To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1343 West Irving Park Road in Chicago, Illinois, as the "Steve Goodman Post Office Building".

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4861) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1343 West Irving Park Road in Chicago, Illinois, as the ``Steve Goodman 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. 4861 for consideration. This legislation will designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1343 West Irving Park Road in Chicago, Illinois, as the ``Steve Goodman Post Office Building.''

Introduced by my good friend and colleague, Representative Mike Quigley of Chicago, on March 16, 2010, H.R. 4861 was favorably reported out of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee on April 14, 2010 by unanimous consent. In addition, this legislation enjoys the support of the entire Illinois House delegation.

A beloved native of the City of Chicago, American folk singer and songwriter Steve Goodman was born on July 25, 1948, on Chicago's north side. Mr. Goodman graduated from Maine East High School in Park Ridge, Illinois, in 1965, and subsequently enrolled at the University of Illinois.

After 1 year, Mr. Goodman left the University of Illinois in order to pursue a musical career. In 1968, he began performing at the famed Earl of Old Town folk club in Chicago's Old Town neighborhood where he first attracted a large popular following and where he soon became a regular performer throughout the city. Mr. Goodman's subsequent and distinguished musical career evidenced his dual mastery of songwriting and performance as well as his genuine devotion to his hometown, and he left an indelible mark on both American folk music and on the city of Chicago.

As noted by the Chicago Tribune earlier this month, Mr. Goodman's collection of songs told ``wondrous, intricate stories,'' and ``if you were a fan and you lived in Chicago when he was alive, you couldn't help but feel like he was a private pleasure.''

Notably, Mr. Goodman released 10 folk music albums during his life, which were followed by five posthumous releases. Included among his most enduring songs was the ``City of New Orleans,'' a song about the Illinois Central's City of New Orleans train that was recorded by Arlo Guthrie and which became a top 20 hit in 1972. The song would also become an American standard, covered by such musicians as Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson, whose recorded versions earned Mr. Goodman a posthumous Grammy Award in the Best Country Song category in 1985. Mr. Goodman later received a second posthumous Grammy Award in the Best Contemporary Folk Album category in 1988 for his critically acclaimed album ``Unfinished Business.''

Additionally, Mr. Goodman is well-known for writing and performing a variety of humorous songs about the City of Chicago, including ``Daley's Gone,'' which is a eulogy of the late mayor Richard J. Daley, and ``A Dying Cubs Fan's Last Request,'' also ``When the Cubs Go Marching In'' and ``Go, Cubs. Go!'' in honor of his beloved Chicago Cubs. The latter song can be heard playing on the loudspeakers at Wrigley Field after every Cubs' home win.

In addition to his musical contributions, Mr. Goodman is equally remembered for the courage and positivity that he always evidenced throughout his 15-year battle with leukemia. While Mr. Goodman was diagnosed with the disease at the early age of 20, in the words of the Chicago Tribune, he was always ``a little guy with a huge smile, and he was Chicago.''

Regrettably, Mr. Goodman passed away on September 20, 1984, at the age of 36. Four days after his death, the Cubs clinched the National League's Eastern Division title, and on October 2, 1984, they played their first post-season game since the 1945 World Series. While Mr. Goodman had been asked to sing the national anthem for the occasion, Jimmy Buffet performed the ``Star-Spangled Banner'' in his absence and dedicated the song to Mr. Goodman, whose ashes were subsequently scattered at Wrigley Field.

Mr. Speaker, let us honor the life and legacy of Mr. Goodman through the passage of this legislation, H.R. 4861, to designate the West Irving Park Road Post Office in his honor. I urge my colleagues to join Mr. Quigley of Chicago in supporting H.R. 4861.

I reserve the balance of my time.

I thank the gentleman from Texas for his kind remarks, and I urge my colleagues to join with the gentleman from Chicago, Illinois, Congressman Mike Quigley, in supporting H.R. 4861.

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

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4861, designating the facility of the United States Post Office, located at 1343 West Irving Park Road in Chicago, Illinois, as the ``Steve Goodman Post Office Building.''

Born on July 25, 1948, in Chicago, Illinois, Steve Goodman began his lifelong musical career as a teenager. After graduating from Maine East High School in 1965, Mr. Goodman entered the University of Illinois and started a band called The Juicy Fruits with friends from the Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity.

After 1 year, he left college to pursue his musical career full time. He was a regular performer in Chicago, and often supported himself by singing commercials. He often performed, but he was known as an excellent and influential songwriter. Known more prominently

in folk music circles than in commercial venues, Mr. Goodman's music represented a chronicle of the times, including his many, many humorous songs about Chicago.

His legendary creation of the ``City of New Orleans'' got the attention of top recording artists, such as Arlo Guthrie, Johnny Cash, Judy Collins, Chet Atkins, and Willie Nelson, who all recorded this much-loved song. He was also known as a diehard Cubs fan, and his songs were often played at Wrigley Field. In 1984, his beloved Cubs won the Eastern Division title in the National League for the first time.

Sadly, Mr. Goodman died of leukemia before he could sing the ``Star- Spangled Banner'' for that first divisional post-season game. He was 36 years old. Jimmy Buffet filled in, dedicating the song to Mr. Goodman. Subsequently, some of Mr. Goodman's ashes were scattered at Wrigley Field.

I appreciate the opportunity to recognize this man of Chicago, Steve Goodman, who is world renowned for his many musical accomplishments.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4861, a resolution to name the Post Office at 1343 West Irving Park Road after Steve Goodman.

Steve Goodman was a true Chicagoan, a legendary folk singer and songwriter and a faithful Cubs fan.

Sadly, Goodman succumbed to leukemia in 1984 at the young age of 36 after a courageous 15-year battle with the disease.

Over the course of his illness, Goodman wrote some of the most enduring American folk songs, including ``The City of New Orleans,'' for which he won one of his two Grammy awards, and the great Chicago tune ``Lincoln Park Pirates.''

Goodman's career was inexorably intertwined with Chicago's Old Town School of Folk Music, where he learned his craft and and befriended folk music luminaries such as Roger McGuinn of the Byrds, Bob Gibson, Bonnie Koloc, and John Prine.

While older Goodman fans are no doubt aware of his connection to the Cubs, best exemplified by his song ``A Dying Cubs Fan's Last Request,'' in recent years younger generations have come to know Steve Goodman as the writer and performer of ``Go, Cubs, Go,'' the anthem played at Wrigley Field following Cubs' wins.

Steve's spirit lives on after every Cubs home win, as thousands of fans happily head home from Wrigley singing, ``Go Cubs, Go . . . ''

With the passage of this legislation, it's possible that the strains of this happy tune will be heard on the steps of the Steve Goodman Post Office, not a mile up Clark Street from Wrigley Field.

Naming the Post Office at 1343 West Irving Park Road after Steve Goodman is a small but fitting way to honor the life and work of a man whose music was always imbued with emotions and scenes of everyday life.

I urge the swift passage of this legislation.

Madam Speaker, unfortunately last night I was unable to cast my votes on H.R. 4543, H. Res. 1103, and H.R. 4861 and wish the Record to reflect my intentions had I been able to vote.

Last night, I was meeting with constituents of mine who represent various student organizations from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and I was unable to arrive in Washington, DC to cast my votes.

Had I been present on rollcall No. 221 on suspending the rules and passing H.R. 4543, the Anthony J. Cortese Post Office Building, I would have voted ``aye.''

Had I been present on rollcall No. 222 on suspending the rules and passing H. Res. 1103, Celebrating the life of Sam Houston on the 217th anniversary of his birth, I would have voted ``aye.''

Had I been present on rollcall No. 223 on suspending the rules and passing H.R. 4861, the Steve Goodman Post Office Building, I would have voted ``aye.''