To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 2 West Main Street in Batavia, New York, as the "Barber Conable Post Office Building".

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3690) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 2 West Main Street in Batavia, New York, as the ``Barber Conable 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 H.R. 3690, the bill under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3690 that designates the post office in Batavia, New York, as the Barber Conable Post Office Building. All members of the New York State delegation have cosponsored this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, Barber B. Conable, Junior, was a wonderfully respected member of this body who served 10 terms from 1965 until 1985. His distinguished professional career included stints as president of the World Bank, as a Congressman, a New York State senator, an attorney, U.S. Marine Corps reservist, as well as a World War II veteran.

Barber Conable sadly passed away last November at the age of 81. This legislation will rename the post office in Batavia, New York, after him, in a town that he represented both in Congress and as a State senator as well for so many years.

Mr. Speaker, Barber Conable was perhaps best known for serving one 5- year term as president of the World Bank from July of 1986 until July of 1991. His commitment to fighting poverty all over the world made him a compassionate conservative who was well ahead of his time. Upon his passing, current World Bank president James Wolfensohn said that Barber Conable ``was a remarkable leader whose concern for the poor and passion to help improve their lives marked his tenure at the Bank.''

In the Congress, Barber Conable toiled away for many years as a minority member of the House Committee on Ways and Means, ultimately rising to the post of ranking member. For nearly a decade, he was the House Republican Party standard-bearer on taxes, trade and Social Security.

Because he served in the minority, he often tried to use his wit to grab the attention of Members and others. The Congressman once mused, What is power? All it is is influence, and as long as people listen when I talk, I have got influence.

Unquestionably, people did listen when Congressman Conable talked. A Cornell law school-educated lawyer, he was a persuasive, confident speaker who often spoke completely off the cuff when debating intricate tax policy in the committee. Overall, political columnist George Will matter-of-factly stated, There has never been a better Congressman.

On behalf of the author of this legislation, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Reynolds), I want to extend the sincere sympathy of all Members of this House to the family of Barber Conable, especially to his wife Charlotte and his four children, Anne, Emily, Sam and Jane. I want to assure them that Barber Conable will never be forgotten.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New York for his work on H.R. 3690.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Reynolds), my distinguished colleague and the sponsor of H.R. 3690.

(Mr. REYNOLDS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume to simply urge all Members to support the passage of H.R. 3690.

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

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

As the ranking member of the House Committee on Government Reform, I am pleased to join my colleague in the consideration of H.R. 3690, legislation naming a postal facility in Batavia, New York, after Barber Conable. This measure was introduced by the gentleman from New York (Mr. Reynolds) on December 8, 2003. It was unanimously reported by our committee.

Barber Conable was born in New York. He attended Warsaw High School and Cornell University. After college, he served in World War II as a United States Marine. After the war, he obtained a law degree and began practicing law. He began his political career in 1962, when he first served in the New York State senate. From there, he ran for Congress, was elected to represent the 30th district in 1964, and he served on the House Committee on Ways and Means where he was active on tax issues. He represented his district for 20 years until his departure in 1985.

Now, that states the facts. Let me tell my colleagues that, from my own experience as a Member of Congress

who had the honor of serving with Representative Conable, that he was a very distinguished man. People on both sides of the aisle looked to him with respect. When he spoke, all of us listened. He was a man who embodied the civility that we all yearn for in the House of Representatives, a civility that looked to working out issues on a bipartisan basis, looking to treat each other with mutual respect, trying to find opportunities for Members of both parties to find common ground.

He left the House and went on to become president of the World Bank, a position he held for 5 years. Upon his retirement, Mr. Conable returned to his New York home. As a distinguished professor, he attended many events at the University of Rochester and was sought after as a brilliant and gifted speaker. Mr. Conable passed away in November of 2003.

Mr. Speaker, I commend my colleague for seeking to honor our late colleague in this manner. He well deserves whatever praise that we can give him as a very distinguished Member of the House, one who I think serves as a model for those of us who served with him and those who have followed and who yearn for the time when the House of Representatives is not just the partisan institution that we so often see today, but one that seeks to work in a bipartisan manner to look after the best interests of the people in this country and to bring our various perspectives both from our region and from our ideology to some kind of temper where we recognize that we have to all get together in order to do what is best for the American people.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support this bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support the designation of the post office located at 2 West Main Street in Batavia, NY, as the ``Barber Conable Post Office Building,'' I want to commemorate the life and achievements of former Congressman Barber Conable. At the time of his retirement in 1984, he was ranking member of the House Committee on Ways and Means, bringing to it intellect and an unparalleled love and knowledge of the law. Barber passed away last year and I must say, Western New York has lost a true statesman.

He took time out of his law school courses and Cornell University to serve in the Pacific during World War II. Later, after completing his law degree, he served his country again in Korea.

Shortly after returning from Korea, he started his career in public service by running for and winning a seat in the New York State Senate. Two years later, he was elected to serve in the House of Representatives in a district representing parts of the City of Rochester, the western half of Monroe County, and Genesee, Wyoming, Orleans and Livingston Counties. From 1966 to 1986, Barber Conable's integrity, hard work, and determination created an environment in which Members worked with each other across party lines for the good of all Americans. As a result, he earned the respect of his colleagues, both Democrat and Republican.

It was an honor for me to be elected to serve a portion of the area he represented when I was first ran for Congress in 1988, and I take pride in continuing to serve the part of Western New York I know he loved so much. I remember when I first came to Congress, Barber came to visit me in my new office. We were both delighted to realize that I was occupying the very same office that he had occupied as a freshman. Barber was always so kind with his counsel and his advice. He was the greatest kind of friend.

Barber Conable will be remembered for a countless number of contributions he made during his years of public service. The spirit Barber Conable brought to the House of Representatives is inspirational and it is my hope that we will continue to remember and honor his memory.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Michigan for yielding me this time.

I rise before the House today to remember a great man, a mentor to many of us both in Congress today and Congresses of the past, and that is Barber Conable, who passed away a few months ago.

Barber Conable distinguished himself as a Member of Congress for 20 years and had the respect of his colleagues on both sides of the aisle. He was notable also for an esteemed academic career and his professional knowledge on a wide variety of issues, from taxes to Social Security, and his willingness to tackle any problem head on. Always lending a helping hand was a signature trait of Barber's. He never let partisanship get in the way of progress.

Barber Conable was the best example of what a public servant ought to be. He loved his country, his community, and his family. He never strayed from the strong values he was raised on. His genuine sophistication as a legislator came effortlessly, revealing the compassion and unselfishness that was the hallmark of his public service.

Today, it is fitting that we pay tribute to a great Congressman, a great public servant who never forgot the roots of his hometown and his community that we name the Batavia post office after Barber Conable. I appreciate the support of my colleagues not only from New York but throughout the Congress that have joined me in cosponsorship of this legislation.

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.