Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3250) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1210 West Main Street in Riverhead, New York, as the…
Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3250) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1210 West Main Street in Riverhead, New York, as the ``Private First Class Garfield M. Langhorn Post Office Building''.
I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and add any extraneous materials.
I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, as chairman of the House subcommittee with jurisdiction over the United States Postal Service, I am proud to present H.R. 3250 for consideration. This legislation will designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1210 West Main Street in Riverhead, New York, as the ``Private First Class Garfield M. Langhorn Post Office Building.''
H.R. 3250 was introduced by my colleague and friend Representative Tim Bishop of New York, on July 17, 2009, and was favorably reported out of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee by unanimous consent on October 29, 2009. In addition, the legislation enjoys the support of the entire New York House delegation.
Born on September 10, 1948, in Cumberland, Virginia, Private First Class Garfield Langhorn distinguished himself through his brave, dedicated, and selfless military service during the Vietnam War as a member of the United States Army's Troop C, 7th Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Aviation Brigade.
In recognition of his heroic actions during the Vietnam War, Private First Class Langhorn posthumously received the Medal of Honor, the highest military decoration awarded by the United States Government, as well as the Purple Heart. Private First Class Langhorn was one of 20 African American soldiers to receive the Medal of Honor for their service during the Vietnam War.
As noted by the citation accompanying his Medal of Honor, Private First Class Langhorn demonstrated ``conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life and beyond the call of duty'' while serving as a radio operator in Troop C in Vietnam's Pleiku province on January 15, 1969.
Specifically, the citation recounts that Private First Class Langhorn's
platoon had been inserted into a landing zone in order to rescue two pilots of a downed Cobra helicopter. While members of his platoon, who had found the two pilots dead, attempted to take the men's bodies to a nearby pickup location, Private First Class Langhorn provided radio coordination and covering fire as the platoon came under intense fire from enemy forces.
As darkness fell, an enemy hand grenade landed directly in front of Private First Class Langhorn and only a few feet from several wounded members of his platoon. In response, and without hesitation, Private First Class Langhorn threw himself on the grenade and absorbed the ensuing blast, thereby saving the lives of his comrades by sacrificing his own.
Accordingly, the Medal of Honor citation further notes that, ``Private First Class Langhorn's extraordinary heroism, at the cost of his own life, was in keeping with the highest traditions of the military, and reflects great credit on himself, his unit, and the United States Army.''
Mr. Speaker, in continued tribute to Private First Class Langhorn's bravery and self-sacrifice, the members of the United States Army's 7th Squadron, 17th Cavalry, past and present, have committed themselves to ensuring that his legacy and his memory lives on.
As noted by retired Sergeant Major Tony Morton, president of the 7th Squadron 17th Air Cavalry Association, all cavalry troopers assigned to the squadron must ``earn their spurs'' through the completion of a grueling 3-day series of tests and tasks known as the ``spur ride.'' It is notable that completion of one of the stations requires soldiers to possess a detailed knowledge regarding the service and sacrifice of Private First Class Langhorn, a requirement that, according to Sergeant Major Morton, serves to ensure that Private First Class Langhorn ``will go on in this squadron as long as this squadron is flying the colors.''
In addition, in 2008, the squadron cut the ribbon on a conference center named after Private First Class Langhorn and the unit's other Medal of Honor recipient from Vietnam, Sergeant Ray McKibben. Moreover, the squadron also rededicated a memorial to the two soldiers that has been relocated from Fort Knox, Kentucky, to the unit's new headquarters at nearby Fort Campbell on the Kentucky-Tennessee border.
Mr. Speaker, the life of Private First Class Garfield M. Langhorn stands as a testament to the lives of all those brave men and women who have served in the United States military and offered our Nation the ultimate sacrifice. Let us further honor the courageous soldiers through the passage of H.R. 3250, which designates the Riverhead, New York, Postal Service building in Private First Class Langhorn's name.
I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 3250.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman's kind words.
I yield 3 minutes to the chief sponsor of this bill, Mr. Bishop of New York.
Mr. Speaker, I again, in closing, urge my colleagues to join the gentleman from New York (Mr. Bishop) in honoring Private First Class Garfield Langhorn through the passage of H.R. 3250.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. 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.
