To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 37598 Goodhue Avenue in Dennison, Minnesota, as the "Albert H. Quie Post Office."

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time and for his leadership on this bill. I think it was Mr. Gutknecht's original idea, and I am very pleased that he had it.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3989, this resolution which pays tribute to an outstanding Minnesotan through the designation of the Albert H. Quie Post Office. I express my appreciation to my colleague from Minnesota, as I said, for his leadership, for his initiative in this bill, and for helping us pull the entire Minnesota delegation together. We have unanimous bipartisan support for this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, Al Quie is a lifelong Minnesotan who is guided by a strong faith and the principle of selfless service. Residents of Minnesota's Second Congressional District can be proud of this native son who was born on a farm in Rice County, was educated in Nerstrand and Northfield, and graduated from St. Olaf College in 1950, all institutions in the Second District of Minnesota.

Throughout his life, Al demonstrated his Minnesota values and earned the respect of his fellow citizens. As a pilot in the U.S. Navy, he served his Nation bravely in the final days of the Second World War. Returning to Minnesota, he continued to serve as a member of the District 43 School Board, the Minnesota State Senate, the U.S. House of Representatives, and as Governor of our great State, all accomplishments which have already been mentioned and probably cannot be mentioned enough for this great American.

In his life, faith has always been a clear and guiding principle. As one of the founders of the bipartisan National Prayer Breakfast, Al is responsible for a meaningful tradition which continues today. Attended by every President for the past 50 years, the National Prayer Breakfast unites men and women from across the political spectrum in every area of the country in a common purpose, and, Mr. Speaker, I might add, from countries around the world as this prayer breakfast has grown in participation.

The National Prayer Breakfast was an outgrowth of Al's work in the bipartisan Congressional Prayer Breakfast. Considered ``the best hour of the week'' by many of us, there are many of my colleagues here in this room today who regularly attend this Members-only gathering, it is still held weekly, providing a welcome opportunity for prayer and fellowship.

Closely intertwined with Al's faith is his love of nature and adventure. Over the course of nine summers, accompanied by friends, colleagues, and his sons, Al traveled the length of the Continental Divide on horseback, journaling along the way.

Considering it his greatest triumph, he detailed the experience in a book, Riding the Divide, which I highly commend to all of my colleagues. It is a personal account of his adventure and a testimony of his faith journey.

Though the ride to Canada to Mexico may have been his biggest personal triumph, Al's greatest impact on the lives of others may be his work with Prison Fellowship Ministries, a volunteer organization which ministers to prisoners, ex-prisoners, victims and their families, and promotes biblical standards of justice in the criminal justice system.

Through this group, Al's faith has impacted individuals and changed lives. Al Quie's life reflects faith, dedication to service and an enduring commitment to the people of Minnesota. It is an honor as a Minnesotan to pay tribute to him today.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3989) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 37598 Goodhue Avenue in Dennison, Minnesota, as the ``Albert Harold Quie Post Office,'' as amended.

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.

I rise in support of H.R. 3989, as amended. I offer this bill together with my colleague from Minnesota (Mr. Kline). This bill would designate the post office in Dennison, Minnesota, as the Albert H. Quie Post Office Building.

Let me tell you a little bit about Al Quie. I am privileged to know Al and have known him for a very long time. Al Quie was born on a farm in Wheeling Township in Rice County near Dennison, Minnesota, on September 8, 1923. He attended the grade schools in Nerstrand and high school in Northfield. He graduated from St. Olaf College in 1950.

Mr. Quie served as a pilot in the United States Navy from 1943 to 1945. He later became the owner and operator of a dairy farm there in Rice County. He was the clerk of the District 43 School Board from 1949 to 1952 and a supervisor for the Rice County Soil Conservation District from 1950 until 1954.

Al Quie was elected to the Minnesota State Senate in 1955, and he was elected as a Republican to the 85th Congress by a special election to fill the vacancy caused by the death of United States Representative August Andresen. He was reelected to the succeeding Congresses for 10 consecutive terms. In 1978, he left the Congress to run for Governor of Minnesota where he served from 1979 until 1983.

You cannot talk about Al Quie without talking about his wife, Gretchen, a very special woman, a loving and tender woman; and I remember her so well as the First Lady of the State of Minnesota.

But Al Quie is so many things. He was a true patriot, a very committed Christian, a loving father and husband. He was a principled public servant; and in many respects, he embodied all of the qualities that we in this House should emulate. I think naming a post office after him in his hometown of Dennison, Minnesota, is a very, very small tribute.

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

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield such time as he may consume to my colleague from Minnesota (Mr. Kline).

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Kennedy).

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues. I would just add one thing to the comments of my colleague (Mr. Kline) and that is that when he rode the Continental Divide, he was in his 70s. An amazing tribute. He is now in his 80s. He and Gretchen still are living happily in Minnesota. I believe that naming this post office is just a small way for us to say thank you for his many, many years of selfless public service.

Mr. Speaker, I hope the Members will join us in supporting this important resolution.

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

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a great public servant, a man of great faith and good works, a great American-- and a friend to all Minnesotans and many who have served in this House.

Al Quie is a truly honorable man, a ``servant leader'' of the highest order. I urge my colleagues to support the legislation before us to honor this dedicated public servant. This legislation would designate the post office in Dennison, Minnesota, as the ``Albert Harold Quie Post Office.''

Mr. Speaker, this is a truly fitting and well-deserved honor for an outstanding former Member of Congress and great Governor of the State of Minnesota. As my friend since I was first elected to the Minnesota Senate in 1980 when Al was Governor, I consider him one of the most honorable people I've known in my 25 years of public service.

Mr. Speaker, Al Quie is truly one of the all-time ``greats'' of Minnesota government and politics. His record of unquestioned integrity, leadership, legislative accomplishments and public service will forever rank Al Quie as a ``giant'' in Minnesota history.

Al Quie was born on a farm in Wheeling Township, Rice County, near Dennison, Minnesota, on September 18, 1923. Al Quie's many accomplishments as a Navy pilot, dairy farmer, legislator, Member of Congress, Governor, religious leader and all-star citizen make this honor, the naming of his hometown post office, a truly fitting recognition of his public service.

Al Quie completed all of his formal education within a few miles of the Dennison Post Office; he attended grade school in Nerstrand, high school in Northfield and graduated from St. Olaf College in Northfield in 1950.

Governor Quie served as a pilot in the United States Navy from 1943- 1945 and later became the owner and operator of a dairy farm. He was the clerk of District 43 School Board from 1949-1952 and a supervisor for the Rice County Soil Conservation District from 1950-1954. Al Quie was a member of the Minnesota State Senate from 1955-1958 and was elected to the 85th U.S. Congress and served 20 years here in this chamber. He served as the 35th Governor of Minnesota from January 1, 1979, until January 3, 1983.

Mr. Speaker, Al Quie's tireless work to help others since he left the Governor's office with such wonderful organizations as Prison Fellowship has been truly inspirational. His strong faith also serves as a powerful force and profound example for me in my life.

Al Quie has continued his public servlce in too many ways to fully emunerate here. Al has served on many boards--not only Prison Fellowship Ministries, but Lutheran Brotherhood Mutual Funds, Lutheran Health Systems, Tentmakers, Vesper Society, Nobel Peace Prize Forum, Search Institute, Council on Crime and Justice, Urban Ventures and

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues for bringing forth this resolution.

It would be great to have the opportunity to visit all of those for whom we name post offices, but I think if you really knew Al Quie, you would know that he would be a standard against which we would judge the others.

A lot has been talked about the great things he has done in public service as well as for the community. I first got a chance to interact with him when I started to get involved in the process of politics in 1978 when he ran for Governor. What an amazing man he is. The last two times I saw Governor Quie were in church and in a prison. You might think that is a little bit unusual combination, but he really has brought his faith to those that are in prison and really dedicated himself to that.

This is a person that not only served in many capacities in the State legislature, as a U.S. Congressman and as Governor, but through his work with Prison Fellowship and the Minnesota School Readiness Business Advisory Council, helping people be prepared for school, he has committed himself to the community.

It has already been mentioned about the fact that he has just a gem of a spouse. Those that meet Gretchen know how much that contributes to his strength. If you are known by your fruits, their five children, Fredric, Jennifer, Daniel, Joel and Ben, speak highly of them.

A true leader, a man dedicated to his faith, family State and country. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to support this bill, pleased to support a bill to name a post office after someone who makes Minnesota nice personified.

Denison, Minnesota, deserves to have their post office named after Governor Quie. I applaud my colleagues for bringing this forward.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3989, a bill to designate the U.S. Post Office in Dennison, Minnesota as the ``Albert H. Quie Post Office.''

It is appropriate that we honor this special Minnesotan, who served our great state and Nation in the U.S. Navy during World War II and as State Senator, Congressman, and Minnesota Governor. It is especially fitting that the Post Office in Dennison, MN will carry his name. Al Quie grew up on a farm outside of Dennison and attended school in nearby Nerstrand and Northfield. His family and the community he lived in instilled in him a sense of service that is still with him today.

Governor Quie led a distinguished career in many respects, one that was especially important to me as a student living in his Congressional district. As a long-time member of the House Education Committee, he created a special legacy in the area of education and advocated tirelessly for quality education programs for America's children. His leadership in public education is still respected in Minnesota, where he is often asked to share his vision for education at meetings and conferences.

This devout Lutheran left another legacy in Congress when he helped start the Congressional Prayer Breakfast for his colleagues. Forty- seven years later, Members still enjoy this weekly tradition.

Mr. Quie was elected to Congress in 1958 and ten succeeding Congresses, but I remember most fondly his election in 1972. The 26th Amendment had just been ratified, giving me and other 18 year-olds the right to vote. I cast my vote for Albert Quie, a vote I am still proud of today.

Thank you for your fine service, Governor Quie, and for inspiring a spirit of service in others.