To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 118 Minner Street in Bakersfield, California, as the "Buck Owens Post Office".

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1384, a bill I introduced to designate the United States Postal Service facility located at 118 Minner Avenue in Bakersfield, California as the ``Buck Owens Post Office.''

An accomplished, self-taught musician, Alvis Edgar ``Buck'' Owens, Jr. amassed twenty-one country music hits throughout his career, of which ten were consecutive #1 hits, including ``Act Naturally,'' ``My Heart Skips a Beat,'' and ``Streets of Bakersfield.'' Over his more than 50 years in the music industry, Buck worked with other legendary country musicians including Merle Haggard, who dubbed Buck's band ``the Buckaroos,'' Wanda Jackson, and Dwight Yoakam.

Buck was best known for his signature ``freight train'' musical sound that combined classic country music with electric guitar, a unique rhythm, and rock and roll and honky-tonk influences, and always played his trademark red, white, and blue guitar. Buck was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Country Music Hall of Fame, both in 1996, for his musical talent and accomplishments. In 1999, Buck received a Grammy Hall of Fame Award for one of his #1 hits, ``I've Got a Tiger by the Tail.''

In addition to recording hit country music songs, for almost twenty years, Buck could be seen on Hee Haw, an immensely popular country music comedy show. Following Hee Haw and returning to his country music roots, Buck opened Buck Owens' Crystal Palace in 1996, a concert hall in Bakersfield, California, where Buck hosted other bands and performed live for fans up until the night he passed away, on March 25, 2006.

An astute businessman, Buck owned several radio stations, including KKXX-FM, which was under Buck's tenure for more than a decade the #1 rock-and-roll station in Bakersfield. In addition, Buck also owned KUZZ-AM, which he expanded to FM radio, and, up until his death, was and remains the #1 country music station in Bakersfield. Finally, Buck established his own music production company, Buck Owens Enterprises, which produced records by country music artists.

Buck moved to Bakersfield in 1951, and contributed greatly to the country music industry in Bakersfield and around the Nation and amassed a legion of fans, like myself, across the country. H.R. 1384 is a fitting honor and

tribute to this influential and charismatic Californian by designating the post office in his hometown of more than 55 years in his memory.

The bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time, was read the third time, and passed.

The title was amended so as to read: ``A bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 118 Minner Avenue in Bakersfield, California, as the `Buck Owens Post Office'.''

A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform be discharged from further consideration of the bill (H.R. 1384) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 118 Minner Street in Bakersfield, California, as the ``Buck Owens Post Office,'' and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. Speaker, I offer an amendment.

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Buck Owens was among the most prolific country hit-makers of the past 40 years and enjoyed a string of chart-toppers, including ``Act Naturally'', ``Together Again'', and ``I've Got a Tiger by the Tail''. He was a major influence on successive generations of musicians.

He was born as Alvis Edgar Owens in Sherman, Texas on August 12, 1929. He died on March 25, 2006 in Bakersfield, California.

Mr. Speaker, I commend my colleague Representative Kevin McCarthy for introducing this legislation and urge the swift passage of this bill.