To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 19190 Cochran Boulevard FRNT in Port Charlotte, Florida, as the "Lieutenant Commander Roy H. Boehm Post Office Building".

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2470) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 19190 Cochran Boulevard FRNT in Port Charlotte, Florida, as the ``Lieutenant Commander Roy H. Boehm Post Office Building''.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, I stand for the consideration of H.R. 2470, legislation that designates the United States Postal Service facility located at 19190 Cochran Boulevard, FRNT, in Port Charlotte, Florida, as the ``Lieutenant Commander Roy H. Boehm Post Office Building''.

Introduced by Representative Thomas J. Rooney on May 18, 2009, and reported out of the Government Reform and Oversight Committee on June 4, 2009, by unanimous consent, H.R. 2470 enjoys the support of Florida's entire House congressional delegation.

A longtime resident of Punta Gorda, Florida, Lieutenant Commander Roy Boehm served with distinction in the United States Navy for over 30 years. Lieutenant Commander Boehm enlisted in the United States Navy in April of 1941 at the age of 17. His subsequent and remarkable Navy career included service in World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War, and resulted in his receipt of nearly 30 military awards, including the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star with Valor Device and the Meritorious Service Medal.

Notably, Lieutenant Commander Boehm's extensive combat experience over the course of three wars led him to determine that highly specialized and diverse training would give his men a significant tactical advantage in the conduct of unconventional warfare. Accordingly, in 1960, Lieutenant Commander Boehm began developing, designing and assembling an elite special operations unit within the United States Navy that would later become known as the Navy SEALs. In fact, Commander Boehm was the first officer in charge of the Navy SEAL team, which is why he became known as the first United States Navy

Mr. Speaker, we have no further speakers on this. I continue to reserve our time.

I thank the gentleman from California for his words in support of this measure.

I also want to thank Congressman Rooney for being the lead sponsor here, the gentleman from Florida.

In closing, I again urge my colleagues to join me in honoring Lieutenant Commander Roy Boehm for his good work through the passage of

I yield back the balance of our time.

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

I rise today in support of H.R. 2470, legislation to have the United States Post Office Building located at Port Charlotte, Florida, designated as the Lieutenant Commander Roy H. Boehm Post Office.

Mr. Speaker, there are many accomplishments that Lieutenant Commander Boehm made as he served this country in many ways, as the gentleman from Massachusetts has pointed out. But for me personally, as somebody who grew up in a neighborhood full of United States SEAL team members, the San Diego area and specifically the Coronado area, I would just like to say that Commander Boehm is going to go down in history as a man who transformed what was the UDT, basically the Underwater Demolition Team, transformed that concept into what we know today as the SEALs.

I think today that we need to take this action not just for the commander, but for the men that serve every day as SEAL team members out there that you will not hear about. But their deeds are great and many. But we don't hear about them, mostly because so many of them are covert.

I have to say that from everything, from saving the victims of piracy to defending our camps around the world, the SEALs have proven their value to this country. Commander Boehm made this possible, and I think that is why it's so appropriate that we join today in naming this post office. Today the Navy SEALs are known around the world, but when the commander started, nobody even hardly knew what a UDT member was. And largely because of Commander Boehm, we can thank the entire service that we know now today as the SEALs.

I ask my fellow Members of Congress to join me in honoring Commander Boehm by recognizing his many life achievements, his valor, his contribution to the armed services of the United States and, particularly, through his participation in the creation of that group the world knows as the United States Navy SEALs.

I reserve my time.

Mr. Speaker, at this time I will yield back the remainder of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Madam Speaker, after making three hundred thirty nine

straight recorded votes, I missed my first vote on the floor of the House of Representatives today as I attended the high school graduation of my daughter, Caitlin Rose Connolly.

While I take my responsibilities as a member of Congress seriously and make an effort to ensure my constituents are represented on every vote, nothing would have kept me from witnessing my daughter's graduation.

I would like to take this time to congratulate my daughter, Caitlin Rose Connolly, all of the graduating seniors at W.T. Woodson High School, and all other graduates in the class of 2009. Completing high school is a tremendous achievement. I am certain that the parents, family, friends and teachers of all of the graduates are as proud of their students as I am of Caitlin.

I would also like to take this moment to indicate how I would have voted on those votes that I missed.

On H.R. 2470, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 19190 Cochran Boulevard FRNT in Port Charlotte, Florida, as the ``Lieutenant Commander Roy H. Boehm Post Office Building,'' I would have voted, ``aye.''

On H.R. 780, the Student Internet Safety Act of 2009, I would have voted, ``aye.''

On the Motion to Table the Appeal of the Ruling of the Chair, I would have voted, ``aye.''

On H.R. 2247, the Congressional Review Improvement Act, I would have voted, ``aye.''

On H.R. 403, the Homes for Heroes Act of 2009, I would have voted, ``aye.''

Mr. Speaker, I think it is appropriate that my first bill to be considered on the House floor is to honor a distinguished veteran who passed away in December of last year. Lieutenant Commander (LCDR) Roy Boehm was a true American hero and longtime resident of Punta Gorda, FL which I am honored to represent.

Mr. Boehm was a retired Navy Lt. Commander and was the first officer in charge of SEAL Team 2, one of the original Navy SEAL teams. Many would say that he was the first SEAL.

H.R. 2470 names the post office located at 19190 Cochran Blvd. in Port Charlotte after Lieutenant Commander Boehm. LCDR Boehm enlisted in the Navy in 1941 and fought during World War II, Korea and Vietnam. In 1942, he participated in the Battle of Cape Esperance and Guadalcanal during WWII. He also was involved in action in Kerama Reto and Okinawa.

During his service, LCDR Boehm obtained qualifications in deep sea diving, deep submergence rescue chamber operator for submarine rescue, experimental diving, and salvage diving. He graduated from both Airborne and Ranger Training.

In 1961, under orders from President Kennedy LCDR Boehm developed and launched the Navy's elite Sea, Air, and Land forces unit known as the SEALs. LCDR Roy Boehm set the standard for the Navy SEALs of today and he is missed.

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.