To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1830 South Lake Drive in Lexington, South Carolina, as the "Floyd Spence Post Office Building".

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Finance be authorized to meet during the session on Tuesday, June 17, 2003, at 10:00 a.m., to hear testimony on the ``Implementation of U.S. Bilateral Free Trade Agreements with Singapore and Chile.''

committee on foreign relations

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Foreign Relations be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, June 17, 2003, at 9:30 a.m., to hold a hearing on ``Treaties Related to Aviation and the Environment.''

committee on governmental affairs

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Governmental Affairs be authorized to meet on Tuesday, June 17, 2003, at 10:00 a.m., to hold a business meeting to consider pending Committee business.

Agenda

Legislation: S. 481, the Kurtz Bill; S. 589, Homeland Security Workforce Act; S. 610, NASA Workforce Flexibility Act of 2003; S. 678, Postmasters Equity Act of 2003; S. 908, United States Consensus Council; S. 910, Non-Homeland Security Mission Performance Act of 2003; S. 926, Federal Employee Student Loan Assistance Act; S. 1166, National Security Personnel System Act; and S. 1245, Homeland Security Grant Enhancement Act.

Post Office Naming Bills: S. 508, a bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1830 South Lake Drive in Lexington, South Carolina, as the ``Floyd Spence Post Office Building''; S. 708, a bill to redesignate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 7401 West 100th Place in Bridgeview, Illinois, as the ``Michael J. Healy Post Office Building''; S. 867, a bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 710 Wicks Lane in Billings, Montana, as the ``Ronald Reagan Post Office Building''; S. 1145, a bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 120 Baldwin Avenue in Paia, Maui, Hawaii, as the ``Patsy Takemoto Mink Post Office Building''; S. 1207, a bill to redesignate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 120 East Ritchie Avenue in Marceline, Missouri, as the ``Walt Disney Post Office Building''; H.R. 825, an act to redesignate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 7401 West 100th Place in Bridgeview, Illinois, as the ``Michael J. Healy Post Office Building''; H.R. 917, an act to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1830 South

Lake Drive in Lexington, South Carolina, as the ``Floyd Spence Post Office Building''; H.R. 925, an act to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1859 South Ashland Avenue in Chicago, Illinois, as the ``Cesar Chavez Post Office''; H.R. 981, an act to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 141 Erie Street in Linesville, Pennsylvania, as the ``James R. Merry Post Office''; H.R. 985, an act to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 111 West Washington Street in Bowling Green, Ohio, as the ``Delbert L. Latta Post Office Building''; H.R. 1055, an act to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1901 West Evans Street in Florence, South Carolina, as the ``Dr. Roswell N. Beck Post Office Building''; H.R. 1368, an act to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 7554 Pacific Avenue in Stockton, California, as the ``Norman D. Shumway Post Office Building''; H.R. 1465, an act to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 4832 East Highway 27 in Iron Station, North Carolina, as the ``General Charles Gabriel Post Office''; H.R. 1596, an act to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 2318 Woodson Road in St. Louis, Missouri, as the ``Timothy Michael Gaffney Post Office Building''; H.R. 1609, an act to redesignate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 201 West Boston Street in Brookfield, Missouri, as the ``Admiral Donald Davis Post Office Building''; H.R. 1740, an act to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1502 East Kiest Boulevard in Dallas, Texas, as the ``Dr. Caesar A.W. Clark, Sr. Post Office Building''; and H.R. 2030, an act to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 120 Baldwin Avenue in Paia, Maui, Hawaii, as the ``Patsy Takemoto Mink Post Office Building.''

Nominations: Michael J. Garcia to be Assistant Secretary for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security; C. Steward Verdery, Jr. to be an Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security; Susanne Marshall to be Chairman of the Merit Systems Protection Board; Neil McPhie to be a Member of the Merit Systems Protection Board; Terrence A. Duffy to be a Member of the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board; Peter Eide to be General Counsel for the Federal Labor Relations Authority; Albert Casey to be a Governor for the United States Postal Service; and James C. Miller, III to be a Governor for the United States Postal Service.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be authorized to meet to conduct a hearing on ``The Dark Side of a Bright Idea: Could Personal and National Security Risks Compromise the Potential of Peer-to-Peer Fine-Sharing Networks?'' on Tuesday, June 17, 2003, at 2:00 p.m., in the Dirksen Senate Office Building Room 226.

Tentative Witness List

Panel I: The Honorable Dianne Feinstein, U.S. Senator, [D-CA]; The Honorable Tom M. Davis, III, U.S. Representative, [D-VA, 11th District], Chairman, House Committee on Government Reform.

Panel II: Nathaniel S. Good, Graduate Student, School of Information Science, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA; Aaron Krekelberg, Lead Web Developer, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN; Randy Saaf, MediaDefender, Inc., Los Angeles, CA; Alan Morris, Executive Vice President, Sharman Networks, Ltd., London, England; Chris Murray, Esq., Legislative Counsel, Consumers Union, Washington,

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Rules and Administration be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, June 17, 2003, at 9:30 a.m., to conduct a hearing on Senate Resolution 151, requiring public disclosure of notices of objections, holds, to proceedings to motions or measures in the Senate.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Veterans' Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, June 17, 2003, for a hearing to consider the nominations of Mr. Alan G. Lance, Sr., and Mr. Lawrence B. Hagel, to be Judges, U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans' Claims. The hearing will take place in room 418 of the Russell Senate Office Building at 2:30 p.m.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Select Committee on Intelligence be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, June 17, 2003, at 2:30 p.m. to hold an open confirmation hearing on Frank Libutti to be Under Secretary for Information Analysis and Infrastructure Protection, Department of Homeland Security.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Special Committee on Aging be authorized to meet on June 17, 2003, from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. in Dirksen 628 for the purpose of conducting a hearing.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Consumer Affairs and Product Liability be authorized to meet on Tuesday, June 17, 2003, from 2:30 pm on Reauthorization of the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, and Water be authorized to meet on Tuesday, June 17 at 9:30 am to conduct a hearing to receive testimony on S. 525, the National Aquatic Invasive Species Act at 2003, a bill to reauthorize the nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control Act. The hearing will take place in SD 406, Hearing Room.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me the time.

It is a great honor for me to be the author of this particular bill to name the postal facility of the city of Lexington, which is located in the Red Bank community, which is the central part of Lexington County. It is very appropriate, and I want to thank my colleagues, the balance of the South Carolina delegation, Mr. Brown, Mr.

DeMint, Mr. Barrett, Mr. Spratt and Mr. Clyburn, for joining with me as cosponsors of this bill.

It is very appropriate that the Lexington Post Office be named in honor of Congressman Floyd Spence. The reason is that he was the favorite son of Lexington County. He ran for public office in the 20th century and was elected and reelected more times than any other elected official in our county and actually in our region in the midlands of South Carolina.

Additionally, he, by becoming Chairman of the Committee on National Security, which is the Committee on Armed Services, he achieved the highest position in national government of any person ever from the midlands of South Carolina. We are very grateful for his service; and it is just so appropriate, again, to give him this recognition.

Congressman Spence was born April 9, 1928, in Columbia, our capital city, and he passed away on August 16, 2001. He was the son of James Wilson Spence and Addie Jane Lucas Spence of Lexington County. He was married to the late Lula Hancock Drake of Drake, South Carolina, in Marlboro County in 1952; and they had four sons, who are all outstanding in our community, David, Zack, Benjamin and Caldwell.

When the Congressman was elected in 1970, Lu was so special. She truly raised the four boys. In fact, their home was known as Lexington, District of Columbia. She, in effect, really with the four sons had virtually on the shores of Lake Marion a recreation center where she was the surrogate mother for dozens of young people in our community; and she was quite beloved until she passed away in 1978.

Then Congressman Spence married 10 years later Deborah Ellen Williams of Lexington. Debbie Spence indeed is another very dear lady; and she has been given such due credit as being the person who helped Congressman Spence in his recuperation from a very historic operation, being a double lung transplant.

Mr. Spence is believed to be the fifth person in the United States to have this experimental operation, and it is due to her loving care that he recuperated and continued his service in Congress.

Congressman Spence began his leadership career very early. He was president of the student body at Lexington High School. He then went to play All-State Football. He was on the South Carolina Shrine Bowl team, and he went to the University of South Carolina where he was president of the student body. He was recognized by ODK Fraternity as one of the great leaders of the school. He received the Algernon Sidney Sullivan Award as the outstanding male graduate. He was on the football and basketball teams and was captain of the track team. He was also a member of Kappa Sigma Kappa fraternity. He then went on to the University of South Carolina Law School where he achieved the highest position available at the law school, and that was to be editor of the law review.

His military service includes service in the U.S. Navy during the Korean Conflict. Then he returned to South Carolina and became the commanding officer of all Naval reserve units in South Carolina. He retired in 1988 as a captain in the U.S. Navy, but still devoted to the Reserves.

He was a former church councilmember and Sunday school teacher at St. Peter's Lutheran Church in Lexington, he was the first president of the Lexington Historical Society, and he was chairman of the Lexington County Mental Health Association.

In his political career, he was first elected in 1956 as a very young person, as a Democrat to the House of Representatives in South Carolina. Then in 1962 he switched to the Republican Party beginning a very historic realignment and political revolution in South Carolina. He was the first elected official to switch parties. This was very historic and brave on his part in that in the 20th century prior to his switching parties, there had only been one Republican in the House of Representatives in the entire 20th century, and that was in 1961, Charles Boineau was elected to the House of Representatives from Richland County in a special election. And so by his switching parties, he immediately doubled the number of elected Republicans in public office.

That has led to the realignment which was completed this year where now the Republican Party in South Carolina has a majority in the State House, the State Senate and Governor for the first time since 1877, and many of us credit the late Congressman Floyd Spence and his integrity in switching to the Republican Party.

In the General Assembly, he ultimately was elected to the State Senate in 1966 and served for 4 years. He was a leader in establishing the technical college system in South Carolina, which has been so instrumental in our efforts to recruit industry to South Carolina and provide good jobs for the people of South Carolina.

Additionally, he was one of the lead authors of the bill which established the Lexington Medical Center, which is one of the largest hospitals in all of South Carolina. In Congress, he was elected in 1970. He was very proud of his service on the Committee on Veterans Affairs. He worked very hard as the ranking member of the House Committee on Official Standards, which is the ethics committee. I remember so well his feeling so strongly about serving on that particular committee which gets no real public attention.

Then of course we were so proud he was selected and elected as the chairman of the Committee on National Security, which is now the Committee on Armed Services, where he led the effort to warn against terrorism. He pointed out that steps needed to be taken. He was a leader on that effort, and he was also a leader in promoting a ballistic missile defense system, working very closely with President Reagan.

In terms of his community service, we are pleased he was active with the Boy Scouts. At the age of 17, he was a scout master. He was awarded by Governor Jim Edwards and Governor Campbell of South Carolina the highest honor of a citizen of South Carolina, being the Order of Palmetto.

He received a Doctor of Law degree from the Citadel in Charleston and also a Doctor of Public Service degree from the University of South Carolina.

When I think of Congressman Floyd Spence, I think of the political courage he had and also the personal courage. In 1988, he had a double- lung transplant. He had been suffering from a disease which had affected his lungs to the point he was near imminent death; but thanks to a wonderful doctor, Dr. Seshadri Laju, of Jackson, Mississippi, Congressman Spence was the beneficiary of a double-lung transplant. He survived from this and then in fact in the year 2000 had a kidney transplant. In South Carolina, we are very proud of Congressman Floyd Spence as the miracle Congressman, and it is with great pleasure that I urge adoption of the resolution.

Mr. Speaker. I rise today in support of H.R. 917, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1830 South Lake Drive in Lexington, South Carolina, as the ``Floyd Spence Post Office Building.''

Floyd Spence began his political career as a Democrat in the South Carolina House of Representatives in 1956, but he is remembered for having the foresight and the courage to switch parties. In 1962, he became the first member of the General Assembly to switch to the Republican Party, which helped pioneer the development of the two-party system in South Carolina. In 1966, he was elected as a Republican to the South Carolina Senate where he served as the Senate Minority Leader.

In 1971, Congressman Spence was elected to the Ninety-second Congress, and represented South Carolina's Second Congressional district for thirty years. During his tenure, he served in a numerous positions of leadership: For thirteen years, he was the Ranking Member of the Ethics Committee. In the 104th Congress, he was elected to represent the Tidewater Region on the Republican Policy Committee. He also served as Chairman of the Committee on National Security and after serving as Ranking Member, became Chairman of the Armed Services Committee following the 1995 Republican takeover of the House.

One of the longest-serving Republicans in the House of Representatives, Floyd Spence maintained one of the highest voting attendance records, while consistently supporting a strong national defense and fiscal integrity. Spence once said, ``I make no bones about the fact my Number One priority is defending this country.''

He drew his passion for the military from his own experiences. After graduating from the University of South Carolina in 1952, Spence was commissioned as an ensign in the U.S. Navy and served aboard the USS Carter Hall (LSD-3) and the LSM-397. He was the Group Commander of all Naval Reserve Units in Columbia, South Carolina, and was the Commanding Officer of a Naval Reserve Surface Division. After more than 40 years in the United States Naval Reserve, the Congressman retired as a Captain in 1988. Spence was a member of the American Legion, Sons of Confederate Veterans, and Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Congressman Spence was a longtime Pentagon booster from a state that, like my home state of Florida, benefited greatly from his advocacy. He supported the Reagan administration military buildup and opposed the size of post-Cold Ware defense cuts made during the Clinton administration.

Congressman Spence was known for his amiable ways. Although opponents often criticized the lack of his own legislation, Spence was a proud voice against big Washington government and he resisted introducing federal legislation.

Mr. Speaker, Floyd Spence was recognized around the world as an authority on defense issues and Communism. His tireless efforts on behalf of our national defense are a testimony to his enduring will to serve and to triumph in the face of adversity. Here is Washington and at home, he was recognized as a man of fiscal integrity and true legislative restraint. As President Bush stated upon his death in 2001, Floyd Spence will be remembered as a true friend of the men and women in our armed services and as a servant of his fellow South Carolinians. He was a leader of great courage and determination.

Mr. Speaker, although I did not have the opportunity to serve with Congressman Spence, I learned a great deal from his example. It is with great admiration that I today support the dedication of the Floyd Spence Post Office Building to a true American patriot.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 917) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1830 South Lake Drive in Lexington, South Carolina, as the ``Floyd Spence 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, it is a real honor and privilege for me to bring this particular legislation to the floor at this time because Floyd Spence was a close, personal friend of mine and one of the greatest Members this body has ever seen. I had the privilege of traveling several different places with Congressman Spence and working with him on many different pieces of legislation.

H.R. 917, introduced by the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Wilson), a great and honorable replacement for Congressman Spence, designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1830 South Lake Drive in Lexington, South Carolina, as the Floyd Spence Post Office Building. The entire House delegation from the State of South Carolina has signed on as cosponsors of this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, Congressman Floyd Spence served for 16 terms in this House and was unquestionably one of its most influential and devoted Members. Congressman Spence was first elected to this body in 1970 and was re-elected 15 times by the citizens of South Carolina's 2nd District before sadly passing away on August 16, 2001. His diligence for his constituents, the people of South Carolina, indeed all of America, was legendary.

As a Member of this House, Congressman Spence chaired the Committee on Armed Services for 6 years. Chairing the Committee on Armed Services was one of the most appropriate congressional positions Congressman Spence could have held because for much of his adult life he served in the United States Naval Reserves.

After graduating from the University of South Carolina in 1952, where he had a great athletic career, he initially was commissioned as an ensign and later served as the group commander of all naval reserve units in his hometown of Columbia, South Carolina. In 1988, Congressman Spence retired from the naval reserves as a captain.

During his career in the House, he made no mistake about his priority to protect all Americans by being one of the strongest advocates for a strong national defense. Furthermore, many have looked back and credited Congressman Spence for his presence in recognizing the threat that terrorism posed against our country, despite the fact that he passed away less than one month before September 11, 2001.

This House will always miss the contributions of Congressman Floyd Spence, as well as the wonderful person with a great sense of humor and great kindness and compassion that he had for all people.

Mr. Speaker, for these reasons I urge all Members to support the adoption of H.R. 917. I thank my colleague from South Carolina for introducing this important measure.

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

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all remaining time on this legislation on our side be controlled by the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Shays).

Mr. Speaker, Floyd Spence was a true Southern gentleman, a good friend, a dedicated Congressman, and a champion of a strong national defense. I had the pleasure of serving with him on the Armed Services Committee during his chairmanship, and I found that he always worked for the betterment of our men and women in uniform and of our national security. I miss him very much.

About 2 years ago, an overflow crowd gathered in the House Armed Services Committee hearing room for the unveiling of Floyd's portrait as chairman of committee. Often we do not have the chance to let friends know how we feel about them before they are gone, so I am very grateful that we had that evening together to enjoy Floyd's company and let him know how much he meant to us.

Floyd Spence began serving his country as an active duty member of the U.S. Naval Reserve during the Korean conflict. That service continued until the end of his life. Our former chairman understood that our Nation needs a strong national defense, and he worked tirelessly with Members on both sides of the aisle to strengthen our Armed Forces, and to take care of our men and women in uniform and their families. No one spoke out more forcefully on the need to maintain readiness. On rare occasion, we disagreed. But never disagreeably. Our relationship was one of mutual

respect based on values which we both learned in small towns named Lexington--one in South Carolina and one in Missouri.

During the years Floyd Spence served on the House Armed Services Committee, he blessed us with his leadership; honored us with his friendship; and inspired us with his courage. Floyd Spence was courteous, thoughtful, respectful of others. It was a pleasure for me to serve in Congress with this decent, fair, and honorable man. We are all the richer for his years of dedicated service to the Armed Services Committee, the Congress, the people of South Carolina, and the Nation. It is so fitting that we act to name the post office in Floyd Spence's hometown in his honor.