John McHugh

Mr. McHUGH

Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, let me in closing extend my words of appreciation and thanks both to the gentlewoman from Michigan [Miss Collins], the ranking member on the subcommittee, and to the gentlewoman from Illinois [Mrs. Collins], the ranking member on the full committee, for their support, and their efforts, and their leadership on these bills. We are all very appreciative of their efforts. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. McHUGH

Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, the measure before us was voted on favorably by the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1880 was introduced by Representative Ray LaHood of Illinois and it is cosponsored by the entire House Delegation of the State of Illinois per the requirement of the committee rules. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1880 honors the late Edward Madigan. Mr. Madigan was a respected member of this body and was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives 10 times by his Illinois constituents. While serving in the House, Mr. Madigan became the ranking Republican member on the Agriculture Committee in the 98th Congress. In 1991, President Bush nominated Mr. Madigan to be the 24th Secretary of Agriculture; he was confirmed by the Senate by a vote of 99 to 0. Mr. Madigan was a native of Lincoln, IL, and a graduate of Lincoln College. I urge all our colleagues to support H.R. 1880. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. McHUGH

Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2262) to designate the United States Post Office building located at 218 North Alston Street in Foley, AL, as the ``Holk Post Office Building.''

Mr. McHUGH

Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 806, on the way to the Chamber, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. McHUGH

Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to pay tribute to Clyde Lewis of Plattsburgh, NY, one of the most outstanding patriots of the 24th District of New York and perhaps our Nation. The residents of northern New York and leaders throughout the Air Force know Mr. Lewis as the Father of Plattsburgh Air Force Base. Mr. Lewis was instrumental in bringing the Air Force to Plattsburgh and over the years helped make Plattsburgh Air Force Base the best of the best. He has also helped the community endure the recent closing of Plattsburgh Air Force Base with grace, pride, and dignity. Mr. Lewis formed the original Air Base Liaison Commission in July 1952. Its purpose was to represent Plattsburgh and help establish an Air Force based in the area. The commission succeeded in bringing the air base to Plattsburgh and on January 29, 1954, groundbreaking ceremonies were held. While the Air Base Liaison Commission changed its name to the Air Base Liaison Committee in 1958, its duties and firm support of the Air Force did not change. As chairman of the commission and committee, Mr. Lewis committed steadfast support for the men and women of the Air Force and their mission at Plattsburgh. Mr. Lewis understood that Plattsburgh Air Force Base would be key to a strong national defense and that support from the community would be crucial to the success of the mission as well. Mr. Lewis, himself, had a long and distinguished career in the military. During World War II, he enlisted in the Army Air Force and was appointed an aviation cadet. He earned his wings and was commissioned in March 1943 and served two tours less one mission with the 401st Bomb Group of the 8th Air Force. Mr. Lewis served successively as a flight commander, operations officer and B-17 squadron commander. Mr. Lewis received numerous honors throughout his military career, including the Distinguished Flying Cross with two oak leaf clusters, the Air Medal with seven oak leaf clusters, the Distinguished Unit Citation with one oak leaf cluster, France's Croix de Guerre with palm and the European Theater of Operations Campaign Medal with six battle stars. Mr. Lewis has also been involved in numerous civic activities and professional organizations. In 1948 the New York Chamber of Commerce honored him as Outstanding Young Man of the Year and in 1949 he was named National Commander in Chief of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the first World War II veteran to serve in that position. He continues to be active in the VFW on the national level. He served as chairman of the Plattsburgh Air Base Liaison Commission from 1952 to 1959 and from 1959 on, he served as chairman of the Air Base Liaison Committee. In 1975 Mr. Lewis participated in the National Security Forum, Air War College and in 1978 the Department of Defense Joint Civilian Orientation Conference. He is a member of the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus and the U.S. Strategic Institute and Defense Orientation Conference. He is also a member of the Clinton County, New York State and American Bar Associations. Mr. Speaker, Clyde Lewis is an inspiration to every American. He is a true leader and an example to each and every one of us of what can be accomplished with persistence, faith and dedication. And for all that he has done, and will continue to do, we owe him a great debt of gratitude.

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. 1026 the bill just considered.

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. 1606, the bill just considered.

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 reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to report that the legislation before us, H.R. 1026, was approved unanimously by the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight. This legislation, designating the U.S. Post Office located at 201 East Pikes Peak Avenue, Colorado Springs, CO, be named the ``Winfield Scott Stratton Post Office,'' was introduced by the gentleman from Colorado [Mr. Hefley], and was cosponsored by his full State Delegation, as required by committee policy. H.R. 1026 honors the late Mr. Stratton, a Colorado Springs philanthropist and benefactor. Mr. Stratton was one of many adventurers who came to Colorado seeking their fortune. He literally struck gold in discovering a rich deposit in the mines of Cripple Creek, CO. Mr. Stratton believed it was the duty of the fortunate to use their wealth in the development of their community. In keeping with this personal philosophy, he dedicated the rest of his life to helping others less fortunate and to advancing the development of Colorado Springs and Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I support the passage of H.R. 1026 and urge our colleagues to do the same. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Colorado [Mr. Hefley].

Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1026) to designate the U.S. Post Office building located at 201 East Pikes Peak Avenue in Colorado Springs, CO, as the ``Winfield Scott Stratton Post Office.''

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, the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight voted favorably on the measure before us. Congressman Reed of Rhode Island introduced H.R. 1606 and was joined by his State delegation in cosponsoring his bill, as required by committee policy. This legislation designates the main U.S. Post Office in Providence, RI, be named the ``Harry Kizirian Post Office.'' The measure before us honors Mr. Kizirian, a World War II marine veteran and former Providence Postmaster. Mr. Kizirian is Rhode Island's most decorated living veteran and was a career postal worker who held the position of Providence Postmaster for 25 years until his retirement. Mr. Speaker, I urge our colleagues to support H.R. 1606, a bill which would name a Post Office after the postal employee who served as Postmaster at the facility for 25 years. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1606) to designate the United States Post Office building located at 24 Corliss Street, Providence, RI, as the ``Harry Kizirian Post Office Building.''

Mr. McHUGH

Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight be discharged from consideration of (H.R. 2077) to designate the U.S. Post Office building located at 33 College Avenue in Waterville, ME, as the ``George J. Mitchell Post Office Building,'' and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I would note that the bill is to designate the U.S. Post Office building located at 33 College Avenue in Waterville, ME as the George J. Mitchell Post Office Building.

Mr. McHUGH

Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill, H.R. 2077.

Mr. McHUGH

Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the bill, H.R. 2077, be rereferred from the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure to the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight. I am informed, Mr. Speaker, there are no objections from the minority of the Committee to this referral.

Mr. McHUGH

Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, we have an opportunity to remedy one of the unfair burdens placed upon the conscientious citizens of this country who pay their bills on time but, who through no fault of their own, are slapped with interest charges because of the delays of others. Over the years, many of us have been contacted by constituents who have incurred problems with payments they have mailed and were not delivered on time. It has even been suggested that some creditors go as far as to slow down the process as payment due dates approach so as to allow interest charges to accrue. This usually results in late fees and can even affect credit ratings. Mr. Speaker, if this sounds familiar, it is because this problem is a frequently discussed topic on Talknet, a radio show hosted by Bruce Williams. The focus of Bruce Williams' show is on the life in the real world concerns of his listeners. Today I am introducing the Postmark Prompt Payment Act of 1995 to correct this inequity by allowing the postmark on the envelope containing the payment to be proof of timely payment. The use of the postmark has precedence in contract law. For example, the Internal Revenue Service uses the postmark on envelopes as proof that taxpayers mailed income tax returns on or before the April 15 deadline, regardless of when the IRS received the payment. If the IRS uses the postmark as proof of timely payment, then why can't the banks or credit card companies? This legislation would not apply to any other type of payment other than on a blll, invoice or statement of account due and would only apply to payments made through the mail and excludes metered mail. Furthermore, the envelope would have to be correctly addressed to the payee and have adequate postage affixed to it. Mr. Speaker, this legislation has 20 original cosponsors. I believe everyone who values their good credit will benefit from this legislation. Let's show the American people our resolve to remedy the payment due problem.

Mr. McHUGH

Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Chairman, reclaiming my time, I would still suggest, in all reverence to the gentleman's service, that I have an Army facility with more than 30,000 people of Army service on it, and I have talked to many of them, and they do support it. It is my belief that that in fact would be almost unanimous across the spectrum. I call for the rejection of this amendment.

Mr. McHUGH. I yield to the gentleman from Missouri.

Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words. Let me start off by offering my congratulations to the gentlewoman from Nevada [Mrs. Vucanovich] for a remarkable job in presenting a very fair and balanced, and I think effective, piece of legislation. Mr. Chairman, one of the more important skills, it seems to me, that any legislator should possess is the ability to separate emotions from merits, and I would suggest that this amendment is a true test of that skill. I want to assure the Chair and the Members of this body that I have the utmost respect for both the gentleman from Alabama, as well as the gentleman from California. But I would also suggest that on this occasion we differ, because this amendment, while very long on emotion, Mr. Chairman, falls very short on the merits, and I wanted to associate myself with the words of the gentleman from Texas [Mr. Edwards] when he said that he respected the Citizens Against Government Waste. I am proud to say that I have earned their taxpayer hero award in the past. I have my little hat that I like to wear on important occasions. But my respect does not cloak them in a gown of infallibility, and indeed on this issue they are dead wrong. Let me make just a few points about some of the things that we raised in their letter that they circulated this morning. The first, that the Army already has 48 museums, is misleading at best. Most of these facilities are nothing more than a room set aside in some remote facility, some remote post across the United States, same kinds of rooms that are set aside in virtually every branch of the military and cannot, by any reasonable stretch of the imagination, be considered a true museums of the magnitude and scope that is considered here. The second is when they suggest that there is an impropriety or a corporate bailout involved here, and I think that kind of suggestion is simply outrageous. The fact of the matter is that the Army studied this proposal very thoroughly. They considered 60 sites, and it should be noted that this proposal is not just endorsed by the Army. It is, in fact, endorsed by the National Capital Planning Commission. It is endorsed by the Commission on Fine Arts. It is endorsed by the National Park Service, and to my friend from California who stated his concern about local tax base and tax revenues, it is also endorsed by Arlington County, which suggests that perhaps Arlington County residents understand very well the importance of this facility. Mr. Chairman, the reasoning of this amendment would have us believe that the Secretary of Defense, that the President of the United States, that the Secretary of Army, that the Chief of Staff of the Army, do not care about the welfare of men and women under their command, do not care about the importance of other issues and quality of life. Mr. Chairman, that kind of assertion is not just wrong, it is ludicrous, and it is an insult to those good men who have dedicated their lives to the service of this country. This bill in its inclusion of funds for the National Museum for the U.S. Army is a recognition that we need, and we certainly deserve that kind of facility, a place where America can go and pay homage and remember the sacrifice that other Americans have made for more than 200 years in the name of liberty and freedom; a place to honor and to ensure that we never forget the glory, we never forget the heroes, but, most importantly, we never forget the sacrifices that are made to obtain and retain democracy. To reject that need it seems to me, Mr. Chairman, is not an act in service to the U.S. Army. It is rather an insult to every man and women who has ever worn the uniform. I have heard here today we should go and ask the men and women in the Army what they believe. I have no doubt in my mind that, if asked, they would think and they would say very clearly, this facility is a place that is necessary and a place of reverence to democracy, and they would endorse it wholeheartedly.

Mr. McHUGH. I am not, sir.

Mr. McHUGH

Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Chairman, let me add my words of admiration and appreciation to the full committee chairman, the gentleman from South Carolina [Mr. Spence], and really all the members of the Committee on National Security, including, or course, the ranking minority member, the gentleman from California [Mr. Dellums], who have worked hard to make this, I think, a very credible and a very well-balanced piece of legislation. We have heard today, Mr. Chairman, and we will continue to hear how difficult and how different these times are. I think this legislation reflects those realities in a very direct and a very palpable way. Indeed, while these times are different, they are at least as dangerous, if not more dangerous than any circumstances that we as a nation have encountered across this globe in perhaps the last half century or more. There, too, this legislation is, I think, a very able attempt to try to react to those very dangerous circumstances. In that regard, those of us, myself included, who had the opportunity and the honor to serve on the committee special oversight panel on moral, welfare and recreation have worked to include in this legislation a number of measures that will provide for an acceptable quality of life for men and women in uniform. We all know, Mr. Chairman, that under any circumstances, these programs are so vitally important. But as our military men and women are being asked to deploy more and more, and not just by a Republican president, not just by a Democrat president, but by chiefs of the military from both sides of the aisle, to places like Haiti and Somalia, providing comfort in northern and southern Iraq and the skies of Bosnia, we have to maintain programs and let our men and women know that, as they leave, their families are being adequately taken care of, being provided for. This program and this legislation fully funds those kinds of programs, fully funds them, I might add, at a level that President Clinton requested. This is a well-balanced, well-reasoned piece of legislation that, Mr. Chairman, I respectfully urge all my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to defend and to support.

Mr. McHUGH

Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I want to pay tribute to a dedicated individual from my district who has provided her community with quality mail service for 54 years. Even more remarkable is that she plans to continue to do so. Patricia M. Drake, a 71-years-old grandmother of four, began work as a mail clerk in 1941, when mail was sorted one letter at a time. Although technology now enables mail to be processed en mass, it is the dedication and reliability of individual Postal Service employees such as Pat Drake that provides this Nation with the most productive, efficient, and cost-effective mail system in the world. When Pat was hired, Franklin Delano Roosevelt was President and a war was raging in Europe. Pat initially worked weekends and summers, sorting V-mail that came in by train to help people communicate. Now, more than 54 years later, Pat is still working weekends And she would not have it any other way. According to her colleagues, Pat is well-loved and respected because she personifies all that is good about the Postal Service. Her sound integrity and reliability are an asset to the two offices in which she works. While the methods have changed, the basic mission of both Pat and the Postal Service remains as important today as it has ever been, and perhaps even more so in this fast-paced information age. With data whirling by us via e-mail, fax, interactive cable, and other, yet-to-be developed supertechnologies, we must not lose sight of the basic service that Pat renders, which is so important to our continued well- being. Pat's contribution, along with that of others, enables 125 million American households to receive prompt, universal mail service, 6 days a week, at just about the lowest rates in the industrial world. Pat's career, and the honors that have come her way recently, have been recounted in the following story written by Tracy Valentine in the Watertown Daily Times. Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to pay tribute to Pat Drake for giving 54 years of dedicated service to the communities of Theresa and Watertown, NY, and to wish her continued success in all her endeavors. [From the Watertown Daily Times, Apr. 30, 1995] Theresa Mail Clerk Still Enjoys Post Position After 54 Years on Job (By Tracy Valentine) Theresa.--Patricia M. Drake started working as a postal clerk in 1941, when the price of a stamp was 3 cents and zip codes didn't yet exist. Fifty-four years later, Mrs. Drake is still on the job and seems to be fazed very little by all the dramatic changes she's witnessed over the decades. ``A lot has changed, but that's what you've got to expect,'' said Mrs. Drake, who lives on Drake Road. But she admits that when she started working at the Theresa post office at age 17, she never expected to remain on the job for more than a half-century. ``I never thought I'd be here this long,'' said Mrs. Drake, who at 71 is a grandmother with no immediate plans to retire from her part-time job. She was honored Tuesday for her decades of service to the U.S. Postal Service during a luncheon at the Riveredge Resort at Alexandria Bay. Her service also represents the continuation of a family legacy. Mrs. Drake's mother, Marie Proctor, was Theresa's postmaster from 1943 to 1963. Mrs. Drake started her job during wartime and often sorted the daily shipments of V-Mail, correspondences from World War II soldiers to their families. The much-anticipated blue envelopes contained copies of troops' letters that were made by the U.S. government, which often kept the originals. ``We would call the families or drop the letters off on our way home because we knew they were anxious to hear from their sons overseas,'' recalls Mr. Drake. Today, machinery is more widely used to sort mail and cancel postage, but Mrs. Drake remembers a time when all mail was hand sorted. It arrived in Theresa every morning by train and was delivered to townspeople, most of whom she knew. Today, machines have taken over a lot of the work, trucks have replaced the trains, and she said it is harder and harder to remember all the new faces in town. ``Fort Drum has changed things. There's lots of new people around,'' said Mrs. Drake, who also worked as a part-time evening clerk at the Watertown post office for nearly 20 years. More people mean more mail, and Mrs. Drake estimates the amount of mail handled at the Theresa post office has more than tripled since the 1940s. However, the mail isn't quite as exotic as it used to be. Mrs. Drake recalled an incident in the 1950s when a shipment of chickens arrived for one of two local hatcheries and was refused. ``We got stuck with them and they were squawking and yakking. They were driving us crazy,'' said Mrs. Drake, who added that postal workers ended up selling the chickens for $1 each. At the Theresa post office she has worked with five officers in charge and five postmasters. She said the best among them is current Theresa Postmaster Richard R. Kingsbury, who has managed the town's post office for eight years. ``He's tops,'' Mrs. Drake said of her boss. ``He's easy- going and he knows his stuff. He's very good.'' Mr. Kingsbury returned the compliment and gave Mrs. Drake high marks for dedication and her strict work ethic. ``She never complains, she's always there when you need her, and there could be mail up to the ceiling and she'd just get right in there and do it,'' said Mr. Kingsbury, who has nicknamed her ``machine-gun Drake'' for her swiftness in sorting the morning mail. ``She doesn't take much time off, either,'' added Mr. Kingsbury. ``Probably 50 out of 52 Saturdays she's here.'' Watertown Postmaster Warren Johnson also considers Mrs. Drake a rare find. ``She's always on time, and she works from the time she comes into the building until the time she leaves,'' said Mr. Johnson, ``She's a person with a 54-year career and she's done every one really outstanding.''