To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1050 North Hills Boulevard in Reno, Nevada, as the "Guardians of Freedom Memorial Post Office Building" and to authorize the installation of a plaque at such site, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4442, legislation introduced by my fellow Nevadan, the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Gibbons), to designate the United States postal facility at 1050 North Hills Boulevard in Reno, Nevada, as the ``Guardians of Freedom Memorial Post Office Building.''

I am proud to join with the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Gibbons) in honoring the brave men and women of our Nation's Armed Forces with the dedication of this Post Office. It is important for all of us to pause and remember those who have selflessly stood in harm's way as the guardians of our most fundamental freedoms: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Remembering those who have served our country with the Guardians of Freedom Memorial Post Office Building helps to preserve in the hearts and lives of our citizens the spirit of patriotism, the love of country, and the willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good.

This legislation recognizes not just members of the military, but all men and women and children who are committed to guarding the freedoms we hold so dearly.

Recently our Nation has been faced with threats from enemies who desire to oppress rather than to liberate, who advocate tyranny over democracy, and who prefer terrorism to freedom. The attacks of September 11, 2001, are fresh in our memories, but we are reminded that this is not the first time in the history of our great Nation that we have been faced with intimidation and threats to our freedoms.

Mr. Speaker, while the names of those who threaten us may be new, the honor and courage with which our Nation faces them is not.

All of those who have worked to guard our freedoms, our police and fire departments, first responders and all Americans who believe our country is the greatest Nation in the world because of the freedoms we enjoy are honored with this postal facility in Reno, Nevada.

I would also like to take a moment to thank the gentleman from Nevada (Congressman Gibbons) for his personal dedication to our Nation. As many of you know, prior to coming to Congress, the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Gibbons) served our Nation as a combat pilot and is a decorated veteran of both the Vietnam and Persian Gulf wars. Throughout his military service, the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Gibbons) received 19 service medals including the Legion of Merit and the Distinguished Flying Cross. He continues protecting the freedom of Nevadans and all Americans through his service in Congress where he has distinguished himself as a leader in homeland security and intelligence issues.

Again, I urge all Members of the House to support H.R. 4442 and pass this legislation honoring those who serve as guardians of our freedom.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4442) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1050 North Hills Boulevard in Reno, Nevada, as the ``Guardians of Freedom Memorial Post Office Building'' and to authorize the installation of a plaque at such site, and for other purposes.

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 the bill under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4442, introduced by the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Gibbons), designates the Post Office in Reno, Nevada, as the ``Guardians of Freedom Memorial Post Office Building.'' This post office intends to serve as a memorial to our fellow Americans whom we have lost in the war against terror. Therefore, I strongly thank the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Gibbons) for offering this legislation. I am going to urge its passage and ask all of my colleagues to do the same.

Since the attacks on New York and Washington on September 11, 2001, our Nation has been locked in a war on terror that we did not choose to enter. But thanks to the work of our brave U.S. Armed Forces, this conflict is one that we will win. Our loyal troops toil and struggle every day in Afghanistan, in Iraq, and other locations across the globe defending America from terrorism, hate, and extremism. We must never forget their sacrifices.

Mr. Speaker, as President Bush made clear during his Presidential nomination acceptance speech last week, we have fought the terrorists across the Earth not for pride, not for power, but because the lives of our citizens are at stake. During the war on terror, our military men and women have extended the fight with terrorists to where they live and plot, thus making Americans safer here at home.

American troops continue to fight terrorism in Iraq and in Afghanistan during their critical efforts to stabilize these two young nations. They are succeeding, and history will fondly remember their efforts to liberate millions of people. We think about our soldiers each and every day, we pray for them, and we owe them the thanks of a grateful Nation. This Post Office is one small token of our boundless appreciation.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the distinguished gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Porter).

Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support the passage of H.R. 4442, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend and colleague, the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Platts), for granting me the time.

Mr. Speaker, it is my great honor and privilege to rise today in support of Senate 2640, the Guardians of Freedom Memorial Post Office Building Designation Act. The concept of this legislation, while generated and originated in our office on the House side, was the genesis for the bill introduced by my good friend, Senator John Ensign, as companion legislation to my bill, H.R. 4442. All five members of Nevada's congressional delegation fully support the memorial that these bills would realize.

This bill honors Nevada's military personnel who have made that ultimate sacrifice during the global war on terror and the liberation of Iraq. Nevada's families have lost precious loved ones during these conflicts, and many members of Nevada's communities have requested help in providing some form of recognition for these noble men and women.

This bill helps provide such recognition by establishing the Guardians of Freedom Memorial Post Office building in Reno, Nevada, a consecration of ground forever preserving the memories of these valiant individuals.

The name for this special memorial post office originates through a contest in a high school in the North Valleys area of Reno, Nevada, and the name Guardians of Freedom Post Office was selected from a name generated by the Junior ROTC of North Valleys High School in Reno. Those students created a name which best embodies the spirit of our recently fallen heroes.

I congratulate these young Nevadans on their achievement and thank them for their participation in this special honor that will forever recognize these fallen patriots.

To my knowledge, Mr. Speaker, no other post office in the United States honors the memories of all of those of a community who have fallen in defense of our Nation's liberty. At the Guardians of Freedom Post Office, a plaque will be placed at this site bearing the names of the Nevadans who have made the ultimate sacrifice in fighting terrorism and who have died defending America's liberties.

It is my hope that the names permanently etched into this plaque will be an enduring reminder to future generations that freedom is never free, and those who defend liberty will never be forgotten.

I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this bill.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the Senate bill (S. 2640) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1050 North Hills Boulevard in Reno, Nevada, as the ``Guardians of Freedom Memorial Post Office Building'' and to authorize the installation of a plaque at such site, and for other purposes.

Madam 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 S. 2640.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of S. 2640, a bill to designate the Reno, Nevada, Post Office as the Guardians of Freedom Memorial Post Office Building. The House version of this legislation, H.R. 4442, introduced by my esteemed colleague, the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Gibbons), passed this body on September 7 of this year. I now urge like support for the Senate bill here today.

I am pleased that this deserved legislative tribute to our Nation's military servicemen and women will soon be on the President's desk and become law.

As our Nation is engaged in the global war on terror, courageous American troops work and fight each day to make us all safer here at home. When President Bush accepted his nomination for the presidency this summer, he stated, ``We have fought the terrorists across the Earth not for pride, not for power, but because the lives of our citizens are at stake.''

These words remain true today. And, thus, the sacrifices of our brave troops across the world continue to be so invaluable to all of us.

This Guardians of Freedom Post Office in Reno, Nevada, is a relatively small, but critically important and very relevant, gesture of the American people's appreciation of Nevada's veterans. We will never take their blood, sweat, and tears for granted. I thank both the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Gibbons) and his colleague in the Senate, Senator John Ensign of Nevada, for their meaningful work towards establishing the Guardians of Freedom Memorial Post Office.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Gibbons).

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4442, the Guardians of Freedom Memorial Post Office Building Designation Act.

It is my great honor and privilege to bring before you this bill, which attempts to honor Nevada's military personnel who have made the ultimate sacrifice during the Global War on Terror, and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Nevada's families have lost precious loved ones during these conflicts, and many members of Nevada's communities have come to

me requesting some form of recognition for these noble men and women.

This bill helps provide such recognition by establishing the Guardians of Freedom Memorial Post Office Building, in Reno, NV--a consecration of ground forever preserving the memories of these valiant individuals.

To my knowledge, no other post office in the United States serves with the distinction of being the single location for recognizing and honoring all those of a community who have fallen in defense of our Nation's liberty.

Upon passage of this bill into law, a plaque will be placed at this site.

The plaque will bear the names of those Nevadans who have given the ultimate sacrifice in fighting terrorism; the names of those who have died defending America's liberty. The names, Mr. Speaker, of those Nevadans who have fallen while liberating their brothers and sisters in humanity from the barbarism of a different age.

The names of these Nevadans will be permanently etched into this plaque and will serve as an enduring reminder to future generations that freedom is never free, and those who defend liberty will never be forgotten.

I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting my fellow Nevadans who have lost loved ones, by voting in favor of this special bill, H.R. 4442.