To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 561 Kingsland Avenue in University City, Missouri, as the "Harriett F. Woods Post Office Building".

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on August 1, 2007, at 9:30 a.m., to mark up S. 1677, the Currency Reform and Financial Markets Access Act of 2007; S. 1518, the Community Partnership to End Homelessness Act of 2007; an original bill entitled the FHA Modernization Act of 2007; an original bill entitled the Housing Assistance Authorization Act of 2007; an original bill entitled the Private Student Loan Transparency and Improvement Act of 2007; and an original bill entitled the Commission on National Catastrophe Risk Management and Insurance Act of 2007.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation be authorized to hold a hearing during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, August 1, 2007, at 2:30 p.m., in room 253 of the Russell Senate Office Building.

The U.S. Department of Commerce and its component bureaus are responsible for the stewardship, protection, and scientific understanding of our ocean environment and its resources, effective use and growth of the Nation's technological resources, and promoting U.S. trade and tourism. The oversight hearing will examine the Department's effectiveness in implementing these goals.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources be authorized to hold a hearing during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, August 1, 2007, at 9:30 a.m. in room SD-366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

The purpose of this hearing is to receive testimony on recent advances in clean coal technology, including the prospects for deploying these technologies at a commercial scale in the near future.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Foreign Relations be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, August 1, 2007, at 9:30 a.m. to hold a hearing on Africa.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions be authorized to meet in executive session during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, August 1, 2007 at 10 a.m. in the LBJ Room, S-211, of the Capitol building. We will be considering the following:

1. S. 625, Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act

2. S. 1183, Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Act

3. S. 579, Breast Cancer and Environmental Research Act of 2007

4. S. 898, Alzheimer's Breakthrough Act of 2007

5. S. 1858, Newborn Screening Saves Lives Act of 2007

6. The Following Nominations: Diane Auer Jones, of Maryland, to be Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education, Department of Education; David C. Geary, of Missouri, to be a member of the Board of Directors of the National Board for Education Sciences; Miguel Campaneria, of Puerto Rico, to be a member of the National Council on the Arts; and any nominations ready for action.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs be authorized to meet on Wednesday, August 1, 2007, at 10 a.m. in order to conduct business meeting to consider pending committee business.

Agenda

Nominations: The Honorable James A. Nussle to be Director, Office of Management and Budget; Dennis R. Schrader to be Deputy Administrator for National Preparedness, Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Legislation: S. 680, Accountability in Government Contracting Act of 2007; H.R. 1254, Presidential Library Donation Reform Act of 2007; S. __, an original bill to provide for the flexibility of certain disaster relief funds, and for improved evacuation and sheltering during disasters and catastrophes; S. 1000, Telework Enhancement Act of 2007; S. 1446, National Capital Transportation Amendments Act of 2007; S. 547, Effective Homeland Security Management Act of 2007; S. 1245, a bill to reform mutual aid agreements for the National Capital Region; S. 597, a bill to extend the special postage stamp for breast cancer research for 2 years.

Post Office Naming Bills: H.R. 2570/S. 1732, a bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 301 Boardwalk Drive in Fort Collins, Colorado, as the ``Dr. Karl E. Carson Post Office Building''; S. 1772, a bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 127 South Elm Street in Gardner, Kansas, as the ``Private First Class Shane R. Austin Post Office''; S. 1781, 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''; H.R. 2127, a bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 408 West 6th Street in Chelsea, Oklahoma, as the ``Clem Rogers McSpadden Post Office Building''; H.R. 2563/S. 1539, a bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 309 East Linn Street in Marshalltown, Iowa, as the ``Major Scott Nisely Post Office''; S. 1596, a bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 103 South Getty Street in Uvalde, Texas, as the ``Dolph S. Briscoe, Jr., Post Office Building''; H.R. 1722, a bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 601 Banyan Trail in Boca Raton, Florida, as the ``Leonard W. Herman Post Office''; H.R. 1425, a bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 4551 East 52nd Street in Odessa, Texas, as the ``Staff Sergeant Marvin `Rex' Young Post Office Building''; H.R. 2078, a bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 14536 State Route 136 in Cherry Fork, Ohio, as the ``Staff Sergeant Omer `O.T.' Hawkins Post Office''; H.R. 2077, a bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 20805 State Route 125 in Blue Creek, Ohio, as the ``George B. Lewis Post Office Building''; H.R. 1617, a bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal service located at 561 Kingsland Avenue in University City, Missouri, as the ``Harriet F. Woods Post Office Building''; H.R. 2025, a bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal service located at 11033 South State Street in Chicago, Illinois, as the ``Willye B. White Post Office Building''; H.R. 1335, a bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal service located at 508 East Main Street in Seneca, South Carolina, as the ``S/Sgt Lewis G. Watkins Post Office Building''; H.R. 1260, a bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal service located at 6301 Highway 58 in Harrison, Tennessee, as the ``Claude Ramsey Post Office''; H.R. 1434, a bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 896 Pittsburgh Street in Springdale, Pennsylvania, as the ``Rachel Carson Post Office Building.''

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate in order to conduct a roundtable entitled ``Reauthorization of the Small Business Innovation Research Programs: National Academies' Findings and Recommendations,'' on August 1, 2007, at 10 a.m. in room 428A of the Russell Senate Office Building.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Select Committee on Intelligence be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on August 1, 2007, at 2:30 p.m. to hold an open hearing.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs' Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia be authorized to meet on Wednesday, August 1, 2007, at 2:30 p.m. in order to conduct a hearing entitled Building a Stronger American Diplomatic.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Water and Power of the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources be authorized to hold a hearing during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, August 1, 2007, at 2:30 p.m. in room SD-366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

The purpose of the hearing is to receive testimony on the following bills: S. 1054 and H.R. 122, to amend the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to participate in the Inland Empire regional recycling project and in the Cucamonga Valley Water District recycling project; S. 1472, to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to create a Bureau of Reclamation partnership with the North Bay Water Reuse Authority and other regional partners to achieve objectives relating to water supply, water quality, and environmental restoration; S. 1475 and H.R. 1526, to amend the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act to authorize the Bay Area Regional Water Recycling Program, and for other purposes; H.R. 30, to amend the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to participate in the Eastern Municipal Water District Recycled Water

System Pressurization and Expansion Project; H.R. 609, to amend the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to participate in the Central Texas Recycling and Reuse Project, and for other purposes; and H.R. 1175, to amend the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act to increase the ceiling on the Federal share of the costs of phase I of the Orange County, California, Regional Water Reclamation Project.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1617, which would name a post office after a true pioneer in Missouri politics and especially for women in politics, Harriett F. Woods.

Ms. Woods passed away in February. It would be a fitting tribute to name a post office in her honor in the very town where her storied political career began, University City, Missouri. This was also the post office that Ms. Woods used for over 50 years.

Her political career began in the 1960s as a member of the University City Council where she became the first woman appointed to the State Highway Commission. She was elected to the Missouri State Senate in 1976, where she sponsored an equal rights amendment to the State Constitution. While in the State Senate, she also passed landmark legislation which led to drunk driving laws and nursing home reform which became national models adopted throughout the country.

In 1984, she was elected Lieutenant Governor, becoming the first woman elected to statewide office in Missouri history. She was a trailblazer for women in politics even after she left elected office. She served 4 years as President of the nonpartisan National Women's Political Caucus. During her tenure, the number of women elected to Congress increased dramatically, including the historic ``Year of the Woman'' election of 1992.

Vivian Eveloff, Director of the nonpartisan Sue Shear Institute for Women in Public Life in St. Louis, described Ms. Woods as a strong advocate ``to encourage women of all ages, walks of life and political views to step forward and take on policymaking positions.''

Harriett Woods was a role model and inspiration to young people, but especially young women. I am proud to have introduced this legislation to name her hometown post office in her honor, ensuring that her memory and inspiration will continue to be a visible part of our community.

The last time I saw our former Lieutenant Governor Woods was in Washington. She was here this past January. Even though she was not feeling well, she made an extraordinary effort to be here for the historic occasion of our new female U.S. Senator, Senator McCaskill, when she was sworn in, and also see the historic occasion of the first woman Speaker sworn into this House. It was very fitting she was here as part of those historic events.

I want to make a special thanks to the many cosponsors of this bill honoring Lieutenant Governor Woods, including nearly all women Members of Congress from both sides of the aisle and the Missouri delegation.

I urge all Members of this body to support the legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1617) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 561 Kingsland Avenue in University City, Missouri, as the ``Harriett F. Woods Post Office Building''.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks.

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield such time as he may consume to the sponsor of this legislation, Representative Russ Carnahan from the State of Missouri.

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

Mr. Speaker, as a member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, I am pleased to join with my colleague in consideration of H.R. 1617, which names a postal facility in University City, Missouri, after Harriett F. Woods.

H.R. 1617, which was introduced by Representative Russ Carnahan on March 21, 2007, was reported from the Oversight Committee on May 1, 2007, by a voice vote. This measure has been cosponsored by 74 Members and has the entire support of the Missouri delegation.

Ms. Harriett F. Woods was elected from the 13th District of Missouri in St. Louis County to the Missouri State Senate in November of 1976. She was reelected for a second term in November of 1980. She was the first woman to win statewide offices in Missouri, becoming Lieutenant Governor in 1984. She ran for the U.S. Senate twice in the 1980s, and while both attempts failed, it inspired other women to run for and win political office. Ms. Woods was an activist who promoted women politicians. She served two terms as President of the National Women's Political Caucus and led the Clinton administration's Coalition for Women Appointments in 1993.

Before becoming an elected official, Ms. Woods was an independent film producer and served 10 years as the Public Affairs Director at KPLR-TV in St. Louis. At KPLR, she produced many noted documentaries, among them the award-winning film on child abuse, ``Broken Children,'' ``Don't Go to Jail in Missouri'' and ``Piedmont UFO.''

Mr. Speaker, I commend my colleague Russ Carnahan for introducing this legislation and urge its swift passage.

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

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I simply join with my colleague from Georgia in urging passage of this resolution, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Harriett Woods, a devoted mother, wife, grandmother, politician, author and community activist, passed away at her home in University City, Missouri, this February of leukemia. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, and raised in Chicago, Illinois, she went on to attend the University of Michigan. It was there that she became the first female editor of the school's highly esteemed student newspaper.

In later years, her career and political life proved to be an uphill battle

against more popular-known male politicians. Her political career began as a stay-at-home mom. She went to the city council with a complaint about a noisy manhole cover. When they ignored her, she pushed forward launching a successful petition to have the street closed. Causing the attention of the local press, she earned a job to run a community public affairs panel. Soon after, she was elected to the University City Council where she served for 8 years. She followed that up with two terms in the Missouri State Senate.

Harriett Woods ran unsuccessfully for the Senate in 1982, but her name became well known throughout the State. It helped her 2 years later to become the first female elected to statewide office in Missouri when she held the office of Lieutenant Governor. It was a post she held until 1989.

She remained active in politics and her local community throughout the rest of her life, focusing primarily on women's issues. From 1991 to 1995, she was President of the National Women's Political Caucus. Her dedicated work even earned her a spot on the St. Louis Walk of Fame.

It is with great pleasure that we honor her today with this post office naming, and I ask all Members to support H.R. 1617 in honor of this great lady.

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

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, I urge all my colleagues to vote in favor of H.R. 1617, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, let me share my support for legislation to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 561 Kingsland Avenue in University City, MO, as the ``Harriett F. Woods Post Office Building.'' Harriet Woods will long be remembered as a pioneer in American politics.

Born in Cleveland, OH, Harriet Woods received a bachelor of arts degree in philosophy from the University of Michigan. She married Jim Woods on January 2, 1953. Before beginning her career in politics, Woods worked as a journalist and television producer.

Woods' political career began in 1962, when she became a member of the University City Council. In 1976, she was elected to the Missouri State Senate and was re-elected in 1980. Dedicated to women's participation in government, Woods was the first woman to win statewide office in Missouri when she was elected Lieutenant Governor in 1984. While she was not successful in the two Senate races in which she was a candidate, her actions and leadership inspired hundreds of women nationwide to participate in politics.