To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 320 7th Street in Ellwood City, Pennsylvania, as the "Sergeant Leslie H. Sabo, Jr. Post Office Building".

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5954--To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 320 7th Street in Ellwood City, Pennsylvania, as the ``Sergeant Leslie H. Sabo, Jr. Post Office Building.''

On 10 May 1970, Sp4c. Leslie H. Sabo Jr. distinguished himself while serving as a rifleman against hostile forces in the Se San area during the Cambodian Operation west of Pleiku. Specialist Sabo was in the rear element of a reconnaissance patrol when it was ambushed by a large enemy force. While firing his automatic weapon from his defensive position, Sp4c. Sabo saw that his comrades were being assaulted by a flanking enemy force. He immediately turned his fire in the direction of the attacking enemy and with automatic weapons fire and grenades he was able to halt the insurgents from moving forward even though he was wounded while doing so. Then from his defensive position, Sp4c. Sabo saw a wounded comrade about 10 meters to his right and disregarding his own wound he rushed to help the fallen soldier. A grenade was thrown into the friendly area from a nearby enemy ditch and Sp4c. Sabo threw himself on top of the wounded soldier to protect him from the blast. He was again wounded in the back from the grenade. He then took one of his own grenades and assaulted the ditch, threw his grenade into the ditch and killed two enemy soldiers. Now seriously wounded, Sp4c Sabo retrieved three bandoleers of ammo and was able to make it back to his original defensive position. As he threw extra ammo to another comrade he was again shot in the leg area and fell behind a small tree. As two wounded soldiers were trying to get to a tree line to be evacuated out of the combat area, enemy fire was pointed in their direction preventing them from getting to the helicopter. Sp4c. Sabo with multiple wounds stood up from behind his only cover, a small tree, and opened fire on the enemy that was preventing the evacuation. While their fire was now diverted toward Sp4c. Sabo, the two wounded soldiers were able to get to the helicopter safe. Sp4c. Sabo was hit with automatic weapons fire multiple times and died from his wounds. Through his indomitable courage, complete disregard for his own safety and profound concern for his fellow soldiers, he averted loss of life and injury to the members of his patrol.

Leslie Sabo first came to my attention when a constituent, Alton Mabb, Jr. asked me to recommend his friend Leslie Sabo for the Medal of Honor. This was in 2002. After many years and the White House and Pentagon losing and finding the paperwork that I sent they finally were ready to recommend a yes to the medal, but the award was too late and we needed a special amendment in the Defense Authorization bill to allow this to happen. I worked with Chairman Ike Skelton to get it into the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008.

I was pleased when President Obama finally awarded the Medal of Honor to Sergeant Sabo earlier this year, and believe that naming this Post Office after him is a fitting tribute. I want to thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania for his leadership on this bill and thank all those men and women who defend this Nation every day.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to stand here today to speak in support of my legislation to name the Ellwood City Post Office in honor of Sergeant Leslie Sabo. By passing this bill, we are playing a small part in paying tribute to an exceptionally heroic man and his family for the sacrifices they made for this country.

Sergeant Sabo grew up in Ellwood City, Pennsylvania. He reflected the values of the blue collar steel town in which he grew up: kindhearted, hardworking, and dependable. He was drafted in 1969 and left the next year for Vietnam.

In the early months of 1970, Sabo was platooned in Vietnam. They were difficult years for him. They endured unbearable heat and humidity as they pushed through jungles and rice paddies as well as monsoon rains that seemed to never end.

In May of that year, Sergeant Sabo and his platoon were ambushed by the North Vietnamese soldiers in Cambodia. Amidst heavy fire, he ran to distribute ammunition to his fellow soldiers and was wounded as he threw himself over a wounded combatant to shield him from a grenade blast. Despite his wounds and the danger confronting him, Sergeant Sabo continued to provide cover to the medical evacuation helicopters as they retrieved wounded soldiers until he, himself, was killed by enemy fire.

For his bravery, Sergeant Sabo was recommended to receive the Medal of Honor. However, the recommendation languished for decades until it was discovered in the National Archives in 1999 by Alton Mabb, a Vietnam veteran from Florida. After many more years and some prodding by my friend Congressman Gerlach, who is a native of Ellwood City, and myself, the Department of Defense finally announced in December of 2010 that it would officially recommend to the President the award to Sergeant Sabo for the Medal of Honor.

I was honored to attend the Medal of Honor ceremony with my friend Congressman Gerlach this past May. The award was long overdue and much deserved for Sergeant Sabo, his family, and the entire community.

Sergeant Sabo left behind a wife who loved him, a brother who adored him, parents who cherished him, and a community that admired him. After many years, those who called Leslie a husband, brother, son, and friend are able to celebrate the man that made them all so proud. This year, Ellwood City dedicated a memorial and a bridge to Sergeant Sabo. This bill will allow the town to continue to celebrate its hero in another fitting tribute by naming the town's post office after Medal of Honor recipient Sergeant Sabo.

I want to thank Chairman Issa and Congressman Cummings, the ranking member, for moving this bill through their committee and allowing it to come to the floor for the vote later this week. I urge my colleagues to support it.

And I thank Mr. Clay for yielding me the time.

I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I thank the Speaker for this time. And a special thanks to my colleague from Pennsylvania, Congressman Altmire, for the sponsorship of this legislation.

I rise today to recognize Congressional Medal of Honor hero Army Sergeant Leslie Sabo, Jr., who was a resident of my hometown of Ellwood City, Pennsylvania, and proudly served in the 101st Airborne Division during the Vietnam War.

Sergeant Sabo arrived in Vietnam on November 14, 1969, and fought on a piece of ground called Hill 474. On May 5, 1970, his company moved into Cambodia and was engaged in daily firefights for 5 days. On May 10, his company was caught in a deadly ambush; but despite being wounded three times by enemy fire and from a hand grenade, he continued to purposely draw enemy fire towards himself in order to allow his wounded comrades to be safely evacuated. Tragically, he died of his wounds on that hill.

A few years ago, after being informed that Sergeant Sabo's Medal of Honor review by the Department of Defense had languished for many years, I was pleased to work with my colleague, Representative Altmire, to have the Department reevaluate this case and ultimately recommend that the President posthumously award Sergeant Sabo the Medal of Honor. On May 16, we were both very honored and privileged to be at the White House for the President's presentation of this Medal of Honor award to the Sabo family.

Today I am, likewise, honored to have joined Representative Altmire in sponsoring this bill to rename the post office in Ellwood City the Sergeant Leslie H. Sabo, Jr. Post Office Building. It is important for the citizens of Ellwood City, of Pennsylvania, and of our entire Nation to have a permanent public reminder of one of our greatest local heroes.

His story is a powerful reminder of the sacrifices our soldiers make in order to keep our country safe. Each day in America, we enjoy unprecedented freedom thanks to the distinguished service and tremendous sacrifices of our servicemen and -women and their families. While we can never fully repay the debt we owe our troops and our veterans, we can assure them and their families that we will always remember their extraordinary service.

The legislation before us today appropriately honors Sergeant Sabo's service and sacrifice, and I urge my colleagues to support it.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5954) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 320 7th Street in Ellwood City, Pennsylvania, as the ``Sergeant Leslie H. Sabo, Jr. Post Office Building''.

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.

H.R. 5954, introduced by the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Altmire), would designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 320 7th Street in Ellwood City, Pennsylvania, as the Sergeant Leslie H. Sabo, Jr. Post Office Building. The bill is cosponsored by the entire Pennsylvania State delegation and was favorably reported by the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on September 20.

Mr. Speaker, Sergeant Leslie Sabo, Jr., was known for his heroism while serving in the Army during the Vietnam War. He is a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor. He earned the medal for leading his company during an attack by a North Vietnamese force. Sergeant Sabo distributed ammunition to his fellow soldiers during heavy fire and provided cover to medical evacuation helicopters as they retrieved his injured comrades. During the battle, he was killed by enemy fire.

Mr. Speaker, I am truly grateful for the brave and heroic service of Sergeant Sabo and for all those who serve and defend our Nation every day.

I urge my colleagues to join me in strong support of this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to my distinguished colleague from the State of Pennsylvania (Mr. Gerlach).

Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support the passage of H.R. 5954, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee be discharged from the following postal naming bills en bloc and that the Senate proceed to their consideration en bloc: H.R. 3477, H.R. 3870, H.R. 3912, H.R. 5738, H.R. 5837, H.R. 5954, S. 3630, and S. 3662.

I ask unanimous consent that the bills be read a third time and passed en bloc, the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table en bloc, with no intervening action or debate, and that any related statements be printed in the Record.