John McHugh

Mr. McHUGH

Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on the bill just passed, H.R. 681.

Mr. McHUGH

Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 282) to designate the U.S. Post Office building located at 153 East 110th Street, New York, NY, as the ``Oscar Garcia Rivera Post Office Building''.

Mr. McHUGH

Mr. McHUGH. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California [Mr. Rogan], Mr. Moorhead's successor in this Congress.

Mr. McHUGH. Madam Speaker, I am honored to yield two minutes to the gentleman from California [Mr. McKeon].

Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Hyde], the primary sponsor of this legislation, the distinguished chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary. (Mr. HYDE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. McHUGH

Mr. McHUGH. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on H.R. 2564, the bill just passed.

Mr. McHUGH

Mr. McHUGH. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure be discharged from further consideration of the bill, H.R. 1249, and that H.R. 1249 be rereferred to the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight.

Mr. McHUGH

Mr. McHUGH. Madam Speaker, I have no requests for time at this moment, and conclude with a final urging to my colleagues to supporting this very worthy legislation for a very, very worthy recipient. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. McHUGH

Mr. McHUGH. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, H.R. 2129 designates the U.S. Post Office located at 150 North 3d Street in Steubenville, OH, as the Douglas Applegate Post Office. The legislation was introduced by the gentleman from Ohio [Mr. Traficant] and cosponsored by the entire House delegation from the State of Ohio, as in accordance with the policy of the Committee on Government Reform and House Oversight. Mr. Applegate was born and educated in Steubenville. He served in the Ohio House of Representatives and the Ohio Senate for 8 years, respectively. He was then elected to the 95th Congress by Ohio's 18th Congressional District, and reelected each term until his retirement after the 103d Congress. Mr. Applegate was known as an advocate of America's veterans, and was chairman of the Subcommittee on Compensation, Pension, and Insurance of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Though he was known as a quiet worker, he strongly and emphatically defended American jobs. Madam Speaker, H.R. 2129 designates the U.S. Post Office located at 150 North 3d Street in Steubenville, OH, as the Douglas Applegate Post Office. The legislation was introduced by Mr. Traficant and cosponsored by the entire House delegation from the State of Ohio in accordance with the policy of the Committee on the Government Reform and Oversight. Mr. Applegate was born and educated in Steubenville. He served in the Ohio House of Representatives and the Ohio Senate for 8 years respectively. He was then elected to the 95th Congress by Ohio's 18th Congressional District and reelected each term until his retirement after the 103d Congress. Mr. Applegate was known as an advocate of America's veterans and was the chairman of the Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Compensation, Pensions, and Insurance. Though he was known as a quiet worker, he strongly and emphatically defended American jobs. Madam Speaker, I urge our colleagues to support H.R. 2129 designating the U.S. Post Office located at 150 North 3d Street in Steubenville, OH, as the Douglas Applegate Post Office. Madam Speaker, the Congressional Budget Office has affirmed that the legislation contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 and would impose no costs on State, local, or tribal governments. Madam Speaker, I would say, as happened earlier this afternoon with our tribute to a former colleague, Mr. Moorhead, that Mr. Applegate as well represents the kind of dignity, the kind of hard work and honesty, that this body strives for each and every day. And he certainly would represent a very, very fitting recipient of this postal naming bill, and I urge the support by all of my colleagues. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. McHUGH. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time. I would join with the gentleman from Ohio [Mr. Traficant], a man who is known for his plain words and straight-to-the-point comments on this floor, and he has done them again here today, and his very poignant tribute to a former colleague. I urge all of our colleagues to support passage of this bill. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. McHUGH

Mr. McHUGH. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on the bill just passed, H.R. 2013.

Mr. McHUGH

Mr. McHUGH. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on H.R. 2129, the bill just passed.

Mr. McHUGH

Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Chairman, I rise to a point of order.

Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Chairman, section 519, found on page 81, lines 13 through 16 of the legislation before us, applies not only to current appropriations, but incorporates by reference the permanent appropriations authority contained in title 39 United States Code section 2401(a), and thus violates clause 2 of rule XXI of the House prohibiting reporting a provision which changes existing law.

Mr. McHUGH

Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1254 was introduced by the gentleman from Missouri [Mr. Blunt] on April 29. This legislation, as has been noted, designates the U.S. Post Office located at Bennett and Kansas Avenue in Springfield, MO, as the ``John N. Griesemer Post Office Building''. The amendment at the desk, Mr. Speaker, corrects the address of the building to 1919 West Bennett Street. The exact assignment of the street address was not known when the bill was originally drafted. Mr. Speaker, in accordance with the policy of the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight, the bill is cosponsored by the entire House delegation of the State of the sponsoring Member, the State of Missouri. The measure was before the Subcommittee on Postal Service on June 5 and was approved, as amended, by all the subcommittee members. Mr. Speaker, the legislation obviously honors John N. Griesemer, who was born in Mount Vernon, MO, and, as I am sure we will hear later from the sponsor of the bill, amassed a long and very admirable record in civic and public duties. Most particularly of interest to the subcommittee and to myself, Mr. Speaker, the gentleman was, in 1984, named by President Reagan to serve on the U.S. Postal Board of Governors. He was elected chairman of the Board in 1987 and 1988 and served for 3 years as the Board's vice chairman. I think it is for this reason particularly, Mr. Speaker, that the naming of this post office in memory of a man who served with distinction through his entire public life, but particularly served with distinction as a member of the very body that governs the Postal Service, makes this bill so very appropriate. Mr. Speaker, I commend the gentleman from Missouri [Mr. Blunt], the Missouri delegation, and I wish to thank our full committee chairman and ranking members for their cooperation in bringing this, I think, very worthy piece of legislation to the floor. I would urge our colleagues to support this bill, as amended. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Missouri [Mr. Blunt], the primary sponsor of this legislation. (Mr. BLUNT asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1254) to designate the U.S. Post Office building located at Bennett and Kansas Avenue in Springfield, MO, as the ``John N. Griesemer Post Office Building,'' as amended.

Mr. McHUGH

Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on H.R. 1254.

Mr. McHUGH

Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, in literally every congressional district this past May 10, letter carriers did more than deliver the mail. They also collected food donations along their routes to help needy families in their own communities. In only its fifth year, the National Association of Letter Carriers' national food drive delivered more than 72.3 million pounds of donations to local food banks and pantries, and just at a time when supplies were getting low. I want to congratulate those letter carriers who helped in the drive as well as NALC's partners in the effort--the U.S. Postal Service, the AFL-CIO, and local United Ways--and also the Campbell Soup Co., which not only donated 20 million pounds of canned goods, but also printed 92 million postcard flyers to help get citizen participation. These letter carriers truly fit the motto, ``Delivering for America.''

Mr. McHUGH

Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1585 was introduced by the gentlewoman from New York [Ms. Molinari], our distinguished colleague, on May 13. She was joined at that time by the gentleman from California [Mr. Fazio] and the gentleman from Georgia [Mr. Norwood] in cosponsoring the bill at introduction. I would like, Mr. Speaker, to recognize the work done by these Members in promoting the need for the additional funds hopefully provided under this bill for breast cancer research and for bringing the measure to the floor. I think they have all done a very, very admirable piece of legislating. Mr. Speaker, I would, however, also like to particularly sing loud the efforts of the gentlewoman from New York [Ms. Molinari], whose efforts here in this session of Congress I really think generated the support amongst the leadership that was necessary to bring this measure to the floor at this time, and also the gentleman from California [Mr. Fazio] for his early work in helping develop a former bill. Also, Mr. Speaker, a tip of the hat to the gentleman from Indiana [Mr. Burton], chairman of the full committee, for his leadership in assisting us through the subcommittee and to the floor, and of course to the entire House leadership for their understanding. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1585, the Stamp Out Breast Cancer Act, as introduced, allows postal patrons, for the first time in this country, to contribute to funding for breast cancer research through the voluntary purchase of certain specially issued U.S. postal stamps. Mr. Speaker, I believe this bill represents an innovative way to generate money for breast cancer research and is similar to a measure that was passed in the other body as an amendment to this year's Treasury appropriations bill. Mr. Speaker, we are aware that some concerns regarding the bill as originally written have been expressed. Therefore, the manager's amendment at the desk, I believe, will improve the legislation even further and, hopefully, will address many of those concerns. The idea of this kind of postage stamp, semipostal, as it is known in the industry, is indeed innovative in the United States. As I mentioned, Mr. Speaker, I believe this is the first time this approach has been taken here in America, but the concept is not new. Semipostals have been discussed and the proposals for such have been floated over the years for various causes, but they have not had in the past the support that this proposal has garnered. It may interest the body to know, Mr. Speaker, that Canada, the largest geographic nation in our hemisphere, but with less population and less mail than the mail stream in the United States, has been issuing these kinds of postal stamps since 1990. Canada Post Corporation adopted a literacy awareness as its cause of choice in 1989 and has been issuing these kinds of stamps without governmental and parliamentary intervention ever since. Mr. Speaker, these special postage stamps will be made available to the public no later than 1 year after the date of enactment. The amount designated for breast cancer research due to this bill will be the total amount of revenue received by the Postal Service because of the enactment minus the reasonable cost incurred by the Postal Service attributed to the printing, sale, and distribution of these stamps. Under this legislation, Mr. Speaker, the Postmaster General would be required to include this program in the annual report of the Postal Service and transmit its findings to the Congress. At a minimum, the report would include the amount of funds received as a result of this legislation and the reasonable cost claimed to be incurred in establishing the volunteer program. Finally, Mr. Speaker, the Comptroller of the United States, through the offices of the GAO, will be required to complete an evaluation to judge the effectiveness and the appropriateness of the authority to raise funds in this manner in a description of the cost to the Postal Service incurred for the administration of the program. Mr. Speaker, I firmly believe that a good deal of thought has gone into this base bill, a great deal of additional work on the part of all the cosponsors has gone into the compromise that is entailed in the amended version in the manager's amendment. But most importantly, Mr. Speaker, I know this proposal represents a necessary, thoughtful, and ultimately productive way to assist this Nation's scientific community in the vitally important quest for a cure of this deadly killer. Sadly, Mr. Speaker, most people in the United States have in some way been impacted by this terrible disease. Today, through the adoption of this bill, the House has its opportunity to make a stand against this disease, and in the process, give every woman and including those who know, love, and care for them, new hope. Again, I thank the sponsors of this legislation for their hard work and concerns, and as a final note again, to particularly the gentlewoman from New York [Ms. Molinari] for once again being the conscience of this House. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I too have no further requests for time. Let me just briefly, in closing, again thank all of those who have been involved in this initiative. I want to pay, too, a tribute to the gentleman from California [Mr. Lantos], my colleague, for his leadership here today. I think it very clearly emphasizes the bipartisan nature of this bill and certainly recognizes the bipartisan tragedy that this disease can bring, and I urge all my colleagues to support this initiative.

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

Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Maryland [Mrs. Morella] a woman who has always been at the forefront of health issues, and particularly women's health issues, and an original cosponsor of the first Fazio bill on this initiative.

Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California again for his work and for his kind comments. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentlewoman from New York [Ms. Molinari], whose important efforts on this bill have already been amply described.