To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 151 West End Street in Goliad, Texas, as the "Judge Emilio Vargas Post Office Building".

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry be authorized to conduct a hearing during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, June 22, 2005 at 10 a.m. in SR-328A, Russell Senate Office Building. The purpose of this hearing will be to consider the nomination of Dr. Richard A. Raymond to be Under Secretary for food safety at the United States Department of Agriculture.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry be authorized to conduct a hearing during the session of the Senate at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, June 22, 2005, in SR-328A, Russell Senate Office Building. The purpose of this hearing will be to review the Livestock Manadatory Reporting Act 1999.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Foreign Relations be authorize to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, June 22, 2005 at 9:30 a.m. to hold a business meeting.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs be authorized to meet on Wednesday, June 22, 2005, at 10 a.m. to hold a business meeting to consider pending committee business.

Agenda

legislation

S. 662, Postal Accountability Enhancement Act; S. 457, Purchase Card Waste Elimination Act; S. 611, Emergency Medical Services Support Act; S. 37, a bill to extend the special postage stamp for breast cancer research for two years.

post office naming bills

H.R. 1460, a bill to designate the facility of the U.S. Postal Service located at 6200 Rolling Road in Springfield, VA, as the ``Captain Mark Stubenhofer Post Office Building''.

S. 590/H.R. 1236, a bill to designate the facility of the U.S. Postal Service located at 750 4th Street in Sparks, NV, as the ``Mayor Tony Armstrong Memorial Post Office''.

S. 571, a bill to designate the facility of the U.S. Postal Service located at 1915 Fulton Street in Brooklyn, NY, as the ``Congresswoman Shirley A. Chisholm Post Office Building''.

S. 892/H.R. 324, a bill to designate the facility of the U.S. Postal Service located at 321 Montgomery Road in Altamonte Springs, FL, as the ``Arthur Stacey Mastrapa Post Office Building''.

S. 867/H.R. 289, a bill to designate the facility of the U.S. Postal Service located at 8200 South Vermont Avenue in Los Angeles, CA, as the ``Sergeant First Class John Marshall Post Office Building''.

S. 1207/H.R. 120, a bill to designate the facility of the U.S. Postal Service located at 20777 Rancho California Road in Temecula, CA, as the ``Dalip Singh Saund Post Office Building''.

S. 775, a bill to designate the facility of the U.S. Postal Service located at 123 West 7th Street in Holdenville, OK, as the ``Boone Pickens Post Office''.

S. 1206/H.R. 504, a bill to designate the facility of the U.S. Postal Service located at 4960 West Washington Boulevard in Los Angeles, CA, as the ``Ray Charles Post Office Building''.

H.R. 1001, a bill to designate the facility of the U.S. Postal Service located at 301 South Heatherwilde Boulevard in Pflugerville, TX, as the ``Sergeant Byron W. Norwood Post Office Building.''

HR. 1072, a bill to designate the facility of the U.S. Postal Service located at 151 West End Street in Goliad, TX, as the ``Judge Emilio Vargas Post Office Building.''

S. 904, a bill to designate the facility of the U.S. Postal Service located at 1560 Union Valley Road in West Milford, NJ, as the ``Brian P. Parrello Post Office Building.''

HR. 1542, a bill to designate the facility of the U.S. Postal Service located at 695 Pleasant Street in New Bedford, MA, as the ``Honorable Judge George N. Leighton Post Office Building.''

H.R. 1082, a bill to designate the facility of the U.S. Postal Service located at 120 East Illinois Avenue in Vinita, OK, as the ``Francis C. Goodpaster Post Office Building.''

H.R. 1524, a bill to designate the facility of the U.S. Postal Service at 12433 Antioch Road in Overland Park, KS, as the ``Ed Eilert Post Office Building.''

H.R. 627, a bill to designate the facility of the U.S. Postal Service located at 40 Putnam Avenue in Hamden, CT, as the ``Linda White-Epps Post Office.''

H.R. 2326, a bill to designate the facility of the U.S. Postal Service located at 614 West Old County Road in Belhaven, NC, as the ``Floyd Lupton Post Office.''

Nominations

Linda M. Combs to be Controller, Office of Federal Financial Management, Office of Management and Budget.

Linda M. Springer to be Director, Office of Personnel Management.

Laura A. Cordero to be Associate Judge, Superior Court of the District of Columbia.

Noel Anketell Kramer to be Associate Judge, District of Columbia Court of Appeals.

Mr. President, I would like to announce that the Committee on Indian Affairs will meet on Wednesday, June 22, 2005, at 9:30 a.m. in Room 216 of the Hart Senate Office Building to conduct an oversight hearing on the In Re Tribal Lobbying Matters, et al.

Those wishing additional information may contact the Indian Affairs Committee at 224-2251.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Select Committee on Intelligence be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on June 22, 2005 at 2:30 p.m. to hold a closed briefing.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1072, a bill to name the post office in Goliad, Texas, in honor of Judge Emilio Vargas.

I thank the gentleman from Virginia (Chairman Tom Davis) and the ranking member, the gentleman from California (Mr. Waxman), for their assistance in moving this legislation to the floor prior to the Cinco de Mayo celebration. I also thank the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Marchant) as well as four other Members of Congress, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Ortiz), the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Reyes), the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gonzalez), and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Cuellar) for their kind words on behalf of this legislation to name this Federal building for an outstanding citizen.

Judge Vargas is a first-generation American who was born in Goliad, Texas. As a child, he attended segregated schools because of his Mexican heritage. Yet his father and mother always taught him to be proud of being an American. He took this lesson to heart and after graduating from Bee College, he volunteered and joined the Air Force where he served as an airman. After leaving the Air Force, he returned home and spent the rest of his life working to improve the lives of the people in his community of Goliad.

During the 1960s, Judge Vargas was active in the civil rights movement and worked to eliminate the poll tax in Texas. Since then, he has fought to increase Hispanic participation in government at all levels.

Judge Vargas understands the importance of developing an educated population. For 14 years, he served on the Goliad Independent School District Board of Trustees. During his tenure, the Goliad School District was voted one of the 10 best school boards in Texas. Because of his commitment to quality education, numerous students from Goliad have gone to prestigious colleges and universities, including the U.S. military academies.

For over 28 years, Judge Vargas served with the Texas Department of Human Services as a caseworker, distinguishing himself for helping the indigent and vulnerable in a six-county region. He worked with a Job Corps program helping to train new workers and with the surplus commodity programs feeding hungry families.

For the past 10 years, he has served as the justice of the peace for Goliad County and for 9 years was a reserve deputy for the Goliad County Sheriff's Department.

In addition to his military, his public and civic service, Judge Vargas has also dedicated a large part of his life to the preservation and celebration of Goliad's rich heritage and historical significance. For my fellow colleagues who may not be aware, Goliad, Texas, is the birthplace of Mexican General Ignacio Zaragoza. General Zaragoza is a Texas-born hero who on May 5, 1862, led his Army of 4,000 Mexican soldiers to defeat 1,000 of Napoleon's men. This military victory is credited as the action that turned the tide of the French-Mexican War in Mexico's favor.

To honor General Zaragoza's memory and heroism, citizens throughout Texas and Mexico celebrate May 5 every year as the international holiday of Cinco de Mayo. The city of Goliad and her citizens also played a significant role in the war for Texas independence. The massacre at Goliad of Colonel James Fannin and 342 of his troops who had surrendered to General Santa Ana made ``Remember Goliad'' as important a rallying cry for Texans in their struggle for independence as ``Remember the Alamo.''

As a member of the Zaragoza Society for over 45 years and as chairman for at least a decade, Judge Emilio Vargas has worked to bring national recognition to Goliad's historic significance in Mexican history, and Texas and U.S. history. He has participated in numerous cultural exchanges with Mexico and has been awarded the Promio Ohtli Award by the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs for his outstanding work in fostering better international relations between the United States and Mexico.

In closing, I often have heard Judge Emilio Vargas say no mission is too difficult and no sacrifice too great. Judge Vargas has truly lived by these words as he has dedicated his life to the people of Goliad. I can think of no better way to honor this distinguished service to his community than by naming the Goliad Post Office in his honor. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1072, a bill to designate the postal facility in Goliad, Texas, as the ``Judge Emilio Vargas Post Office Building.'' This bill was introduced by my good friend and colleague, Congressman Ruben Hinojosa.

Born in Goliad, Texas, Judge Vargas has dedicated his life to the people of Goliad, and I find it most fitting to honor his service by naming the Goliad Post Office after him.

As a first-generation American, Judge Vargas attended segregated schools because of his Mexican heritage. After attending Bee College, he volunteered and joined the Air Force as an airman. Upon leaving the Air Force, Judge Vargas worked to improve the lives of the people in the community. He was active during the civil rights movement during the 1960s and he continues to fight to increase Hispanic participation in government.

Judge Vargas served 14 years on the Goliad Independent School District Board of Trustees. While he was there, the Goliad School Board was voted one of the 10 best school boards in Texas. Judge Vargas understands the importance of developing an educated population, and because of his commitment, numerous students have gone on to prestigious colleges and universities, including the U.S. military academies.

For 28 years, Judge Vargas served as a caseworker with the Texas Department of Human Services, helping the indigent and vulnerable in a six-county region. During his tenure, he worked with the Job Corps program helping to train new workers, and with the Surplus Commodity Programs to feed hungry families.

During the past 10 years, Judge Vargas has served as the Justice of the Peace for Goliad County and for 9 years was a Reserve Deputy for the Goliad County Sheriff's Department.

Goliad is the birthplace of Mexican General Zaragoza whose defeat of the French Army is celebrated as Cinco de Mayo. In addition, Goliad has played a significant role in the War for Texas Independence. Judge Vargas has been a member of the Zaragoza Society for over 45 years, and the chairman for at least a decade. Through this work, Judge Vargas brought national recognition to Goliad's historic significance both in Mexican and Texas history.

I believe it is most fitting to honor Judge Vargas' service to the people of Goliad by naming the Goliad Post Office after him, and urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I join my South Texas colleague, Ruben Hinojosa, in asking the House to pass H.R. 1072 to name the Post Office in Goliad, Texas, after Judge Emilio Vargas.

A child of our times, Judge Vargas, a first-generation American, was born in Goliad and attended segregated schools because he was Mexican. He overcame the disadvantages inherent in segregation by graduating from Bee College and serving in the U.S. Air Force.

After his service, he came home to spend his life laboring to improve the lives of South Texans. During the 1960s, Judge Garza was a civil rights pioneer. He fought the evil of the poll tax that flew in the face of democracy and he worked to persuade more Hispanics to participate in government.

He knew that education was the magic bullet for improving a population. He devoted much of his efforts to service on the Goliad Independent School District Board of Trustees. His inspiration--and his work on local education issues--resulted in many young people from Goliad going to prestigious colleges and universities, including the U.S. military academies.

Judge Vargas served with the Texas Department of Human Services helping those who had no money and no hope. His work with the Job Corps program helped train new workers, teaching people to help themselves. Also devoted to the rule of law, he has served as the Justice of the Peace for Goliad County and for 9 years was a Reserve Deputy for the Goliad County Sheriff's Department.

Goliad is rich in the history of both Mexico and the United States. Goliad was the birthplace of Mexican General Zaragoza who defeated the French Army, for which we celebrate Cinco de Mayo. Goliad also played a significant role in the War for Texas Independence.

For his life's work in championing the better angles of our democracy and our community, it is a just reward for the Goliad Post Office to carry the name of this unique American Patriot.

Mr. Speaker, I stand in support of H.R. 1072, which, as the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Marchant) has said, has the unanimous support of the whole Texas delegation, both Democrats and Republicans, the 32 members of the Texas delegation.

H.R. 1072 is a piece of legislation that will name the post office in Goliad, Texas, after a great American, a great Texan, Judge Emilio Vargas. Judge Emilio Vargas is a first-generation American who was born in Goliad.

As a child, he attended segregated schools because of his Hispanic background. Despite that, he went off to Bee College, graduated, and then he volunteered, joined the American Air Force where he served as an airman. After serving his country, he went home and focused on improving the lives of his people in the community.

During the 1960s, Judge Vargas was active in the civil rights movement and worked to eliminate the poll tax in Texas. He worked to increase Hispanic participation in government and focused on getting an educated population in his community. For 14 years he served in the Goliad Independent School District Board of Trustees, where he focused on education. He believed in the words of President John F. Kennedy when President Kennedy said the progress of a Nation can be no swifter than the progress of its educational system; and he worked hard to make sure that students could go to school, go to college, and become good citizens and become part of the American Dream.

I stand here with the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hinojosa) in support of this particular bill, H.R. 1072, and ask that we name the post office in Goliad after this great American, great Texan, Judge Vargas.