To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 326 South Main Street in Princeton, Illinois, as the "Owen Lovejoy Princeton 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 September 26, 2007, at 9:30 a.m., in order to conduct a hearing entitled on ``The Role and Impact of Credit Rating Agencies on the Subprime Credit Markets.''

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, September 26, 2007, at 10 a.m. in room SD-366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

The purpose of the hearing is to receive testimony on S.1543, a bill to establish a national geothermal initiative to encourage increased production of energy from geothermal resources by creating a program of geothermal research, development, demonstration and commercial application to support the achievement of a national geothermal energy goal.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Environment and Public Works be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, September 26, 2007 at 9:30 a.m. in room 406 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building in order to conduct a hearing entitled, ``An Examination of the Impacts of Global Warming on the Chesapeake Bay.''

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Finance be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, September 26, 2007, at 10 a.m., in room SD-215 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building, to hear testimony on the ``Offshore Tax Issues: Reinsurance and Hedge Funds''.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs be authorized to meet on Wednesday, September 26, 2007, at 10 a.m. for a business meeting to consider pending committee business.

Agenda

Nomination

The Honorable Julie L. Myers to be Assistant Secretary, U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Postal Naming Bills

H.R. 2654, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 202 South Dumont Avenue in Woonsocket, South Dakota, as the ``Eleanor McGovern Post Office Building;''

H.R. 2467, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 69 Montgomery Street in Jersey City, New Jersey, as the ``Frank J. Guarini Post Office Building;''

H.R. 2587, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 555 South 3rd Street Lobby in Memphis, Tennessee, as the ``Kenneth T. Whalum, Sr. Post Office Building;''

H.R. 2778, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 3 Quaker Ridge Road in New Rochelle, New York, as the ``Robert Merrill Postal Station;''

H.R. 2825, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 326 South Main Street in Princeton, Illinois, as the ``Owen Lovejoy Princeton Post Office Building;''

H.R. 3052, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 954 Wheeling Avenue in Cambridge, Ohio, as the ``John Herschel Glenn Jr. Post Office Building;''

H.R. 3106/S. 2023, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 805 Main Street in Ferdinand, Indiana, as the ``Staff Sergeant David L. Nord Post Office;''

H.R. 2765, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 44 North Main Street in Hughesville, Pennsylvania, as the ``Master Sergeant Sean Michael Thomas Post Office.''

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate Committee on the Judiciary be authorized to meet in order to conduct an Executive Nomination hearing on Wednesday, September 26, 2007 at 2:30 p.m. in the Dirksen Senate Office Building room 226.

Witness list:

Michael J. Sullivan to be Director, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Rules and Administration be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, September 26, 2007, at 10 a.m. to conduct an executive business meeting to consider on the Nomination of Robert C. Tapella of Virginia, to be Public Printer, Government Printing Office; and the nominations of Steven T. Walther of Nevada, David M. Mason of Virginia, Robert D. Lenhard of Maryland, and Hans von Spakovsky of Georgia to be members of the Federal Election Commission.

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 hearing entitled ``Improving Internet Access to Help Small Business Compete in a Global Economy,'' on Wednesday, September 26, 2007, beginning at 10 a.m., in room 428A of the Russell Senate Office Building.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2825) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 326 South Main Street in Princeton, Illinois, as the ``Owen Lovejoy Princeton 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, I yield myself as much time as I might consume.

As a member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, I'm pleased to join my colleague in the consideration of H.R. 2825, which names the postal facility in Princeton, Illinois after Owen Lovejoy.

H.R. 2825, which was introduced by Representative Jerry Weller on June 21, 2007, was reported from the Oversight Committee on July 19, 2007, by a voice vote. This measure has the support of the entire Illinois congressional delegation.

Mr. Owen Lovejoy, the son of a Congregational minister, was born on January 16, 1811, in Albion, Maine. He graduated from Bowdoin College, Brunswick, in 1832 and studied law.

In 1836, Mr. Lovejoy was ordained as the pastor of the Congregational Church in Princeton, Illinois, a position which he held for 17 years. He was a strong opponent of slavery, and he used the pulpit to attack slavery and helped slaves gain their freedom from bondage.

In 1856, Mr. Lovejoy was elected to Congress with the help of fellow Illinoisan, Abraham Lincoln. He served four terms in the United States House of Representatives and continued his work as an abolitionist.

Mr. Lovejoy worked with Members of Congress in both Chambers to weaken slavery and attempted to achieve a measure of equality for all people regardless of race. When critics within his own Republican Party expressed fears that the former slaves were not going to live in the North if they gained their freedom, Mr. Lovejoy replied, and I quote, ``Let them stay where they are and work under the stimulus of cash instead of the lash.''

Mr. Lovejoy died on March 25, 1864, just 2 weeks before the introduction of the 13th amendment to the Constitution.

Mr. Speaker, I commend my colleague, Representative Jerry Weller, for introducing this legislation, and urge swift passage.

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

Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve. I have no further speakers, so I will wait for my colleague to yield back, and then I will.

Mr. Speaker, as I indicated, I have no further speakers, but I, again, want to commend my colleague from Illinois, Representative Jerry Weller, for introducing this legislation.

Owen Lovejoy, in actuality, is one of the great abolitionists of his day, an individual that many people don't know nearly enough about. And so I commend Representative Weller for making sure that he will be etched in the hearts and minds of the people in that town and in that community. I urge its passage.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2825, a bill I introduced that would name the post office in Princeton, Illinois after Owen Lovejoy. Owen Lovejoy is perhaps best known for his role in advocating for the abolition of slavery and his work with the Underground Railroad.

Owen Lovejoy was born in Albion, Maine in 1811 to Daniel, a Presbyterian minister, and Elizabeth Lovejoy. While growing up, young Owen came to admire his older brother Elijah, who taught him Latin classics when Elijah came home from college. Owen grew up to follow in his brother's footsteps by attending Bowdoin College. Unfortunately, his father died while Owen was in school, forcing him to leave Bowdoin College after 3 years.

After the death of his father, Owen moved to Illinois to live with his brother Elijah, who was the editor of an anti-slavery newspaper. During this time, Owen became a convert to abolitionism. His dedication to abolitionism grew on November 7, 1937 when an anti-abolition mob attempted to destroy Elijah's printing press. In the ensuing struggle, Elijah Lovejoy was killed by the mob. For Owen, abolitionism became ``the cause that has been sprinkled with my brother's blood.''

After his brother's death, Owen Lovejoy moved to Princeton, a village with a population of 200. Rev. Edward Beecher recommended him to Hampshire Colony Congregational Church, the church from which he spoke out against slavery for the next 17 years.

Owen used the pulpit to attack slavery. He also operated the ``Lovejoy Line'' of the Underground Railroad. His farmhouse, surrounded by 1300 acres of farmland, was one of the busiest for slaves trying to gain their freedom.

In 1854, Owen Lovejoy was elected to the Illinois legislature. Two years later, he was elected to Congress with the help of a fellow Illinoisan, Abraham Lincoln. He served four terms as the Representative to Illinois' Third

Congressional District. As a Congressman, Owen continued to work towards the abolition of slavery. Owen worked with members in both chambers in creating legislation to weaken slavery and achieve equality for all people, regardless of race.

In 1863, Owen introduced the legislative version of the Emancipation Proclamation. Sadly, he did not get the chance to see his legislation become law. On March 25, 1864, Owen Lovejoy died of Bright's disease, 2 weeks before the introduction of the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution. When President Lincoln heard of Lovejoy's death, he wrote,

It can be truly said of him that while he was personally

ambitious he bravely endured the obscurity which the

unpopularity of his principles imposed . . . To the day of

his death, it would scarcely wrong any other to say, he was

my most generous friend.

I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring Owen Lovejoy for his work and determination towards abolishing slavery in America by supporting

Mr. Speaker, I rise today with Representative Jones and my other colleagues in the Congressional Black Caucus, in calling for a comprehensive revaluation of our strategies in Iraq. I consider the situation in Iraq to be one of Congress' highest priorities and there is an urgent need to establish a comprehensive and realistic exit strategy. We need to offer hope to the families anxiously waiting for news of their loved ones and the men and women who risk their lives everyday.

Next month will be the 40th anniversary of one of the largest protests against the Vietnam War. Over a hundred thousand people marched on Washington that day, and it worries me that the current Administration seems to have learned little from history. A similar discontent can be seen on the streets of America today, as more and more polls demonstrate dwindling public support for this war.

I have always maintained the stance that an adequate case for war was never made and that military intervention should only have been used if all other routes failed. From the beginning, I offered an alternative resolution to war. Although we can never know what the outcome of alternatives may have been, we have the chance now to change strategy and make decisive steps to developing a lasting solution.

Mr. Speaker, an increase in troop numbers is not the answer. This war, commenced in haste and founded on deception, will never provide the solutions Iraq needs to establish a strong and lasting democracy. We can't secure victory through a war of attrition, and neither can we protect our sons and daughters who stand in harm's way in a war that was never necessary.

It is true that we cannot abandon the Iraqi people. But more productive ways to help them can be found. In the current international climate, we cannot engage in meaningful dialogue on the Iraqi situation while the occupation continues. I believe we must allow the U.N. to play a greater role in the reconstruction of Iraq, advancing human rights and justice within the framework of international law. In my work in this great body, I consistently seek to protect the United States and its people above all else. However, currently there is no absolute proof of an imminent threat. In fact our vulnerability to international terrorism only rises every day our troops stay in Iraq.

Mr. Speaker, I am dedicated to providing funding to protect our troops, but I refuse to support the failed foreign policies of the Bush administration, nor any legislation that will lead to more unnecessary deaths. The greatest thing we can do for our brave men and women in the Armed Forces is to take them out of harm's way by developing a clear, decisive exit strategy.

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

Mr. Speaker, today we celebrate Mr. Owen Lovejoy, who was an accomplished lawyer, Congregational Minister, abolitionist and Republican Congressman.

Mr. Lovejoy was born on January 6, 1811, in Maine, where he taught school in order to support himself while in college and law school after his father's death.

After becoming a convert to abolitionism in 1836, he studied for the ministry under his brother, Elijah Lovejoy, a well known antislavery, Presbyterian minister. Tragically, 1 year later, Elijah was murdered while trying to prevent the destruction of the printing press of an Illinois antislavery society from an angry, drunken anti-abolition mob. After his brother's murder, Mr. Lovejoy is reported to have vowed to devote himself to, quote, ``the cause that has been sprinkled with my brother's blood.''

After becoming a Congregational church minister, Lovejoy used the pulpit to attack slavery.

He was elected to Congress in 1856, with the support of Abraham Lincoln, and served four terms. Although he died before seeing the enactment of the 13th amendment to the Constitution, Congressman Lovejoy's legacy lives as a lifelong champion of equality.

Because of his courageous support of equality for all, regardless of race, it is fitting that we name the Princeton, Illinois Post Office in his honor.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield back.