To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 555 West 180th Street in New York, New York, as the 'Sergeant Riayan A. Tejeda Post Office'.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4046) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 555 West 180th Street in New York, New York, as the ``Sergeant Riayan A. Tejada Post Office,'' as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 4046, the bill under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, tonight I rise in support of H.R. 4046. This measure designates a postal facility in New York city as the Sergeant Riayan Tejeda Post Office. Each member of the New York State delegation cosponsored this tribute to one of America's fallen heroes.

On April 11, 2003, 26-year-old Sergeant Riayan Tejeda of the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, was tragically killed in combat in Baghdad. He was a true American hero, despite not being a United States citizen.

Riayan was born in the Dominican Republic and moved with his family to the United States as a child. From the time he first arrived in America, he dreamed of becoming a United States marine. Upon graduation from high school in upper Manhattan, he enlisted in the Marine Corps where he served for some 8 years.

Sergeant Tejeda worked hard as a soldier, and he became the best sniper in his regiment. He proudly served in Thailand, South Korea, the Philippines, Australia, East Timor and Iraq.

Sergeant Tejeda never earned United States citizenship during his life but he was awarded posthumously that citizenship of this great Nation.

Sergeant Tejeda is survived by a mother, a father, and two young daughters, ages 3 and 6.

Riayan Tejeda loved being a marine. He loved America. For these reasons and for his service and for his patriotism to his adopted native homeland, I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring Sergeant Riayan A. Tejeda by naming this post office after this hero.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to thank the distinguished gentleman from New York, the sponsor of H.R. 4046, for honoring this tremendously brave young man.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, tonight we rise to recognize another fallen hero, one not a native of the United States, a native of the Dominican Republic, but someone who gave his life in service to this Nation, someone who gave his life so that others may live in freedom.

This is a small token of recognition by the Congress to name this post office in New York after Sergeant Riayan Tejeda, but it is an important recognition of his service. It is also important to recognize that he did love this country and that posthumously he was made a citizen of the United States.

So, on behalf of the New York delegation, on behalf of the sponsor, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel), it is my honor to present to the House this resolution naming the Sergeant Riayan Tejeda Post Office again in New York.

I urge passage of this resolution.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak in support of H.R. 4046, calling for the United States Postal Service located at 555 West 180th Street in New York, New York, to be hereby named the ``Sergeant Riayan A. Tejeda Post Office.''

Staff Sergeant Riayan A. Tejeda of the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment was killed during combat operations in northeast Baghdad on April 11, 2003; he was 26 years of age. A New York City resident, he lived in my district of Washington Heights on 180th Street until graduation from Fashion Industries High School in the Garment District, thereafter joining the Marine Corps at the age of 18. I introduced this legislation because Sgt. Tejeda was a hero in every sense of the word, a man born in the Dominican Republic who made the ultimate sacrifice for the United States.

After spending formative teen years meeting the challenge of growing up in the tough streets of Washington Heights, Sergeant Tejeda joined the military with his hopes and dreams of the future on the horizon. He joined the military to better himself and to serve our country, later reenlisting after his initial term of duty had elapsed.

Sergeant Tejeda was the first Dominican killed in Iraq, a fact that history will rightfully record but in itself will not and cannot appreciate the pain of his loss to his two young daughters and mourning family.

At the time of his death, while the fatality count was still in its early stages, minorities constituted as high as 35 percent of the fatalities in the line of duty. Latinos, who comprise 8 percent of the total fighting force in Iraq, have incurred 16 percent of all intensive fighting deaths and 12 percent of the total fatalities during Operation Iraqi Freedom. These numbers are clear evidence of the disproportionate sacrifice being made in Iraq by Latinos and point out the level of their loyalty to their chosen country.

Riayan Tejeda was an outstanding young man with limitless potential, known for his studious nature and gentlemanly demeanor. He was a brave, selfless man of great conviction who fought and died for a nation of immigrants that today does not always appreciate the contributions and sacrifices made by new generations of outsiders pursuing better lives. Sergeant Tejeda, who had served in the Marine Corps for 8 years, was awarded U.S. citizenship only after his death and received the Silver Star for his valor in the line of fire. He proudly served our Nation in Thailand, South Korea, the Philippines, Australia, East Timor and Iraq. Sergeant Tejeda was the finest marksman in his regiment.

The naming of the U.S. Post Office in Washington Heights for Sergeant Tejeda will be received by the community with great pride and satisfaction. It is the least our country can do to honor the memory of Sergeant Tejeda's short and heroic life.

I extend my appreciation and sympathies to his parents Julio Cesar Tejeda and Carmen Rafaela Lora, his daughters Loriana and Miranda and his brothers Angel and Andre. I thank my colleagues for their support on this legislation.

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

Mr. Speaker, as a member of the House Committee on Government Reform, I am pleased to join my colleague in consideration of H.R. 4046, legislation naming a United States postal facility in New York, New York, after Sergeant Riayan Tejeda.

This measure, which was unanimously passed by our committee on September 15, 2004, was introduced by the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel) on March 25, 2004. H.R. 4046 enjoys the support and cosponsorship of the entire New York delegation.

Riayan A. Tejeda was a Dominican citizen who came to the United States at the age of 12. He graduated from the Fashion and Design High School in New York and joined the United States Marines. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment in Camp Pendleton, California.

Sadly, Staff Sergeant Tejeda was killed in a battle that followed the fall

of Baghdad on April 11, 2003. He was awarded the Silver Star, and he later received his citizenship posthumously.

Sergeant Tejeda left behind a wife and two young children.

Mr. Speaker, I commend my good friend and colleague for seeking to honor the sacrifice of Marine Staff Sergeant Riayan Tejeda by naming a United States postal facility in his honor. I know that the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel) had hoped to be here to make some comments relative to this legislation. Unfortunately, he was unable to do so.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield back the balance of our time.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Governmental Affairs Committee be discharged from further consideration of S. 2693, S. 2839, H.R. 5039, H.R. 4381, H.R. 4556, H.R. 4618, and H.R. 4632 en bloc, and that the Senate proceed to their immediate consideration, along with H.R. 4046, H.R. 5027, H.R. 5133, H.R. 5147, and H.R. 5051, which are at the desk, en bloc.

I would be happy to.

We will make that part of our unanimous consent request. And you might consider making it 10 minutes instead of 20 minutes, but you will have up to 20 minutes.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bills be read a third time and passed, the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table en bloc, and that any statements relating to the bills be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I am certainly not going to object, but will the majority leader yield for a minute?

I had intended to make a few remarks as in morning business when I thought we would be staying in session for several more days. I figured I had a lot of time to do it. I am certainly glad that the leaders have been able to work out an arrangement to the contrary. But I wonder if your wrap-up request could include allowing me to speak as in morning business, if the Senator from Nevada does not mind, for maybe 20 minutes. It will not take any longer than that.

I do not think there will be much time before the vote tomorrow.

Afterwards we are all going to be trying to catch planes, so I ask if I could have a few minutes.

I appreciate it.