To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 8501 Philatelic Drive in Spring Hill, Florida, as the "Staff Sergeant Michael Schafer Post Office Building".

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 move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3703) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 8501 Philatelic Drive in Spring Hill, Florida, as the ``Staff Sergeant Michael Schafer 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 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 strong support of H.R. 3703. I introduced this bill to honor the life of fallen U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Michael Schafer. On July 25 this year, while fighting extremist forces in Afghanistan, Sergeant Schafer made the ultimate sacrifice for our great Nation that he loved so dearly.

I sincerely appreciate leadership's willingness to schedule this legislation for consideration today. I can only hope that with the enactment of H.R. 3703, Michael's widow, parents, and family will be comforted by this small token on behalf of a Nation that is eternally grateful for Michael's service.

Michael Schafer, a native of the beautiful town of Spring Hill in my district, answered the call to service by enlisting in the Army in 1998. At the age of 25, Michael had already served tours of duty in Kosovo, Iraq, and Afghanistan. He became the team leader of the Chosen Company, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade. In addition to being an excellent soldier, he was a model citizen, a dutiful son, and a very caring husband.

Tragically, enemy combatants ambushed Sergeant Schafer and his squad in Oruzgan, Afghanistan, on July 25, 2005. They fired shots at the American forces. One shot struck Sergeant Schafer. Although wounded, he still managed to alert the rest of his team to the imminent danger and ordered them to evacuate the area. However, another shot then killed him.

The Army posthumously awarded Sergeant Schafer the Silver Star and Purple Heart. The Army recognized that his last act saved the lives of at least two of his own soldiers. I am deeply humbled by the brave and selfless actions of this young hero.

I urge my distinguished colleagues to join me in honoring the sacrifice made by Michael Schafer to defend the freedom of our great Nation, and I thank the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Tom Davis) for making possible House passage of this legislation.

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

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

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

Mr. Speaker, as a member of the Committee on Government Reform, I am pleased to join the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ginny Brown-Waite) in consideration of H.R. 3703, legislation naming a postal facility in Spring Hill, Florida, after Staff Sergeant Michael Schafer, a courageous soldier who was killed in Afghanistan.

This measure, which was introduced by the gentlewoman from Florida on September 8, 2005, and unanimously reported by the Committee on Government Reform on September 15, 2005, enjoys the support and cosponsorship of many Members, including the entire Florida delegation.

Staff Sergeant Michael Schafer grew up in Spring Hill and enlisted in the Army in 1998, serving tours of duty in Kosovo, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Sergeant Schafer was the team leader of the Chosen Company, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade.

On July 25, 2005, Staff Sergeant Schafer was killed in action while leading his team on patrol in Oruzgan, Afghanistan. Enemy combatants ambushed his squad and wounded him with a bullet. Before the second fatal shot was fired, Sergeant Schafer alerted his team to the imminent danger and ordered them to run. The Army awarded him both the Silver Star and the Purple Heart, recognizing that his last actions saved the lives of at least two of his soldiers at the sacrifice of his own life.

Mr. Speaker, I commend my colleague for seeking to honor the legacy of Staff Sergeant Michael Schafer whose loyalty to his company saved his soldiers' lives. I urge the swift passage of this bill.

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