To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 109 Main Street in Swifton, Arkansas, as the "George Kell Post Office".

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3634) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 109 Main Street in Swifton, Arkansas, as the ``George Kell Post Office''.

Mr. Speaker, 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.

Mr. Speaker, 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 pleased to present H.R. 3634 for consideration. This measure will designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 109 Main Street in Swifton, Arkansas, as the ``George Kell Post Office.''

This bill was sponsored solely and principally by my friend Representative Marion Berry of Arkansas, and I would like to yield to him for 5 minutes for presenting this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, whenever a former member of the Red Sox is recognized, I have to join in those accolades, and I am very pleased to support the resolution offered by my friend Mr. Berry from Arkansas.

George Clyde Kell distinguished himself as an exceptional professional baseball player over the course of 15 major league seasons and in his later life, as has been mentioned, as a beloved broadcaster for the Detroit Tigers.

Mr. Kell made his major league debut with the Philadelphia Athletics in 1943, playing in one game, and became a consistent starter over the following two seasons. Notably, Mr. Kell was traded to the Detroit Tigers early in the 1946 season, which he finished with a .322 batting average and thereby began establishing himself as a Hall of Fame- caliber third baseman.

Over the course of his distinguished professional baseball career, Mr. Kell was selected as an All-Star 10 times, as has been mentioned, and hit at least .300 in nine major league seasons and led the American League's third basemen in fielding percentage seven times. Mr. Kell's finest season came in 1950 when he led the American League with 218 hits, 56 doubles, and set a career high with 101 runs batted in and 114 runs scored.

In addition, Mr. Kell holds the distinction of winning the closest batting crown race in Major League Baseball history. Mr. Kell captured the American League batting crown in 1949 on the final day of the regular season during which he went two for three against future Hall of Famer Bob Lemon of the Cleveland Indians and succeeded in edging out Boston Red Sox legend Ted Williams for the batting title by two- thousandths of a point.

After hitting for a .319 batting average in 1951, Mr. Kell was traded to my own Boston Red Sox in 1952 in a multiplayer deal, and the next season set a career high in home runs. Following his stint with the Red Sox, Mr. Kell played for the Chicago White Sox and concluded his playing career in 1957 with the Baltimore Orioles.

During his two seasons with the Orioles, Mr. Kell helped to groom his successor at third base, fellow Arkansas native Brooks Robinson, who would later join Mr. Kell as an inductee into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame in 1983. It was during their Cooperstown induction ceremony that Mr. Kell noted how incredible it was that two Arkansas natives had traveled the same path to the same place.

Although Mr. Kell ended his playing career in 1957, he never truly left the game, as has been noted here. In 1958, he began broadcasting on CBS's Game of the Week and the following year joined the Detroit Tigers' broadcast crew, teaming with Van Patrick and Ernie Harwell, and later, Tigers' Hall of Fame outfielder Al Kaline. Mr. Kell continued to cover the Tigers until retiring after the 1996 season.

Mr. Speaker, regrettably, George Kell passed away in his hometown of Swifton, Arkansas, on March 24 of this year at the age of 86. And although he is no longer with us, Mr. Kell's memory will live on through his beloved family, including his wife, Carolyn, and his brother, former major leaguer Everett ``Skeeter'' Kell, as well as the countless baseball fans that he entertained as both a player and a broadcaster.

Let us honor Mr. Kell by designating the postal facility in his hometown of Swifton, Arkansas, as the ``George Kell Post Office,'' and I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join us and join Mr. Berry in sponsoring and supporting his resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I don't believe we have any more speakers on our side, but I continue to reserve.

Mr. Speaker, just very briefly, I ask all of our colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join with Mr. Berry and Mr. Boozman in support of this resolution, and I yield back the balance of our 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.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3634, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 109 Main Street in Swifton, Arkansas, as the ``George Kell Post Office.'' I want to thank my friend and colleague and the senior member of the Arkansas delegation in the House for bringing this forward, and this is very, very important and certainly very well deserved.

As has been noted, George Kell, as a professional baseball player, broadcaster, businessman, and family man from Swifton, Arkansas, made literally a household name for himself in Arkansas as one of the greatest third basemen in the 1940s and 1950s. In 1957, to be closer to his family, he retired. He then went on to become a Detroit Tigers broadcaster for nearly 40 years. In 1983, he joined the baseball greats when he was nominated for the National Baseball Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee.

During his career, George always kept Arkansas close to his heart. During his time in the majors, he bought farmland in Swifton, which he worked on in the off-seasons, and continued farming after he retired from playing baseball. Even when he was broadcasting for the Detroit Tigers, he still called Swifton home, commuting 1,000 miles from Arkansas for games.

George remained committed to his home in Arkansas and helped his community. In 1962, he bought a car dealership in Newport, Arkansas, and later became sole owner of this budding business. After hearing Dale Bumpers speak in the city during his 1970 campaign, George jumped on the campaign trail helping the little-known candidate win the Governor's race. George was then appointed to the State Highway Commission where he served for 10 years, 4 of which as chairman.

George was an Arkansan through and through and certainly a favorite son, so it couldn't be more fitting to honor him by naming the Swifton postal facility in his honor. He will be missed by family and friends.

And again, I want to thank Congressman Berry for his work in bringing this recognition forward.

I thank the gentleman from Massachusetts.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3634. My bill would name the U.S. Post Office in Swifton, Arkansas, for George Kell, a native son of Arkansas' First Congressional District.

Throughout his life, George Kell distinguished himself as an athlete, a broadcaster, a businessman, and a public servant. He enjoyed a long career in Major League Baseball with the Athletics, Tigers, Red Sox, White Sox, and Orioles.

During his 15-year playing career, Kell made the All-Star team 10 times and established himself as one of the greatest third basemen in the American League. For his accomplishments, he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

After his retirement from baseball, Kell returned to the Detroit Tigers organization as their TV announcer, a position he held for almost 40 years. His broadcasting career allowed him to connect with generations of new fans who were too young to ever see him play the game.

Despite all of his accomplishments in baseball, George Kell was simply a good friend and neighbor to those who knew him best. Throughout his life, he kept returning to his hometown of Swifton, a place he loved like no other. He was an active and respected member of the community, serving on the Arkansas Highway Commission for 10 years, and his career gave him the opportunity to see it all. He knew there was no place like home.

Kell died in Swifton in March of this year at the age of 86. It was a tremendous loss that was felt by his friends and family and the State of Arkansas. George Kell's enduring popularity is evidenced by the fan mail he continued to receive long after his retirement.

It is a fitting tribute that we name the Swifton post office, where he went regularly to correspond with his fans across the country, after this great citizen. It's the least we can do for a friend and a native son of the First Congressional District of Arkansas, and I urge that the House pass H.R. 3634.

Madam Speaker, due to the death of a family member, I was absent from the House for the week of November 30 and thus not recorded for any votes that week. Had I been present, I would have voted in the following way on bills considered by the House:

On rollcall vote No. 911, on H.R. 3029, I would have voted ``yea'';

On rollcall vote No. 912, on H.R. 727, I would have voted ``yea'';

On rollcall vote No. 913, on H.R. 3667, I would have voted ``yea'';

On rollcall vote No. 914, on H. Res. 494, I would have voted ``yea'';

On rollcall vote No. 915, on H. Con. Res. 129, I would have voted ``yea'';

On rollcall vote No. 916, on H. Res. 861, I would have voted ``yea'';

On rollcall vote No. 917, on H. Res. 897, I would have voted ``yea'';

On rollcall vote No. 918, on H.R. 3634, I would have voted ``yea'';

On rollcall vote No. 919, on H.R. 515, I would have voted ``yea'';

On rollcall vote No. 920, on H. Con. Res. 197, I would have voted ``yea'';

On rollcall vote No. 921, on H.R. 1242, I would have voted ``yea'';

On rollcall vote No. 922, on H.R. 3980, I would have voted ``yea'';

On rollcall vote No. 923, on the Motion on Ordering the Previous Question on the Rule for H.R. 4154, I would have voted ``yea'';

On rollcall vote No. 924, on H. Res. 941, I would have voted ``yea'';

On rollcall vote No. 925, on approving the Journal, I would have voted ``yea'';

On rollcall vote No. 926, on H. Res. 28, I would have voted ``yea'';

On rollcall vote No. 927, on the Motion to Table the Appeal of the Ruling of the Chair, I would have voted ``yea'';

On rollcall vote No. 928, on the Motion to Recommit H.R. 4154, I would have voted ``nay'';

On rollcall vote No. 929, on H.R. 4154, I would have voted ``yea'';

On rollcall vote No. 930, on H.R. 3570, I would have voted ``yea''.

Madam Speaker, unfortunately, I missed the following recorded votes on the House floor on Tuesday, December 1, 2009 and Wednesday, December 2, 2009.

For Tuesday, December 1, 2009, had I been present I would have voted ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 911, on motion to suspend the

rules and agree to H.R. 3029; ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 912, on motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 727; ``no'' on rollcall vote No. 913, on motion to suspend the rules and agree to H.R. 3667.

For Wednesday, December 2, 2009, had I been present I would have voted ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 914, on motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 494; ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 915, on motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Con. Res. 129; ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 916, on motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 861; ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 917, on motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 897; ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 918, on motion to suspend the rules and agree to H.R. 3634; ``no'' on rollcall vote No. 919, on motion to suspend the rules and agree to H.R. 515; ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 920, on motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Con. Res. 197; ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 921, on motion to suspend the rules and agree to H.R. 1242; ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 922, on motion to suspend the rules and agree to H.R. 3980.