To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 2300 Scenic Drive in Georgetown, Texas, as the "Kile G. West Post Office Building".

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2422) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 702 East University Avenue in Georgetown, Texas, as the ``Kyle G. West Post Office Building'', as amended.

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

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

Madam Speaker, as chairman of the House subcommittee with jurisdiction over the United States Postal Service, I am pleased to present H.R. 2422, as amended, for consideration this afternoon.

The bill before us will designate the United States postal facility located at 702 East University Avenue in Georgetown, Texas, as the ``Kyle G. West Post Office Building.'' Introduced by our colleague Representative John Carter of Texas on May 14, 2009, and reported out of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee on June 4th, 2009, by unanimous consent, H.R. 2422 enjoys the support of the entire Texas House delegation.

A resident of Hutto, Texas, First Lieutenant Kyle G. West bravely served in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom with the United States Army's 6th Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, out of Fort Hood, Texas.

On Memorial Day, May 28, 2007, First Lieutenant West and four fellow members of his unit were killed in Abu Sayda, Iraq, when their Bradley Fighting Vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device. The soldiers had been out on a rescue mission in support of comrades who had been downed in a helicopter.

After graduating in 2001 from Hutto High School in Texas, First Lieutenant West attended Blinn College and subsequently received a degree in business management from Stephen F. Austin State University in 2005.

In pursuit of his lifelong dream to serve in the United States military, First Lieutenant West joined the ROTC program at Stephen F. Austin as a junior, and eventually rose to sergeant in the Texas National Guard out of Lufkin, Texas. Included among Kyle's National Guard duties were assisting in the Columbia shuttle recovery efforts in 2003, as well as serving in Louisiana following Hurricane Katrina. Kyle was commissioned into the United States Army as a second lieutenant on the eve of his college graduation ceremony and subsequently deployed to Iraq on October 3, 2006.

In addition to his dedication to his unit and his country, Kyle is equally remembered for his devotion to his family and to his friends. As recalled in a May 31, 2007, article in the Austin American- Statesman, Kyle was a devoted son, a protective big brother, and a loyal friend who is still known in his old neighborhood for rounding up friends to take care of a local grackle problem while all the adults were at work.

Mr. Speaker, First Lieutenant Kyle West's life stands as a testament to the bravery and devotion of the heroic men and women who have served and continue to serve our Nation at home and abroad. It is my sincere hope that we can honor this young soldier through the passage of H.R. 2422 and rename the Georgetown, Texas, postal facility as

the Lieutenant Kyle G. West Post Office Building. I urge my colleagues to do the same.

I reserve the balance of our time.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve my time.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I just join with the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Carter) for the purpose of supporting this measure which will honor First Lieutenant Kile West.

I yield back the balance of our time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 2300 Scenic Drive in Georgetown, Texas as the ``Kile G. West Post Office Building.''

Kile Grant West was born on July 12, 1983, in Pasadena, Texas. He was an all American guy who enjoyed Texas country music, a good barbeque, football, and his friends and family. He was known as a goal orientated individual who from the very early age of four, when he started playing army, knew he wanted to join the military.

Always a team player, he played four sports at Hutto High School where he learned leadership and the ability to succeed in a group.

Lieutenant West attended Blinn Junior College his freshman year and transferred to Stepehen F. Austin State University where he joined the SFA ROTC program as a junior and simultaneously became a sergeant in the National Guard in Lufkin.

He was also very active on campus as the secretary of Delta Chi Fraternity where he was asked to serve as president, but he declined to focus on his military career.

After graduating from college in 2005, he was assigned to Fort Hood and was deployed for Iraq on October 3, 2006. While stationed in Iraq, Lieutenant West was promoted to 1st lieutenant on Memorial Day, 2007. Sadly, that was the last day of life for this brave young soldier. During combat action in Abu Sayda, Iraq, Lieutenant West died while attempting to rescue the flight crew of a downed aircraft.

As a result of his heroic actions on that day, May 28th, 2008, he was awarded the Army Bronze Star for Heroism and the Purple Heart.

The citizens of the United States and Lieutenant West's family and friends will forever be proud of this man who stood and fought so bravely for his country. With gratitude for his bravery and sacrifice to his country, I ask all members to join me in supporting H.R. 2422, so his memory, like those who served before him, will not be forgotten.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to my distinguished colleague from the great State of Texas (Mr. Carter).

Mr. Speaker, we have no further speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I thank both of my colleagues for going forward on this resolution today for First Lieutenant Kile G. West.

As has been said, Kile G. West died with four other soldiers on May 28, 2007, in Abu Sayda, Iraq. This happened when an improvised explosive device struck their vehicle.

Kile graduated from Hutto High School in Williamson County, Texas, and went on to achieve the rank of sergeant in the Texas National Guard while serving as a cadet in the ROTC program at Stephen F. Austin University and serving as secretary of the Delta Chi fraternity.

He graduated and took his oath into the United States Army as a second lieutenant in December of 2005. In January of 2006, Lieutenant West went to Fort Sill, Oklahoma, for officers training, and then in June of 2006 was assigned to Fort Hood, Texas, where he was a field artillery officer for the 1st Cavalry Division, 3rd Brigade, 6th Squadron, 9th Regiment, Apache Troop. Kile deployed to Iraq on October 4th, 2006, and was promoted to first lieutenant the morning before his death on Memorial Day, May 28, 2007.

On a voluntary rescue mission to save the crew of a downed helicopter, his Bradley was hit by an IED en route to save the pilots. Kile was due home for R&R 2 weeks before his death and 6 weeks before his 24th birthday. Kile received the Purple Heart and Bronze Star among his awards. He was also honored with the Valor Award from his fraternity, Delta Chi.

This young man is one of those many, many American heroes that we have seen go out and stand up for freedom in the name of the United States of America. I would ask that we pass H.R. 2422, naming the post office in Georgetown, Texas, after this young warrior.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of the following postal naming bills en bloc: Calendar Nos. 133 through 144: S. 748, S. 1211, S. 1314,

I ask unanimous consent the bills be read a third time and passed en bloc, the motions to reconsider be laid on the table en bloc, and any statements be printed in the Record.