To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 4960 West Washington Boulevard in Los Angeles, California, as the "Ray Charles 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, it is my pleasure to yield such time as she might consume to the gentlewoman from California, (Ms. Watson) who is the author of this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I might consume to close for our side.

Mr. Speaker, as a member of the House Government Reform Committee, I am pleased to join my colleagues in consideration of H.R. 504, legislation naming a postal facility in Los Angeles, California, after the legendary Ray Charles.

H.R. 504 was introduced by my good friend and colleague, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Watson), on February 1, 2005, and unanimously reported by our committee on April 13, 2005.

The bill enjoys the support of the entire California delegation. As we have already heard, Ray Charles was born in Albany, Georgia, on September 23, 1930, and moved with his family to Greenville, Florida.

And like later in his life, Charles's childhood was one marked by tragedy and hardship. At age 5, he watched helplessly as his brother drowned to death in the family bathtub. That same year he became inflicted with glaucoma and lost his sight altogether by the age of 7.

By age 15, both of his parents had died. Displaying courage far beyond his years, Ray Charles persevered during this time of unimaginable hardship. Determined to make something of his life, Ray Charles turned to music. After playing in local clubs, Charles decided that Florida was not the place for his budding music career.

So at age 17 he decided to move to Seattle and sing in a band playing Nat King Cole-style music at area nightclubs. In Seattle, Ray Charles's unparalleled skill drew rave reviews, and he had his first hit at age 19 with the rhythm and blues hit, ``Confession Blues.''

In all, Ray Charles would win an astounding 12 Grammy Awards, including three in 3 consecutive years for ``Hit the Road Jack,'' ``I Can't Stop Loving You,'' and ``Busted.''

Once when Ray Charles was asked if he ever considered taking it easy following all of the success he had had, Charles quickly responded, for what? Music is like a part of me. It is not something I do on the side. It is like my blood line, like my breathing apparatus.

Tragically, Ray Charles did not live long enough to witness the success of the movie hit ``Ray'' that told the story of his life. He died on June 10, last year, shortly before the movie's release. Jamie Foxx did an exemplary job portraying Ray Charles.

The story of Mr. Charles's life is so compelling that it is hard to imagine the American public not becoming engrossed in the story of his life. Ray Charles was truly a man for all seasons, and an incredible gospel, jazz, blues and big band artist, all rolled in one.

He has his own star on Hollywood Boulevard's Walk of Fame. He is the recipient of a bronze medallion presented by the French Republic. His version of Hoagy Carmichael's ``Georgia on My Mind,'' was named the Georgia State song, and he was one of the original inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Watson) for introducing this legislation. Ray Charles was and will always be an American hero and icon. He has given the American people and the entire world the everlasting gift of his beautiful music.

I commend my colleague for seeking to honor the legacy of Ray Charles in this manner. Mr. Speaker, I know that the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Conyers), as well as the gentleman from New York (Mr. Serrano) who are both great patrons of the arts and tremendous lovers of music had intended to be here to make some comments.

Unfortunately, they could not. So I would urge swift passage of this legislation.

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

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 504, a bill to rename a post office located in Los Angeles, California, the Ray Charles Post Office, is a small act to commemorate one of the true giants of the 20th century in popular music.

Ray Charles is both a national treasure and a international phenomenon. He was also a long-time resident of Los Angeles and the 33rd Congressional District, living right around the corner from me.

The story of Ray Charles's life is full of paradoxes. It is about rags to riches, the sacred and the profane, and triumph overcoming tragedy. It is the material of Horatio Alger and Mark Twain. It is a uniquely American story; and his music, a melting pot blend of pop, country, gospel, blues and jazz, brilliantly reflects the rich American cultural and musical tapestry in its various shades, shapes, and premonitions.

Much has been written about Ray Charles's life, and his rise from poverty and obscurity in St. Augustine, Florida, to his decision to migrate to Seattle, a decision he made by asking a friend to find him the farthest point from Florida on a map of the Continental United States.

Many of you have probably seen the movie ``Ray,'' and the Oscar- winning performance of Jamie Foxx. What we learned from the life of Ray Charles is that he constantly persevered in the face of adversity and often overwhelming odds. He learned very early that the two constants of life are change and adaptation. Those qualities are reflected in spades in his music.

He secularized gospel music, wed it to jazz rhythms and sensibilities, and popularized, almost singlehandedly, music known as rhythm and blues.

But the music of Ray Charles, as true to his legacy, cannot be confined to one

genre or type of music. In 1962, Ray Charles spit in the eye of conventional wisdom, as well as his producers, and recorded one of the great country albums, ``Modern Sounds in Country and Western.'' Billboard Magazine listed it as the number one-selling album for 14 weeks in a row, a feat that has not been duplicated since then.

Ray Charles's accomplishments were all the more profound when we consider that the races in America were still largely segregated, particularly in the South. Ray Charles's revolutionary approach to music was also reflected in his politics and his deep and abiding commitment to Martin Luther King and the plight of the African Americans.

Ray Charles may not have been on the front lines, but he put his money where his mouth was. In his autobiography, Ray Charles wrote about his life-long love affair with music. ``I was born with the music inside me,'' he wrote. ``That is the only explanation I know of. It was, of course, already with me when I arrived on the scene. It was a necessity for me like food or like water.''

Ray Charles has provided comfort to millions of Americans from all races and backgrounds and made their lives brighter with the genius of his music.

In closing, Mr. Speaker, I would note that this legislation, to name a post office in honor of Ray Charles, is but a small tribute to a man who started from nowhere and ended up as a national treasure and a global phenomenon. God bless, Ray Charles.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of naming the 4960 West Washington Boulevard, Los Angeles, California post office after one of America's greatest musical artists, Ray Charles. As an international icon who mastered many styles from blues and jazz to rock `n' roll and gospel, Ray Charles deserves this recognition

Born Ray Charles Robinson in Albany, Georgia on September 23, 1930, he would later shorten his name to Ray Charles to avoid confusion with boxer Sugar Ray Robinson. Ray's inspirational life story is well known but deserves retelling.

Blind since childhood and orphaned as a teenager, Ray Charles lived a life that traveled from despair to fame to redemption. He had been playing piano since he was three years old. In 1937, he entered the St. Augustine School for the Deaf and Blind as a charity student, studied classical piano and clarinet, and learned to read and write music in Braille. Both his parents died by the time Ray turned 15.

At that age, Ray Charles left school and joined dance bands in Florida, then moved to Seattle, where a talent content appearance led to work playing at the Elks Club. He formed the McSon Trio with two other musicians--a group modeled on the Nat King Cole jazz group--and they soon moved to Los Angeles where they recorded their first single ``Confession Blues,'' which Charles wrote.

Throughout his life, Ray Charles overcame racial prejudice, drug addiction and other setbacks to forge a singular life in music and popular culture, and as a media celebrity. Charles' intense renditions of classic songs earned him the nickname ``The Genius.''

Charles' litany of awards is numerous. He was an original inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He is also a member of the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame, the Blues Hall of Fame, the Songwriters' Hall of Fame, the Grammy Hall of Fame, the Jazz Hall of Fame, the Florida Artists Hall of Fame, and the Georgia Music Hall of Fame to name some. His definitive version of Hoagy Carmichael's 1930 classic ``Georgia on My Mind'' (1960) became the official state song of Georgia.

Ray said once, ``Music's been around a long time, and there's going to be music long after Ray Charles is dead. I just want to make my mark, leave something musically good behind. If it's a big record, that's the frosting on the cake, but music's the main meal.''

Mr. Speaker, we all can dine on his wide assortment of musical treats. Ray Charles' American legacy is well served by the naming of a public building after him.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 504) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 4960 West Washington Boulevard in Los Angeles, California, as the ``Ray Charles 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, H.R. 504.

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

Mr. Speaker, as a member of the Committee on Government Reform, I rise in support of H.R. 504. This legislation designates this post office in Los Angeles as the Ray Charles Post Office Building to celebrate the life of the great American entertainer.

All 53 members of the California congressional delegation have cosponsored this legislation to comply with the committee policy on post office-naming bills.

Mr. Speaker, Ray Charles Robinson was born in Albany, Georgia, in 1930. He was raised in Florida, and completely lost his sight by age 7. Amazingly, he overcame his lack of sight and began to study piano, saxophone, and clarinet at a school for the blind and deaf.

He ultimately became a traveling musician and shortened his name to Ray Charles to differentiate himself from the famous boxer of that time, Ray Robinson. During his career that spanned more than 5 decades, Ray Charles won an outstanding 12 Grammy Awards, including the best R&B recording three consecutive years from 1961 through 1963: ``Hit the Road Jack,'' ``I Can't Stop Loving You,'' and ``Busted.'' He was unquestionably one of the world's most successful musicians of the 20th century.

Mr. Speaker, it is important for all of us to understand how groundbreaking his music fusion of gospel, blues, pop, country, and jazz really was.

His ingenuity paved the way for other giants in music history, including Aretha Franklin and Elvis Presley. Ray Charles passed away in Beverly Hills, California, on June 10, 2004. This post office will serve as an important memorial to Ray Charles's legacy and influence on American popular music.

I want to thank the distinguished gentlewoman from California (Ms. Watson), my colleague on the committee, for her work on H.R. 504.

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

Mr. Speaker, I have no other speakers at the moment and reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support the passage of H.R. 504.