To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 201 North 3rd Street in Smithfield, North Carolina, as the "Ava Gardner 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.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3439) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 201 North 3rd Street in Smithfield, North Carolina, as the ``Ava Gardner Post Office''.

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 H.R. 3439.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. I rise in support of H.R. 3439, authored by the distinguished gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Etheridge).

This bill would designate the Post Office in Smithfield, North Carolina, as the ``Ava Gardner Post Office Building.'' All Members of the North Carolina delegation have cosponsored this legislation.

The life of Ava Gardner is a true rags-to-riches story that started on a tobacco farm in the rural south. Born and raised in Johnston County, North Carolina, Ava Gardner had planned on becoming a secretary in her adult life. However, at the age of 18, a scout from MGM Studios offered her a 7-year contract from seeing a photo of her in the window of her brother-in-law's New York photograph shop. Having no acting an experience at all, Ava had to settle for scripts containing little better than one-line bits.

In 1946, she landed her first starring role in the B-grade movie, Whistle Stop. Later that year, on loan from MGM, Universal Studios cast her in her breakout hit, The Killers. Her career as a leading lady then took off in such films as Magambo opposite Clark Gable, The Barefoot Contessa and Night of the Iguana, all between the years of 1953 and 1964.

Ava Gardner, the earthy girl from North Carolina, had beaten the odds to become one of Hollywood's most famous icons. Today, anyone can view the personal effects and career artifacts of Ava's extraordinary life at the Ava Gardner Museum in Smithfield, North Carolina. The museum enables both young and old to experience the history of classic cinema. I urge all Members to join me in saluting her dedication and perseverance towards her unlikely but spectacularly successful career.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I would just like to thank my colleague from Illinois for his help on all of these resolutions. He is always such a gentleman, so dignified. I have sometimes said that east Tennessee, where I am from, is the only part the whole country where the people speak with absolutely no accent whatsoever, but I do have to admit that the gentleman from Illinois has a beautiful voice, and it is always a pleasure to work with him.

Madam Speaker, with that, I urge all Members to support the passage of H.R. 3439.

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

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

Madam Speaker, as a member of the House Government Reform Committee, I am pleased to join my colleague in consideration of H.R. 3439, legislation naming a postal facility in Smithfield, North Carolina, after Ava Gardner, an illustrious actress often remembered as the most beautiful in Hollywood history. This measure, which was introduced by the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Etheridge) on July 26, 2005, and unanimously reported by our committee on September 15, 2005, enjoys the support and cosponsorship of the entire North Carolina delegation.

Ava Lavinia Gardner was born in the small town of Grabtown, North Carolina, as the youngest of seven children. Ava Gardner's film career began at the age of 18 when an MGM agent saw her photograph in the window of her brother-in-law's New York City photograph studio. Her prolific film career includes roles in Mogambo (1953), for which she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress; The Barefoot Contessa (1954); The Sun Also Rises (1957); On the Beach, (1959); The Night of the Iguana (1964), for which she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress; and Regina Roma (1982).

Ava Gardner was married to three legendary Hollywood actors, including Mickey Rooney, Artie Shaw and Frank Sinatra. She died in London on January 25, 1990, of pneumonia at the age of 67 and was buried in Smithfield, North Carolina, in the Gardner family plot near the Ava Gardner Museum.

Madam Speaker, I commend my colleague for speaking to honor Ava Gardner, who rose from humble roots to become one of the most famous actresses in film history.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3439, legislation to name the main post office in Smithfield, North Carolina, in honor of Ava Gardner.

I am proud to be sponsor of this legislation not only because Ava Gardner is a native of our great State, but because growing up in Johnston County I was always aware of her accomplishments and of the lives she touched around the world.

Ava Gardner lived the American Dream but never forgot her humble beginnings in Johnston County, her high school days at Rock Ridge or her days at Atlantic Christian College. Ava Gardner's career spanned five decades, and she was America's sweetheart during Hollywood's Golden Age.

This small town girl was a big time celebrity. In fact, she was the first woman from North Carolina to grace the cover of Time Magazine. She was also a patriot who performed for our servicemen and a tireless leader in the fight against cancer.

Ava represents the can-do attitude and patriotism embodied by the people of Smithfield and Johnston County. At the request of the Mayor and Town Council of Smithfield, I was pleased to introduce this legislation in July and work for its passage.

I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3439 and honor a famous North Carolinian.