To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 6483 Lincoln Street in Gagetown, Michigan, as the "Gagetown Veterans Memorial Post Office".

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation be authorized to meet on Thursday, December 15, 2005, at 10 a.m. on pending committee business.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs be authorized to meet on Thursday, December 15, 2005, at 10 a.m., for a hearing titled, ``Hurricane Katrina: Who's In Charge of the New Orleans Levees?''.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affaris be authorized to hold an off-the-floor markup during the session on Thursday, December 15, 2005, to consider the nominations of George W. Foresman to be Under Secretary for Preparedness, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and Mary M. Rose to be Member, Merit Systems Protection Board.

Agenda

Nominations

(1) George W. Foresman to be Under Secretary for Preparedness, U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

(2) Mary M. Rose to be Member, Merit Systems Protection Board.

Post Office Naming Bills

(1) S. 1445, a bill to designate the facility of the U.S. Postal Service located at 520 Colorado Avenue in Arriba, CO, as the ``William H. Emery Post Office.''

(2) S. 1792/H.R. 3770, a bill to designate the facility of the U.S. Postal Service located at 205 West Washington Street in Knox, IN, as the ``Grant W. Green Post Office Building.''

(3) S. 1820, a bill to designate the facility of the U.S. Postal Service located at 6110 East 51st Place in Tulsa, OK, as the ``Dewey F. Bartlett Post Office.''

(4) S. 2036, a bill to designate the facility of the U.S. Postal Service located at 320 High Street in Clinton, MA, as the ``Raymond J. Salmon Post Office.''

(5) S. 2064, a bill to designate the facility of the U.S. Postal Service located at 122 South Bill Street in Francesville, IN, as the ``Malcolm Melville `Mac' Lawrence Post Office.''

(6) S. 2089, a bill to designate the facility of the U.S. Postal Service located at 1271 North King Street in Honolulu, Oahu, HA, as the ``Hiram L. Fong Post Office Building.''

(7) H.R. 2113, a bill to designate the facility of the U.S. Postal Service located at 2000 McDonough Street in Joliet, IL, as the ``John F. Whiteside Joliet Post Office Building.''

(8) H.R. 2346, a bill to designate the facility of the U.S. Postal Service located at 105 NW Railroad Avenue in Hammond, LA, as the ``John J. Hainkel, Jr. Post Office Building.''

(9) H.R. 2413, a bill to designate the facility of the U.S. Postal Service located at 1202 1st Street in Humble, TX, as the ``Lillian McKay Post Office Building.''

(10) H.R. 2630, a bill to designate the facility of the U.S. Postal Service located at 1927 Sangamon Avenue in Springfield, IL, as the ``J.M. Dietrich Northeast Annex.''

(11) H.R. 2894, a bill to designate the facility of the U.S. Postal Service located at 102 South Walters Avenue in Hodgenville, KY, as the ``Abraham Lincoln Birthplace Post Office Building.''

(12) H.R. 3256, a bill to designate the facility of the U.S. Postal Service located at 3038 West Liberty Avenue in Pittsburgh, PA, as the ``Congressman James Grove Fulton Memorial Post Office Building.''

(13) H.R. 3368, a bill to designate the facility of the U.S. Postal Service located at 6483 Lincoln Street in Gagetown, MI, as the ``Gagetown Veterans Memorial Post Office.''

(14) H.R. 3439, a bill to designate the facility of the U.S. Postal Service located at 201 North 3rd Street in Smithfield, NC, as the ``Ava Gardner Post Office.''

(15) H.R. 3548, a bill to designate the facility of the U.S. Postal Service located on Franklin Avenue in Pearl River, NY, as the ``Heinz Ahlmeyer, Jr. Post Office Building.''

(16) H.R. 3703, a bill to designate the facility of the U.S. Postal Service located at 8501 Philatelic Drive in Spring Hill, FL, as the ``Staff Sergeant Michael Schafer Post Office.''

(17) H.R. 3825, a bill to designate the facility of the U.S. Postal Service located at 770 Trumbull Drive in Pittsburgh, PA, the ``Clayton J. Smith Memorial Post Office.''

(18) H.R. 3830, a bill to designate the facility of the U.S. Postal Service located at 130 East Marion Avenue in Punta Gorda, FL, as the ``U.S. Cleveland Post Office Building.''

(19) H.R. 4053, a bill to designate the facility of the U.S. Postal Service located at 545 North Rimsdale Avenue in Covina, CA, as the ``Lillian Kinkella Keil Post Office.''

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent at the Select Committee on Intelligence be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on December 15, 2005, at 2:30 p.m., to hold a closed meeting.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill, H.R. 3368, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 6483 Lincoln Street in Gagetown, Michigan, as the Gagetown Veterans Memorial Post Office.

It is an honor to recognize all of our Nation's veterans in this visible manner. Mr. Pablo Lopez brought this idea to my attention, and the village of Gagetown overwhelmingly passed a resolution in support of designating the post office to honor our veterans. I am also pleased that the entire Michigan delegation has joined me as cosponsors of this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I believe we owe all of our veterans a debt of gratitude for their service. In my years of public service, there are few people I have met who deserve the word ``heroic'' as do those who have served in our Armed Forces. We can honor that heroism here today to show the respect and gratitude due to those who have served in all of our forces.

Mr. Speaker, when I was a schoolteacher in Flint, Michigan, I took a year off to travel around the world. I traveled through many countries and saw many wonderful sights and met many wonderful people, but the one sight that always gave me a feeling of security, integrity and decency was the American flag as I approached an American Embassy. That flag still flies proudly, because of the sacrifices made by our veterans.

Today we are a Nation whose freedom has been guaranteed by our veterans, all of our veterans, and each deserves our pledge of justice, equity and care. Throughout my years in public office, I have always supported veterans programs because I know that each vote on veterans issues directly touches the lives of nearly one out of three Americans, the veteran themselves, and the fathers, the mothers, the sons, the daughters, the brothers and sisters whose sacrifice deserve our undying gratitude.

My heart guides my hand on each vote I cast for veterans. Those votes are a demonstration of gratitude and a pledge of support. All of us need to honor the memory of those who paid so dearly with their lives. We need to think of the pain and loss felt by those left behind.

Theodore Roosevelt wrote the following upon the death of his son Quentin during World War I. He wrote, ``He had his crowded hour, he died at the crest of his life, in the glory of the dawn.''

Mr. Speaker, millions of Americans died at the crest of their lives because they believed in the absolute of America's promise. We can properly honor the memory of our fallen by assuring our Nation lives up to its obligation to its veterans.

If I could request my Government to do one thing, if I could ask my fellow citizens to do one thing, it would be to grant our veterans the care, respect and recognition that they so richly deserve.

Mr. Speaker, Members of the House, please join me in supporting H.R. 3368, to honor all of our veterans.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3368) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 6483 Lincoln Street in Gagetown, Michigan, as the ``Gagetown Veterans Memorial Post Office''.

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, I rise in support of H.R. 3368, introduced by the distinguished gentlemen from Michigan (Mr. Kildee). This bill would designate the post office in Gagetown, Michigan, as the Gagetown Veterans Memorial Post Office.

The entire Michigan delegation has cosponsored this legislation. Although the town of Gagetown, Michigan, is a small community of only 337 people, the 38 veterans that reside there have made a big contribution to the American way of life. Every member of our armed services has contributed to the preservation of the goals and ideals of this country.

Those who have served and are currently serving our country are fighting for the basic rights that we enjoy here in our free Nation, here in this very room. From the American Revolution to the current war on terrorism, there are numerous untold stories of bravery and courage, and so many unsung heroes that live among us.

The 38 veterans of Gagetown, Michigan, have been involved in World War II, Korea, Vietnam and Iraq. The designation of this post office building would be a token of the town's gratitude and respect for those who have answered the call to serve their country.

What these veterans have done for all of us here in America enjoying the freedoms that these soldiers have provided is truly immeasurable, which is why it is only right to honor these courageous soldiers.

I urge all Members to come together and honor the efforts of the dedicated veterans in Gagetown, Michigan.

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

Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support the passage of H.R. 3368.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the author of this legislation, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Kildee).

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

As a member of the Committee on Government Reform, I am pleased to join with my colleagues in consideration of H.R. 3368, the legislation naming a postal facility in honor of Gagetown veterans. This measure, which was sponsored by the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Kildee), was introduced on July 20, 2005, and unanimously reported by our committee on October 20, 2005.

Mr. Speaker, veterans from the Gagetown community have fought valiantly in all conflicts. Veterans from the village of Gagetown have fought in World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War and, most recently, in Iraq.

I am pleased to note that the village council of Gagetown, Michigan, fully supports naming the Gagetown Post Office in honor and memory of Gagetown veterans.

Mr. Speaker, I commend my colleague for seeking to honor the sacrifice of Gagetown veterans in this manner. And on behalf of my colleagues, let me say that we all sincerely appreciate your heroic service to the Nation.

Mr. Speaker, I urge swift passage of this bill.

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