To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 4285 Payne Avenue in San Jose, California, as the "Anthony J. Cortese Post Office Building".

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4543) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 4285 Payne Avenue in San Jose, California, as the ``Anthony J. Cortese 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 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 proud to present H.R. 4543 for consideration. This legislation will designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 4285 Payne Avenue in San Jose, California, as the Anthony J. Cortese Post Office Building.

Introduced by my friend and colleague Representative Zoe Lofgren of California on January 27, 2010, H.R. 4543 was favorably reported out of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee on April 14, 2010, by unanimous consent. In addition, this legislation enjoys the overwhelming support of the California House delegation.

A 55-year resident of San Jose, California, Mr. Anthony Cortese was born in the East Bay city of Richmond, California, and graduated from James Lick High School in San Jose. While in his early twenties, Mr. Cortese began working for the United States Postal Service as a letter carrier in the downtown San Jose post office and continued to serve as a proud Postal Service employee for over 40 years. As a letter carrier, Mr. Cortese became an active member of his union, the National Association of Letter Carriers Local 193. Mr. Cortese climbed the ranks from shop steward to vice president, and in 1981 was elected union president, a position he proudly held for 27 years.

As president of Local 193 for nearly 30 years, Mr. Cortese devoted his efforts to advancing the well-being of his fellow letter carriers. Notably, Mr. Cortese successfully procured a union-owned headquarters building for the members of Local 193. He helped expand member health benefits and established an open, meaningful, and continuing dialogue between his union members and Federal, State, and local elected officials.

However, Mr. Cortese's service was not just limited to his efforts on behalf

of his fellow letter carriers. Rather, Mr. Cortese's commitment to public service could be evidenced by his effort to benefit the entire San Jose community. Specifically, in 1990, Mr. Cortese established a local food drive initiative, sponsored by the National Association of Letter Carriers, that since 1991 has become a national food drive held every year on the first Saturday before Mother's Day.

Regrettably, Mr. Cortese passed away on February 11, 2007. However, while Mr. Cortese is no longer with us, his memory and legacy of public service will live on through his family, his friends, his community, and of course his fellow letter carriers.

Mr. Speaker, let us further honor the life and legacy of this letter carrier and former union president Anthony Cortese through the passage of H.R. 4543, which will designate the postal facility located at 4285 Payne Avenue in San Jose, California, in his honor. I urge my colleagues to join me and the bill sponsor, Zoe Lofgren from California.

I reserve the balance of my time.

I want to thank the gentleman from Texas for his kind remarks. And I would encourage my colleagues to join the lead sponsor of this measure, Zoe Lofgren from California, in supporting H.R. 4543.

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

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

Madam Speaker, unfortunately, I missed the following recorded votes on the House floor the legislative week of Monday, April 26, 2010.

For Monday, April 26, 2010, had I been present I would have voted ``aye'' on Rollcall vote No. 221 (on motion to suspend the rules and agree to H.R. 4543), ``aye'' on Rollcall vote No. 222 (on motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 1103), ``aye'' on Rollcall vote No. 223 (on motion to suspend the rules and agree to H.R. 4861).

For Tuesday, April 27, 2010, had I been present I would have voted ``aye'' on Rollcall vote No. 224 (on motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 1131), ``no'' on Rollcall vote No. 225 (on motion to suspend the rules and agree to H.R. 5017), ``aye'' on Rollcall vote No. 226 (on motion to suspend the rules and agree to H.R. 5146).

For Wednesday, April 28, 2010, had I been present I would have voted ``aye'' on Rollcall vote No. 227 (on agreeing to the Hall (NY) amendment to H.R. 5013), ``aye'' on Rollcall vote No. 228 (on agreeing to the Connolly amendment to H.R. 5013), ``aye'' on Rollcall vote No. 229 (on motion to recommit H.R. 5013 with instructions), ``aye'' on Rollcall vote No. 230 (on passage of H.R. 5013).

For Thursday, April 29, 2010, had I been present I would have voted ``no'' on Rollcall vote No. 231 (on ordering the previous question to H. Res. 1305), ``no'' on Rollcall vote No. 232 (on agreeing to H. Res. 1305, providing for consideration of H.R. 2499), ``no'' on Rollcall vote No. 233 (on motion to table the motion to reconsider the vote on H. Res. 1305), ``aye'' on Rollcall vote No. 234 (on agreeing to the Foxx amendment to H.R. 2499), ``aye'' on Rollcall vote No. 235 (on agreeing to the Gutierrez amendment to H.R. 2499), ``no'' on Rollcall vote No. 236 (on agreeing to the Gutierrez amendment to H.R. 2499), ``no'' on Rollcall vote No. 237 (on agreeing to the Burton (IN) amendment to H.R. 2499), ``no'' on Rollcall vote No. 238 (on agreeing to the Velazquez amendment to H.R. 2499), ``aye'' on Rollcall vote No. 239 (on agreeing to the Velazquez amendment to H.R. 2499), ``aye'' on Rollcall vote No. 240 (on agreeing to the Velazquez amendment to H.R. 2499), ``aye'' on Rollcall vote No. 241 (on motion to recommit H.R. 2499 with instructions), ``no'' on Rollcall vote No. 242 (on passage of

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4543, a bill to designate the U.S. Post Office located at 4285 Payne Avenue in San Jose, California, as the Anthony J. Cortese Post Office.

For over four decades, Mr. Cortese was a proud and dedicated employee of the United States Postal Service. He was also a loving family man, respected community leader, and a friend to many of us in local government.

Mr. Cortese was born in the East Bay and moved to Santa Clara County with his family after his father went to work at the Ford Plant in Milpitas. A few years after graduating from James Lick High School in San Jose, Mr. Cortese started working as a letter carrier in the downtown San Jose post office.

Mr. Cortese was a tireless advocate for letter carriers in the region and made a significant impact on his community. In addition to his forty-two years with the Postal Service, Mr. Cortese served twenty- seven years as the president of the National Association of Letter Carriers Local 193. Under his leadership, Local 193 procured a building for its members, secured expanded health benefits, and provided an open forum for discussion with union members, community advocates, Postal Service supervisors, and local elected officials. Throughout his tenure, Mr. Cortese developed strong relationships with postal workers and management.

Mr. Cortese's service was not limited to advocacy of union members, but extended into the San Jose community and beyond. In 1990, Mr. Cortese started a food drive program through the Second Harvest Food Bank to help needy families in the San Jose area. Under Mr. Cortese's guidance, this program served as a pilot for what would become a national food drive sponsored by the National Association of Letter Carriers.

I urge all of my colleagues to join Congressman Mike Honda and me to vote in favor of this bill to honor our good friend, Anthony J. Cortese.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and work of my friend, Anthony ``Tony'' J. Cortese. For the past four decades, Mr. Cortese was a proud and dedicated employee of the United States Postal Service.

I am proud to stand on the floor today in support of H.R. 4543, legislation to designate the Westgate Station Post Office in my district of San Jose, California, in memory of Mr. Cortese. I would also like to thank my good friend and the sponsor of this legislation, Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren, for working closely with me on this effort.

Mr. Cortese was born in the San Francisco Bay area and moved to Santa Clara County with his family after his father took a job at the Ford plant in Milpitas. A few years after graduating James Lick High School in San Jose, Mr. Cortese started working as a letter carrier in the downtown San Jose post office.

Mr. Cortese was a tireless advocate for letter carriers in the region and made a significant impact on our community. In addition to his 42 years with the Postal Service, Mr. Cortese served 27 years as the president of the National Association of Letter Carriers Local 193. Under his leadership, this local procured a building for its members, secured expanded health benefits, and provided an open forum for discussion with union members, community advocates, and local elected officials.

Throughout his tenure, Mr. Cortese developed strong relationships with postal workers and management. His legacy and accomplishments at the Postal Service will not be forgotten.

Once again, Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the life of Anthony Cortese, and ask my colleagues to support naming a post office in his honor. I want to congratulate the family, and I want to give a personal thanks, because without his work my family would not have benefited from the kinds of things he has done in our community.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4543, designating the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 4285 Payne Avenue in San Jose, California, as the Anthony J. Cortese Post Office Building.

A graduate of James Lick High School in San Jose, Mr. Cortese started working as a letter carrier in his early twenties. He was known for his outgoing nature and ability to work collaboratively to get things done, whether he was resolving workplace issues or organizing charitable work in the local community.

As president of the National Letter Carriers Association Branch 193 for over 26 years, Mr. Cortese had one of the longest tenures of any local labor official. Not only did Mr. Cortese help build membership of more than 1,000 local postal workers into a political force, he also helped to initiate a food drive in which letter carriers collected donations for the Second Harvest Food Bank for families in the San Jose area. This program served as a pilot for what ultimately became a national food drive sponsored by the NALC. The program continues today and is just one of the generous contributions Mr. Cortese made to his community and his country.

Sadly, this outstanding citizen of San Jose died of a heart condition on February 11, 2007. He leaves behind his wife, Barbara; his daughter, Caroline; his sister, Mary; and his grandchildren, Austin and Ashley.

For his tireless efforts for his fellow postal workers and people in need throughout the country, it is fitting that we name the post office in Tony Cortese's honor.

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