey Taylor acknowledged Lieutenant Commander Boehm's influence on the SEAL program in a 1997 letter to Boehm where it says, ``John F. Kennedy was right. The U.S. Navy SEALs will bear your mark as long as they and the freedom they fight for continues to exist,'' wrote Admiral Taylor. In addition to his distinguished military service, Lieutenant Commander Boehm was equally admired for his longstanding support of military veterans within his Punta Gorda community. Regrettably, Lieutenant Commander Boehm passed away on December 30, 2008, at his Punta Gorda home at the age of 84. It is my hope that we can somehow honor his outstanding legacy and service to our country through the passage of H.R. 2470 and by designating the Port Charlotte Postal Facility on Cochran Boulevard in his honor. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 2470. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LYNCH. I yield back the balance of our time.

Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, we have no further speakers on this. I continue to reserve our time.

Mr. LYNCH

Mr. LYNCH. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2325) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1300 Matamoros Street in Laredo, Texas, as the ``Laredo Veterans Post Office''.

Mr. LYNCH. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks.

Mr. LYNCH. I now yield myself as much time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to present for consideration H.R. 2325, which is legislation to designate the United States postal facility located at 1300 Matamoros Street in Laredo, Texas, as the Laredo Veterans Post Office. Introduced by my colleague Representative Henry Cuellar of Texas on May 7, 2009, and reported out of the Oversight Committee by unanimous consent on June 4, 2009, H.R. 2325 enjoys the support of the entire Texas House congressional delegation. As evidenced by the short title of the bill, the legislation before us seeks to pay tribute to all the brave men and women from the city of Laredo, Texas, as well as the State of Texas and across the United States who have served our Nation in the United States military both at home and abroad. Over 23 million American military veterans are currently living in the United States, including nearly 2 million veterans living in the State of Texas alone. These fine Americans as well as those that are no longer with us have devoted their lives to the defense and security of our Nation, notwithstanding the great personal risk and sacrifice they must endure. We are eternally in their debt and forever grateful for their noble and selfless dedication to our Nation and the preservation of its founding principles. Madam Speaker, I again want to thank the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Cuellar) for being the lead sponsor of this legislation and offering such a thoughtful and considerate measure in honor of his constituents. With that, let us also pay tribute to the distinguished service of our veterans from the city of Laredo, from the State of Texas and across the Nation by designating the Laredo Post Office in their honor. I urge my colleagues to join me and Representative Cuellar in supporting H.R. 2325. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LYNCH. Madam Speaker, at this time I would like to yield 5 minutes to the lead sponsor of this legislation, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Cuellar).

Mr. LYNCH. Madam Speaker, I just urge our colleagues to join with Congressman Cuellar in naming this post office in memory and in honor of our United States and Texas veterans. With that, I yield back the balance of our time.

Mr. LYNCH. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. LYNCH

Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, in closing, I just join with the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Carter) for the purpose of supporting this measure which will honor First Lieutenant Kile West. I yield back the balance of our time.

Mr. LYNCH. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, as chairman of the House subcommittee with jurisdiction over the United States Postal Service, I am pleased to present H.R. 2422, as amended, for consideration this afternoon. The bill before us will designate the United States postal facility located at 702 East University Avenue in Georgetown, Texas, as the ``Kyle G. West Post Office Building.'' Introduced by our colleague Representative John Carter of Texas on May 14, 2009, and reported out of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee on June 4th, 2009, by unanimous consent, H.R. 2422 enjoys the support of the entire Texas House delegation. A resident of Hutto, Texas, First Lieutenant Kyle G. West bravely served in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom with the United States Army's 6th Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, out of Fort Hood, Texas. On Memorial Day, May 28, 2007, First Lieutenant West and four fellow members of his unit were killed in Abu Sayda, Iraq, when their Bradley Fighting Vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device. The soldiers had been out on a rescue mission in support of comrades who had been downed in a helicopter. After graduating in 2001 from Hutto High School in Texas, First Lieutenant West attended Blinn College and subsequently received a degree in business management from Stephen F. Austin State University in 2005. In pursuit of his lifelong dream to serve in the United States military, First Lieutenant West joined the ROTC program at Stephen F. Austin as a junior, and eventually rose to sergeant in the Texas National Guard out of Lufkin, Texas. Included among Kyle's National Guard duties were assisting in the Columbia shuttle recovery efforts in 2003, as well as serving in Louisiana following Hurricane Katrina. Kyle was commissioned into the United States Army as a second lieutenant on the eve of his college graduation ceremony and subsequently deployed to Iraq on October 3, 2006. In addition to his dedication to his unit and his country, Kyle is equally remembered for his devotion to his family and to his friends. As recalled in a May 31, 2007, article in the Austin American- Statesman, Kyle was a devoted son, a protective big brother, and a loyal friend who is still known in his old neighborhood for rounding up friends to take care of a local grackle problem while all the adults were at work. Mr. Speaker, First Lieutenant Kyle West's life stands as a testament to the bravery and devotion of the heroic men and women who have served and continue to serve our Nation at home and abroad. It is my sincere hope that we can honor this young soldier through the passage of H.R. 2422 and rename the Georgetown, Texas, postal facility as the Lieutenant Kyle G. West Post Office Building. I urge my colleagues to do the same. I reserve the balance of our time.

Mr. LYNCH. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2422) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 702 East University Avenue in Georgetown, Texas, as the ``Kyle G. West Post Office Building'', as amended.

Mr. LYNCH. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks.

Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I reserve my time.