To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 525 Main Street in Tarboro, North Carolina, as the "George Henry White Post Office Building".

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, we gather this afternoon to honor a great man and leader who blazed trails for African Americans not only in North Carolina but throughout the Nation, Congressman George Henry White from my home State of North Carolina.

I want to express my appreciation for the strong bipartisan support from the North Carolina delegation and the sponsorship of this bill.

We are here today, Mr. Speaker, to show our appreciation for Congressman White by naming the post office after him in Tarboro, North Carolina, the town which he represented; and the County of Edgecombe, which he represented with distinction as a part of the second congressional district, I now have the great privilege of representing that same community, humbly following in his footsteps.

Mr. George Henry White was born in Rosendale, Bladen County, North Carolina, during slavery. He grew up the son of a sharecropper in nearby Columbus County. He was educated at the Whitten School in Lumberton. He first embarked on his trail of excellence when he left his job as a farm laborer and ventured here to the Nation's Capital to attend Howard University. Many people mistake him as being a graduate of Howard Law School, but actually he was a graduate of high school and Howard undergraduate school.

Upon graduation from Howard University in 1877, Mr. White returned to North Carolina settling in the coastal town of New Bern, to begin the fight to better his North Carolina for all families and helping empower the African American community.

He became a teacher and then a principal and is credited with establishing four new schools. Mr. White knew then what we all know now: information is power, and the key to steering one's own course is a quality education.

While living in New Bern, where he also worked as an attorney, having read law to become a lawyer, Mr. White embarked upon a career in public service spanning more than 2 decades when, in 1880, he was elected to the North Carolina House of Representatives.

In 1884 he was elected to the North Carolina State Senate. And in 1886 he was elected as a solicitor for the second judicial district of North Carolina where he served two terms. During this time, George Henry White was the only African American district attorney in the United States. Continuing a political career steeped in innovation and leadership, blazing trails unheard of in his day, in 1894 Mr. White moved to Tarboro. It might be interesting to know that the one reason he moved was because there was redistricting going on and his hometown of New Bern was carved out of the second district. So he just packed up and moved down to Tarboro, North Carolina, his wife's hometown.

Three years later, he would become Congressman White, and only the third African American elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from North Carolina, John Adams Hyman being the first, Henry P. Cheatham the second.

Congressman White was the only African American in the United States Congress during his two terms and was the highest-ranking elected African American in the United States. He essentially represented not only citizens of the second congressional district but all 10 million African Americans across the Nation. He was the last former slave and the last African American to serve in the Congress during the post- Reconstruction era.

He opened doors while in Congress to pave the way for the civil rights movement more than half a century later. He campaigned against racial discrimination and urged enforcement of the second section of the 14th amendment.

In January 1901, his last year in office, Congressman White proposed a bill that would make lynching of African Americans a Federal crime. Unfortunately, this bill did not pass; but it did have some impact in the Deep South in particular. Despite Congressman White's passionate plea, as I indicated, the term ended without his bill passing.

George Henry White's farewell speech on the floor of Congress, often referred to as the ``Phoenix Speech,'' or his farewell speech, was made January 29, 1901: ``This, Mr. Chairman, is perhaps the Negroes' temporary farewell to the American Congress; but let me say, Phoenix- like he will rise up some day and come again. These parting words on behalf of an outraged, heartbroken, bruised and bleeding, but God- fearing people, faithful, industrious, loyal, rising people full of potential force.''

Mr. Speaker, while Congressman White is deserving of far greater accolades, and I am sure they will come in time, it is my great pleasure to offer this legislation on his behalf. I urge the passage of this bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3353) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 525 Main Street in Tarboro, North Carolina, as the ``George Henry White Post Office Building''.

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 under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Committee on Government Reform, I am pleased that the House is considering H.R. 3353. This bill names a post office after a great American statesman, George Henry White. From 1897 to 1901, Republican George Henry White served two terms as the U.S. Representative for North Carolina's Second Congressional District. At that time, he was the only African American Member of Congress. As such, not only was Congressman White responsible for his North Carolina constituents, but as the highest-ranking black government official in the Nation he also shouldered the burden of representing the 10 million African Americans at the turn of the century.

Congressman White took principled stands against the racial inequality that was far too prevalent for this time period in American history. His eloquence and temperance toward injustice made him a well- respected Member of Congress, and he is truly worthy of commendation by this body from which he departed more than 100 years ago.

Mr. Speaker, this legislation commemorates George Henry White's courageous legacy as the last black Member of this House following Reconstruction. I congratulate the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Ballance) for having his bill considered by the whole House.

Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of H.R. 3353.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I commend the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Ballance) for introducing this very appropriate bill, and I urge all of our colleagues to support the passage of H.R. 3353.

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

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Armed Services be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on June 2, 2004, at 10:15 a.m., in closed session to receive a briefing on the situation in Iraq.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, June 2, 2004, at 10 a.m., to conduct a hearing on ``The Role of State Securities Regulators in Protecting Investors.''

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Commerce,

Science, and Transportation be authorized to meet Wednesday, June 2, 2004, at 9:30 a.m. on fire fighting aircraft.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation be authorized to meet Wednesday, June 2, 2004, at 2:30 p.m. on nominations.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Foreign Relations be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, June 2, 2003, at 9:30 a.m., to hold a hearing on the Greater Middle East Initiative.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Governmental Affairs be authorized to meet on Wednesday, June 2, 2004 at 10 a.m. to hold a business meeting to consider pending Committee business.