To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 217 Southeast 2nd Street in Dimmitt, Texas, as the "Sergeant Jacob Dan Dones Post Office".

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Forestry, Conservation, and Rural Revitalization of the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry be authorized to conduct a hearing during the session of the Senate on July 27, 2006, at 10 a.m. in SR-328A, Russell Senate Office Building. The purpose of this subcommittee hearing will be to conduct an oversight hearing on the U.S. Department of Agriculture use of technical service providers.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Armed Services be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on July 27, 2006, at 10 a.m., in open session to consider the following nomination: Lieutenant General James T. Conway, USMC, for appointment to the grade of General and to be Commandant of the Marine Corps.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation meet to consider the following nominations on Thursday, July 27, 2006, at 11 a.m.:

Charles Nottingham to be a Member of the Surface Transportation Board; Robert Sumwalt to be a Member of the National Transportation Safety Board; Nathaniel Wienecke to be Assistant Secretary for Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs, Department of Commerce; Jay Cohen to be Under Secretary for Science and Technology, Department of Homeland Security; and Sean Connaughton to be Administrator of the Maritime Administration, Department of Transportation.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that on Thursday, July 27th, 2006, at 9:30 a.m. the Committee on Environment and Public

Works be authorized to hold a hearing to discuss the Stafford Act: A Path Forward for the Nation's Emergency Preparedness and Response System.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Finance be authorized to meet during the session on Thursday, July 27, 2006, at 10 a.m. in 215 Dirksen Senate Office Building, to review and make recommendations on proposed legislation implementing the U.S.- Peru Trade Promotion Agreement, and to consider favorably reporting S. 3495, to authorize the extension of nondiscriminatory treatment (normal trade relations treatment) to the products of Vietnam.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Foreign Relations be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, July 27, 2006, at 9:30 a.m. to hold a nominations hearing.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Foreign Relations be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, July 27, 2006, at 2:30 p.m. to hold a nominations hearing.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions be authorized to hold a hearing during the session of the Senate on Thursday, July 27, 2006, at 10 a.m. in SD-430.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs be authorized to meet on Thursday, July 27, 2006, at 10 a.m. for a business meeting to consider pending committee business.

Agenda

Legislation

1. S. 2590, Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006;

2. S. , Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006;

3. S. 1838, Federal and District of Columbia Government Real Property Act of 2005;

4. S. 3492, Federal Workforce Performance Appraisal and Management Improvement Act of 2006;

5. S. 3584, Federal Supervisor Training Act of 2006.

Post Office Naming Bills

1. S. 3613, to designate the facility of the USPS located at 2951 New York Highway 43 in Averill Park, New York, as the ``Major George Quamo Post Office Building;''

2. H.R. 4246, to designate the facility of the USPS located at 8135 Forest Lane in Dallas, Texas, as the ``Dr. Robert E. Price Post Office Building;''

3. H.R. 5104, to designate the facility of the USPS located at 1750 16th Street South in St. Petersburg, Florida, as the ``Morris W. Milton Post Office;''

4. H.R. 5169, to designate the facility of the USPS located at 1310 Highway 64 NW in Ramsey, Indiana, as the ``Wilfred Edward `Cousin Willie' Sieg, Sr. Post Office;''

5. H.R. 5540, to designate the facility of the USPS located at 217 Southeast 2nd Street in Dimmitt, Texas, as the ``Sergeant Jacob Dan Dones Post Office.''

Post Office Naming Bills--Tentative

1. H.R. 4646, to designate the facility of the U.S. Postal Service located at 7320 Reseda Boulevard in Reseda, California, as the ``Coach John Wooden Post Office Building;''

2. S. 2555, to designate the facility of the U.S. Postal Service located at 2633 11th Street in Rock Island, Illinois, as the ``Lane Evans Post Office Building;''

3. S. 2719/H.R. 5107, to designate the facility of the U.S. Postal Service located at 1400 West Jordan Street in Pensacola, Florida, as the ``Earl D. Hutto Post Office Building.''

Nominations

1. Paul A. Denett to be Administrator for Federal Procurement Policy, Office of Management and Budget;

2. The Honorable Anna Blackburne-Rigsby to be Associate Judge, District of Columbia Court of Appeals;

3. Phyllis D. Thompson to be Associate Judge, District of Columbia Court of Appeals;

4. Jennifer M. Anderson to be Associate Judge, Superior Court of the District of Columbia;

5. The Honorable Mickey D. Barnett to be Governor, U.S. Postal Service;

6. Katherine C. Tobin to be Governor, U.S. Postal Service;

7. Ellen C. Williams to be Governor, U.S. Postal Service.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be authorized to meet to conduct a markup on Thursday, July 27, 2006, at 10:45 a.m. in Senate Dirksen Building Room 226.

Tentative Agenda

I. Nominations

Kimberly Ann Moore, to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the Federal Circuit; Frances M. Tydingco-Gatewood, to be Judge for the District Court of Guam; Steven G. Bradbury, to be an Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legal Counsel; R. Alexander Acosta, to be U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida.

II. Bills

S. 2453, National Security Surveillance Act of 2006, Specter;

S. 2455, Terrorist Surveillance Act of 2006, DeWine, Graham;

S. 2468, A bill to provide standing for civil actions for declaratory and injunctive relief to persons who refrain from electronic communications through fear of being subject to warrantless electronic surveillance for foreign intelligence purposes, and for other purposes, Schumer;

S. 3001, Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Improvement and Enhancement Act of 2006, Specter, Feinstein;

S. 2831, Free Flow of Information Act of 2006, Lugar, Specter, Graham, Schumer, Biden, Grassley;

S. 155, Gang Prevention and Effective Deterrence Act of 2005, Feinstein, Hatch, Grassley, Cornyn, Kyl, Specter;

S. 1845, Circuit Court of Appeals Restructuring and Modernization Act of 2005, Ensign, Kyl;

S. 2679, Unsolved Civil Rights Crime Act, Talent, DeWine, Cornyn.

III. Matters

Subpoenas Relating to ABA Reports.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate for a markup on ``The Small Business Reauthorization and Improvements Act of 2006,'' on Thursday, July 27, 2006, beginning at 10 a.m., in room 428A of the Russell Senate Office Building.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Veterans' Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, July 27, 2006, to hold a hearing to consider the nominations of Patrick W. Dunne to be Assistant Secretary for Policy & Planning and Thomas E. Harvey to be Assistant Secretary for Congressional Affairs, Department of Veterans' Affairs. The hearing will take place in room 418 of the Russell Senate Office Building at 10 a.m.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Veterans' Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, July 27, 2006, to hold a markup to consider the nominations of Patrick W. Dunne to be Assistant Secretary for Policy & Planning and Thomas E. Harvey to be Assistant

Secretary for Congressional Affairs, Department of Veterans' Affairs.

The meeting will take place in the Reception Room off the Senate floor in the Capitol following the first rollcall of the Senate after 1 p.m.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Select Committee on Intelligence be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on July 27, 2006, at 2:30 p.m., to hold a closed meeting.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Special Committee on Aging be authorized to meet tomorrow, July 27, 2006, from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. in Dirksen 106 for the purpose of conducting a hearing.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs' Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, and International Security be authorized to meet on Thursday, July 27, 2006, at 2:30 p.m., for a hearing regarding ``Responsible Resource Management at the Nation's Health Access Agency''.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary Subcommittee on Terrorism, Technology and Homeland Security be authorized to meet to conduct a hearing on ``Detecting Smuggled Nuclear Weapons'' on Thursday, July 27, 2006, at 2:30 p.m. in Dirksen 226. The witness list will be provided when it becomes available.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Water and Power of the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, July 27, 2006, at 2:30 p.m.

The purpose of the hearing is to receive testimony on S. 3638, to encourage the Secretary of the Interior to participate in projects to plan, design, and construct water supply projects and to amend the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act to encourage the design, planning, and construction of projects to treat impaired surface water, reclaim, and reuse impaired groundwater, and provide brine disposal in the State of California; S. 3639, to amend the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to participate in the Prado Basin Natural Treatment System Project, to authorize the Secretary to carry out a program to assist agencies in projects to construct regional brine lines in California, to authorize the Secretary to participate in the Lower Chino Dairy Area Desalination Demonstration and Reclamations Project, and for other purposes; H.R. 2341, to amend the Reclamation Wastewater and Goundwater Study and Facilities Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to participate in the design, planning, and construction of a project to reclaim and reuse wastewater within and outside of the service area of the City of Austin Water and Wastewater Utility, Texas; and H.R. 3418, to amend the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to participate in the central Texas water recycling and reuse project, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to support this legislation, H.R. 5540, to designate the post office in Dimmitt, Texas, as the Sergeant Jacob Dan Dones Post Office. I would like to give a special thanks to the distinguished chairman of the Government Reform Committee, the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Davis) and the distinguished ranking member of that committee, the gentleman from California (Mr. Waxman) for their prompt assistance in marking up this legislation and sending it to the floor so quickly.

As we have learned about Sergeant Dones is that he was a leader, he was a hero, he served his country with great distinction, and he gave the ultimate gift that any American can give our country: He gave his life.

As I read about Sergeant Dones, it was interesting to hear what his commanders and the people that worked with him said. One of the quotes was, ``I wish we had more men like Sergeant Dones to serve this country.'' He was awarded many medals for his service, including the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star, the Combat Infantryman's Badge, the Global War on Terrorism Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and the National Defense Service Medal. He also was classified as an expert infantry rifleman. Unfortunately, on October 20, 2005, he was killed in the line of duty.

One of the interesting things is just a few days before his life was taken, he served as an election support team for the referendum of the Iraqi Constitution, something that he was fighting alongside the Iraqis to bring a new government, a free government to this country. According to the people that served alongside him, he was happy, and he shouted out to the Iraqi people, and I am probably mispronouncing this, but ``Abebe, Abebe.'' He was saying to them, ``I love you. I love you.'' He was known as a great ambassador for our country, and the Iraqi people loved him. Whenever there was a call for a volunteer, Jacob was always the first to volunteer.

He leaves behind a large extended family, including his parents Danny and Rosa Dones, his daughter Alyssa. And I would like to thank his cousin Joe Alvarez, who has been extremely helpful in making this idea of renaming the post office a reality.

He was a greatly loved family man, a community leader; and he will be sorely missed. I cannot think of a better way to show a small token of our appreciation than to rename this post office after a brave American.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5540) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 217 Southeast 2nd Street in Dimmitt, Texas, as the ``Sergeant Jacob Dan Dones 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 as much time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5540 offered by the distinguished gentleman from Texas (Mr. Neugebauer) would designate the post office building at 217 Southeast 2nd Street in Dimmitt, Texas, as the Sergeant Jacob Dan Dones Post Office Building. All members of the Texas delegation have cosponsored this legislation.

Sergeant Dones was born in Dimmitt, Texas, in 1984. He was educated in the local school district, and graduated from Dimmitt High School in 2002. Upon graduation, Dones enlisted in the United States Army and served his country valiantly with the armed services from 2002 to 2005 in both Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was a member of the 2nd Squadron, 11th Calvary Regiment based out of Fort Irwin, California.

While serving in Iraq, Sergeant Dones, an expert infantry rifleman, was awarded the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, and a service ribbon for his efforts in battle. He was also awarded the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and the National Defense Service Medal.

Sergeant Dones was killed in the line of duty on October 25, 2005, while defending his fellow soldiers from an oncoming attack on their base in Iraq. I urge all Members to pay homage to a great patriot and a dedicated member of the community by passing H.R. 5540.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to my distinguished colleague from the State of Texas (Mr. Neugebauer).

(Mr. NEUGEBAUER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to vote for the passage of H.R. 5540, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I regret that I was unable to participate in votes on the floor of the House of Representatives on June 19, 2006. I was absent to attend a Veterans' Affairs Committee hearing in South Dakota. I submit this statement today to establish for the record how I would have voted had I been present for these votes.

On June 19, 2006, the House of Representatives held three votes.

The first vote was on a motion to suspend the rules and agree to the H.R. 5540, to designate the Sergeant Jacob Dan Dones Post Office. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on that question.

The second vote was on motion to suspend the rules and agree to the H.R. 5504, to designate the Larry Winn, Jr. Post Office Building. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on that question.

The third vote was on a motion to suspend the rules and agree to the H. Res. 826, a resolution expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that a National Youth Sports Week should be established. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on that question.

Mr. Speaker, I was unable to participate in the following votes due to a delayed flight. If I had been present, I would have voted as follows on June 19, 2006:

Rollcall vote 289, on motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 5540--to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 217 Southeast 2nd Street in Dimmitt, Texas, as the ``Sergeant Jacob Dan Dones Post Office'', I would have voted ``aye.''

Rollcall vote 290, on motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 5504--to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 6029 Broadmoor Street in Mission, Kansas, as the ``Larry Winn, Jr. Post Office Building'', I would have voted ``aye.''

Rollcall vote 291, on motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 826--Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that a National Youth Sports Week should be established, I would have voted ``aye.''