To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 801 Industrial Boulevard in Ellijay, Georgia, as the "First Lieutenant Noah Harris Ellijay Post Office Building".

Madam Speaker, I thank Mr. Duncan for yielding the time to me. And I thank Mr. Towns for the very kind words that he has spoken on behalf of this outstanding young man.

And I do rise today to honor the memory of First Lieutenant Noah Harris by dedicating the United States Post Office located in Ellijay, Georgia, and naming it the ``First Lieutenant Noah Harris Ellijay Post Office.''

As Mr. Towns has indicated, Lieutenant Harris was killed at the age of 23, serving in Buritz, Iraq, and was returning from a successful mission when his Humvee was hit by two rocket-propelled grenades.

Many times we talk about individuals that we don't know. Tonight, I talk about a young man I did know. Noah Harris served as an intern in my office in the summer of 2002. He was a star athlete at Gilmer County High School, captain of his football team, captain of the wrestling team, State wrestling champion, and a star scholar.

When he graduated from high school, he went to the University of Georgia and he joined the football cheerleading squad. Now, at first you would think, as did his captain in Iraq, that if you're a cheerleader, you're not physically fit. Of course, if you watched college cheerleaders, you know when they lift somebody over their head and hold them, they are physically fit, as was Noah. And he became the captain of that cheerleading squad.

He was a student at the University of Georgia on September 11 of 2001. And when our country was attacked on that day, he made the decision that he wanted to join the ROTC unit and become an Army officer. The story goes that he went over to the ROTC Department and he said, I'd like to join the ROTC. And he was asked, well, what class level are you in? And he said, I'm a senior. And the response was, Well, you've just waited too late. You can't join the ROTC in your senior year. And he said, Is there no way that that can happen? And they said, Well, you would have to be an outstanding scholar and you would have to be an outstanding athlete in order to be able to put all the things together here in your senior year. It's told that Noah Harris sort of smiled and said, Well, I am a Presidential scholar, attending the University of Georgia on a Presidential scholar scholarship. And I am the captain of the football cheerleading squad. And needless to say, he met all of those requirements, he was commissioned, and he served our country in Iraq.

While he was serving in Iraq, he e-mailed me and he said this, ``Each day I patrol the street and stop and talk to the people. They are thankful that we're here and for what we are doing. Though the process is slow, each day, the Iraqi police and the Iraqi army are becoming better able to protect and defend the citizens of Iraq. Through the efforts and perseverance of both the United States and Iraq, peace will prevail. Please pass on my thanks to your staff and the rest of the individuals in Washington that support the cause of freedom for our Nation and the world.''

I attended Noah Harris' funeral, one of the saddest and yet at the same time one of the greatest celebrations that I have ever attended. His life is a reminder that it really doesn't matter how long you live, it's how you live. Noah Harris is a role model for young people who follow behind him. He is an inspiration for all of us who knew him and for those who will learn about him as the story of his life has now been compiled in a book put together by his parents, Lucy and Rick Harris, and contains the remembrances of people who knew Noah Harris. He will also have a continuing legacy of hope, dedication and courage. A scholarship has been founded at the University of Georgia in his memory, and it will continue his tradition.

Madam Speaker, First Lieutenant Noah Harris was indeed a true American hero. I am proud today to rise and pay attribute to him and to have the honor of joining with the constituents from the community in which he grew up in naming the local post office the First Lieutenant Noah Harris Ellijay Post Office.

Madam Speaker, I include for the Record a copy of a letter from Mr. Jerry Farist, the chairman of the Gilmer County Board of Commissioners, supporting that this post office be named in honor of First Lieutenant Noah Harris.

I appreciate the time, and I think indeed these are the kind of moments that symbolize what makes our country great.

Gilmer County Board of

Commissioners,

September 12, 2008.

Re Request to name the Ellijay Post Office after 1st LT. Noah

Harris.

Ms. Gail Musselwhite,

Office of Congressman Nathan Deal,

P.O. Box 1015, Gainsville, GA.

To Whom It May Concern: As Chairman of the Gilmer County

Board of Commissioners I speak for my fellow commissioners

and the citizens of Gilmer County by saying that we take

great pride in our hometown boy, LT. Noah Harris. He paid the

ultimate price for his patriotism and we sincerely thank him

for his service.

Per the request to rename the Ellijay Post Office, ``1st

LT. Noah Harris United States Post Office'', the Gilmer

County Board of Commissioners would like to go on record as

having no objection to this action. If further information is

necessary please feel free to contact me.

Sincerely,

Jerry Farist, Chairman,

Gilmer County Commissioners.

Madam Speaker, I have a statement that I wish to place into the Record on behalf of Ranking Member Davis and myself in support of this legislation.

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

I rise today in strong support of this bill designating the facility of the United States' Postal Service located at 801 Industrial Boulevard in Ellijay, Georgia, as the ``First Lieutenant Noah Harris Ellijay Post Office Building.''

On June 17, 2005 First Lieutenant Noah Harris was conducting a mounted patrol in Baquba, Iraq, when enemy forces fired rocket- propelled grenades at his armored Humvee. Noah Harris died from the injuries on June 18, one week before his 24th birthday.

By all accounts, Noah Harris was a remarkable person.

While attending Gilmer High School in Ellijay Georgia, Harris was the captain of the football team, a state wrestling champion, and Honor Bar Thespian in the theater club.

After graduating high school in 1999, Harris attended the University of Georgia's Terry College of Business, where he continued his involvement in the community and athletics. He was the captain of the cheerleading squad, a member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity, and a volunteer for Watch Dawgs, an organization that works to prevent alcohol related accidents among students.

In 2001, Harris was one of the first participants in the Leonard Leadership Scholars Program, a leadership development program for undergraduates by the Terry College Institute for Leadership Advancement. It was during that time, shortly after the September 11 terrorist attacks, that Harris first considered serving our country through military service and joined the ROTC.

After graduation, Harris was commissioned as a second lieutenant and stationed at Fort Benning. To keep up morale among his soldiers' Harris began a pen pal program with family and friends. He also started ``Operation Noah's Dream'' by encouraging members of his community to send him beanie babies, which he passed out to children in Iraq.

He was truly a person that strove to make a difference at home and Iraq. Tragically his life was cut short but his memory will live on and he will be greatly missed.

With gratitude for his sacrifice to his country, I ask all members to join me in support of HR 6847, to name the 801 Industrial Boulevard Post Office in Ellijay, Georgia in his honor.

At this time, I yield the balance of our time to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Deal).

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 move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6847) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 801 Industrial Boulevard in Ellijay, Georgia, as the ``First Lieutenant Noah Harris Ellijay Post Office Building''.

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

Madam Speaker, as a member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, I stand with my colleagues from the State of Georgia in support of H.R. 6847, which designates a postal facility in Ellijay, Georgia, in honor of First Lieutenant Noah Harris.

H.R. 6847 enjoys the support of the entire House congressional delegation

from Georgia and was introduced by my colleague, Representative Nathan Deal of Georgia, on September 9, 2008.

H.R. 6847 calls for honoring First Lieutenant Harris and his service for our country by designating the post office in his hometown of Ellijay, Georgia, as the ``Noah Harris Post Office.''

First Lieutenant Noah Harris was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division out of Fort Benning, Georgia, when he died on June 18, 2005 in Iraq of injuries sustained on June 17 when he was on mounted patrol and his Humvee was attacked by enemy forces using rocket-propelled grenades. Also killed was First Lieutenant Harris' friend and comrade, Corporal William A. Long.

Madam Speaker, in honor of First Lieutenant Noah Harris, his sacrifice and service to this Nation, I urge my colleagues to join in support in the passage of H.R. 6847.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, let me join my colleague in saying that it is

also important that we recognize people that do outstanding things. And, of course, even at a young age, he was able to accomplish quite a bit. To name a post office in his honor I think is a great thing to do. I want to commend Congressman Deal and the entire Georgia delegation for taking the time to name a post office in honor of this young lieutenant.

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

I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of the following items en bloc: H.R. 6847, H.R. 6874, H.R. 6681, H.R. 6338, H.R. 6229, H.R. 6199, H.R. 3511, which are at the desk.

I ask unanimous consent the bills be read a third time and passed en bloc, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate, and that any statements be printed in the Record.