Safe Homes Safe Families Act of 2008

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

Madam Speaker, I urge the passage of H.R. 6058 to designate the U.S. post office at 42222 Rancho Las Palmas Drive in Rancho Mirage, California, as the Gerald R. Ford Post Office Building.

Throughout his life, Gerald Ford was a patriot and a civil servant. Throughout his life he had a ``can do'' attitude, whether it was attending the University of Michigan where he played ball and was quite an athlete, or upon graduation from the University of Michigan, when he had the opportunity to play for the NFL, he declined the offer and instead attended the Yale Law School where he gained a skill that he used the rest of his life.

He then served 4 years in World War II, and, like many people, came home from World War II with a ``can do'' attitude, served his district of Michigan for 25 years, and as we all know, gave up the job of minority leader to become the Vice President and almost immediately became the President.

Gerald Ford, as the 38th President of the United States, enjoyed the dubious honor of being the only President not to have run for President or Vice President. But he didn't let that stop him. He was not an unelected president but, rather, he was a President who had a mandate to heal the Nation. He was a President who had a mandate to deal with a post-Vietnam, post-Richard Nixon period. He did so not only by pardoning Richard Nixon, something that undoubtedly cost him his own election, but, in fact, he did so recognizing that America's healing was more important than politics.

Today, as we recognize Gerald Ford, I would like to just briefly explain that I didn't know him as President. I didn't get to vote for him, of course, as President. I didn't meet him until 1996, when we were doing the Republican convention in San Diego, and his son, Jack, was the executive director for that. And a then aged Gerald Ford came out simply to support his son and to support what we were trying to do in San Diego. He came out repeatedly to help us, help us in the fund raising, but more importantly, help his son who he still, at that age, was trying to make sure that he went even further than his father.

Gerald Ford was the kind a person who stayed focused on basics throughout his life. One of the basics here in America is our need for energy, our need for the natural resources to be domestic, not imported. Gerald Ford understood that.

During Gerald Ford's time our debt was internally held. We had just come off of a balanced budget in 1969 and were near a balanced budget for his years. And more importantly, the vast majority of our oil was, in fact, domestic.

As a matter of fact, although we did have Aramco operating in Saudi Arabia, it was an income stream to the United States and the oil, for the most part, did not come to America.

Additionally, the Prudhoe Bay was coming on line at that time, and America's likelihood of getting its oil from its own country made more sense.

Many people do not understand, as Gerald Ford certainly would have understood, that Alaska was larger than Saudi Arabia, and that oil reserves every bit as plentiful in some areas as Saudi Arabia should be gleaned from our 50th State.

So as we honor and remember Gerald Ford and name this post office after him, let's also remember the time, not too long ago, when Gerald Ford was President, and America was self-sufficient. America had not yet fallen into the melees that it found itself in just a few years later when OPEC turned off the oil and America went cold.

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

Madam Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Madam Speaker, I would first like to take this opportunity to thank Chairman Waxman and Ranking Member Davis for their support of H.R. 6085, which will designate a postal facility in Rancho Mirage, CA, as the `Gerald R. Ford Post Office Building.' It is because of their efforts, along with those of Subcommittee Chairman Davis and Ranking Member Marchant, that this legislation was able to move so quickly through the Committee and comes before us today.

Madam Speaker, I recently introduced H.R. 6085 to honor President Gerald R. Ford and pay tribute to his remarkable life and career as our 38th President. I am grateful to the more than 100 of my Colleagues who have joined me in this effort to commemorate President Ford's life by naming a post office located in Rancho Mirage, CA, in my District, as the Gerald R. Ford Post Office.

This is an especially meaningful piece of legislation to me and many of the residents of our District. As many of my Colleagues may know, President Ford and his family resided in Rancho Mirage for many years before his passing. Naming Ford's local post office in his honor is a tribute to this great man and his many accomplishments.

President Ford and former First Lady, Betty Ford, were active members of our local community, generously contributing to the betterment of our residents with their involvement in charities and support for the successful Betty Ford Center for drug and alcohol rehabilitation. President Ford regularly connected with residents and participated with local leaders. Many locals remember him as a friend and pillar of our community.

President Ford's many lifetime achievements included serving our country during WWII, rising to the rank of Naval Lieutenant Commander, and serving in Congress for 25 years, eight of which he was the Minority Leader in the U.S. House of Representatives. As President, he led our citizens during a time of war, economic uncertainty, and low moral. With his steady direction, he worked to unify our nation during a tumultuous time in our nation's history.

He was one of our most respected leaders, and worked on many fronts to bring together our citizens and strengthen our trust in America's future. Years after his service as Commander-in-Chief, President Ford continued serving as a source of wise counsel to leaders throughout our nation and the world. President Ford was always willing to offer me insight and guidance when I came to Congress, and I will forever treasure his shared wisdom.

As a cherished resident of our District, were many locals called him a friend, President Ford is most deserving of the honor that this Gerald R. Ford Post Office will bring him and his family.

I ask that my colleagues, who wish to commemorate the legacy of President Ford, join me in naming the post office near his residence after this exemplary American.

Thank you, Madam Speaker, and I ask for the support of Members from both sides of the aisle for H.R. 6085, legislation I am proud to have authored.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6085) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 42222 Rancho Las Palmas Drive in Rancho Mirage, California, as the ``Gerald R. Ford Post Office Building''.

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

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

As a member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, I join my colleague in the consideration and support of H.R. 6085, which

names a postal facility in Rancho Mirage, California, after the late President Gerald R. Ford.

H.R. 6085, which was introduced by our colleague, Congresswoman Mary Bono Mack of California, on May 20, 2008, was reported from the Oversight Committee on June 12, 2008, by voice vote.

H.R. 6085 is sponsored by 113 Members of Congress, including 51 Members from the California delegation. This bill before us does more than just redesignate one of our post offices. It provides the entire House an opportunity to, once again, pay tribute to one of our Nation's leaders and former Presidents, the Honorable Gerald Ford.

Gerald Ford's public service career began back in 1948 when he was elected to represent Michigan's Fifth Congressional District. From there, the late President Ford ended up serving 25 years in the House of Representatives, including 8 years as minority leader of the House.

Forced to assume the office of the United States Presidency under what he described as extraordinary circumstances, the late President Gerald Ford conducted his presidency with honesty and integrity.

During his years of service to our country, President Ford often reminded people that he considered himself ``a moderate in domestic affairs, a conservative in fiscal affairs, and a dyed-in-the-wool internationalist in foreign affairs.''

With his wife, Elizabeth Ford, by his side, on December 26, 2006, President Ford succumbed to his death at the age of 93, but his mark on our country continues to live on.

Madam Speaker, I'd like to thank the gentlewoman from California for offering the bill in support of renaming the Rancho Mirage Post Office after the late President Gerald Ford and in recognition of his many contributions to America, both while in office and out.

I urge swift passage of this measure.

I reserve the balance of my time.

We urge passage and yield back, Madam Speaker.