To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 115 4th Avenue Southwest in Ardmore, Oklahoma, as the "Specialist Micheal E. Phillips Post Office".

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1423) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 115 4th Avenue Southwest in

Ardmore, Oklahoma, as the ``Specialist Micheal E. Phillips 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 include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1423, introduced by the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Cole), would designate the facility of the United States Post Office located at 115 4th Avenue Southwest in Ardmore, Oklahoma, as the Specialist Micheal E. Phillips Post Office. This bill is cosponsored by the entire Oklahoma State delegation and was favorably reported without amendment by the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on April 13.

Mr. Speaker, it's altogether fitting and proper that we name this post office in Ardmore for Army Specialist Phillips to honor a true American hero and his service to country. At this moment in our war on terrorism, with the recent death of Osama Bin Laden, this is a moment to remember those who have been fighting the war on terror for years.

Micheal E. Phillips hailed from Ardmore, Oklahoma, and graduated from Ardmore High School in 2006. At Ardmore High, Specialist Phillips excelled in both academics and athletics, playing football, track, and cross country. He loved history as well as drawing, and was so talented he was offered admission to the San Francisco Art Institute. Instead, however, Specialist Phillips felt a calling to serve his country.

His mother recalled that, ``He came home one day and said he wanted to join the Army, and we got in the car and went down to the recruiting station.''

With this motivation and inspiration to serve and protect the country he loved, Specialist Phillips enlisted in the Army in 2006 and was assigned to the Army's 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Air Division, based in Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

Tragically, on February 24, 2008, Specialist Phillips was killed when the vehicle he was riding in was hit by an improvised explosive device in Baghdad. He was 19 years old, and he left behind his parents, Angela and Steve, as well as two younger brothers and a younger sister.

As a Representative from Oklahoma, it is an honor to stand before this body and pay tribute to a fellow Oklahoman who made the ultimate sacrifice courageously defending our freedom.

I am truly grateful for the service of Specialist Phillips and for all of those who serve and protect us each and every day. I urge all Members to join me in strong support of this bill.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from the great State of Oklahoma (Mr. Cole), a distinguished colleague and friend and the sponsor of this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, this weekend I spoke with Specialist Micheal Phillips' mom. She reminded me that Micheal was the first student in 10 years to sign up for the Army from Ardmore High School. He was recognized as the Distinguished Member of the Regiment because of his capacity to keep up morale among his peers.

I would like to leave the House with two quotes from Specialist Phillips. The first comes from a letter that Specialist Phillips sent to the assistant principal at Ardmore High School. Phillips wrote, ``I am doing this for my family, for you, for everyone, for America, to protect it from the bad guys.''

The second, as recalled by his mother: ``He said terrorism was like a virus. It had to be stopped. It had to be contained.''

Mr. Speaker, in light of yesterday's events in Pakistan with the death of Osama bin Laden, these words, both spoken and written by Specialist Phillips, couldn't be more timing or fitting. This young man's passion was to protect this country from the bad guys, the terrorists who then and now want to do us harm.

Specialist Phillips ended up making the ultimate sacrifice, combating terrorism, protecting the country that he loved. For that, Mr. Speaker, I am eternally grateful and so is his Nation.

The soldiers who carried out the operation yesterday, as well as the members of our intelligence community who have spent nearly 10 years hunting down the mastermind behind 9/11, are much like Specialist Phillips, brave and courageous individuals who sacrifice so much and risk it all, keeping us safe and preventing the bad guys from harming more innocent people.

I have the utmost respect for each and every person in our Armed Forces and intelligence community, and I would like to express my sincere gratitude for what they do and have done. They truly make me proud to be an American.

Again, I urge Members to join me in support of H.R. 1423.

I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1423, a bill I sponsored, to designate the post office in Ardmore, Oklahoma, as the Specialist Micheal E. Phillips Post Office.

Micheal was driven by a personal sense of duty and honor. He joined the Army because he recognized injustice and terror in our world and sought to make a difference. Specialist Micheal Phillips lived out that sense of duty through military service and made the ultimate sacrifice to ensure our Nation remained secure and free.

Mr. Speaker, Micheal turned down an opportunity to attend the San Francisco Art Institute to volunteer for the United States Army. When asked why he wanted to join the Army, Micheal simply stated, ``I want a career and we are at war.'' Specialist Phillips saw terrorists as thugs, often referring to them as the ``ultimate bullies in the world.'' A fervent student of history, Micheal knew that his service would be against a tough and formidable enemy, still he enthusiastically embraced what he believed was the right decision and enlisted in the United States Army.

Mr. Speaker, Micheal Phillips was only 17 years of age when he joined the military via the delayed entry program. He left for boot camp on June 24, 2006. Upon finishing advanced infantry training, Micheal was assigned to Bravo Company 1 of the 502nd Strike Brigade of the 101st Airborne Division, one of the most storied divisions in the United States Army. On October 13, 2007, Micheal and his brothers in arms were deployed to Iraq for combat operations.

Micheal's enthusiasm for his work inspired members of his platoon. In addition to his enthusiasm, Specialist Phillips also endeavored to foster real camaraderie amongst his fellow soldiers. Even in the middle of a war, it was said that Micheal made bad times good and good times better. Micheal's team leader, Sergeant Matthew Whalen praised his abilities in terrain association, map reading, and his tremendous bravery in combat. Sergeant Whalen reflected on Specialist Phillips' leadership skills, noting, ``I know that soldiers that did serve with him have taken away with them, as I have, the undoubted and unmistaken values that he always possessed and always portrayed.''

Mr. Speaker, Specialist Micheal E. Phillips was killed in action on February 24, 2008, in Shula, Iraq, just outside of Baghdad. An explosively formed penetrator, a so-called EFP, hit the driver's side of the door on the vehicle that he was driving. Despite the severity of his injuries, he continued to smile and reassure those taking care of him. Even in the most grim and serious times, Micheal still fought and lifted up those around him.

For his service, Specialist Micheal Phillips was awarded a Bronze Star. He was also designated as a Distinguished Member of the 502nd Infantry Regiment. The Distinguished Member award is for those who display honorable service, loyalty on active duty in peace or war. These are qualities Micheal Phillips lived with each and every day of his service career.

Mr. Speaker, Micheal always gave more than his share back to his community. When he did have time away from his duty, he would often visit his high school to speak with students and encourage them to pursue their goals.

Never without a smile, Micheal fought for his country, his community, and his family with valor and with honor. He wanted others in the world to have the freedoms and opportunities that we enjoy here in the United States, and he risked his life to achieve that end.

Like many who have made the ultimate sacrifice, Specialist Micheal Phillips leaves behind loved ones, friends, and comrades in arms who treasure his memory and honor his service. Micheal is survived by his parents, Steven and Angelia Phillips; his brothers, David and Anthony; and his sister, Barbara--all of Ardmore, Oklahoma. He also leaves behind a Nation and a community that will never forget his courage, his sacrifice, and his devotion to duty.

Mr. Speaker, I urge the passage of this legislation.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1423, a bill to rename the 4th Avenue post office in Ardmore, Oklahoma, after Army Specialist Micheal E. Phillips, who died at the young age of 19 while serving our country in Iraq.

Specialist Phillips was a member of the 101st Airborne Division based in Fort Campbell, Kentucky. He died on February 24, 2008, in Baghdad from wounds sustained when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device.

Specialist Phillips loved history and was a true student athlete who ran cross country and played football while attending Ardmore High School. He also excelled at drawing and had been offered admission to the San Francisco Art Institute.

But Specialist Phillips had other plans. He volunteered to serve his country before attending college and, by all accounts, was an excellent soldier, always willing to go the extra mile and constantly trying to improve himself.

Specialist Phillips made the ultimate sacrifice defending our freedom. We honor his sacrifice today by naming the Post Office on 4th Avenue in Ardmore, Oklahoma, the Specialist Micheal E. Phillips Post Office.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I note that we are honoring Specialist Phillips the day after we learned that the Nation has met its commitment to kill or capture Osama bin Laden. We could not have known when this bill was placed on the calendar that it would come at a time like this when we honor men and women who have served in Iraq or Afghanistan. We cannot help but be grateful for their service, especially today.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on Monday, May 2, 2011, I missed the rollcall vote No. 278 for unavoidable reasons.

Specifically, my direct flight from Little Rock, Arkansas, to the Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI) that was scheduled to depart at 10:40 a.m. (CDT) and to arrive at 2:05 p.m. (EDT) was delayed due to mechanical failure for approximately four hours and did not arrive until 6:15 p.m. (EDT) at BWI. Because of this delay I did not arrive at the Capitol until after rollcall vote No. 278 had concluded.

I would have voted as follows: Rollcall vote No. 278: ``yea'' (H.R. 1423, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 115 4th Avenue Southwest in Ardmore, Oklahoma, as the ``Specialist Micheal E. Phillips Post Office'').

Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably absent for votes in the House Chamber today. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall vote No. 278.