To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 302 East Green Street in Champaign, Illinois, as the "James R. Burgess Jr. Post Office Building".

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from North Carolina and also my colleague from Vermont for their support of this piece of legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor James R. Burgess Jr. My bill, H.R. 1707, will designate the post office located at 302 East Green Street in Champaign, Illinois, as the James R. Burgess Jr. Post Office Building.

Mr. Burgess served more than 20 years in the Army, playing a critical role in a largely unknown part of American military history. He was a leader of the 761st Tank Battalion, which was the first African American armored unit to enter battle in World War II. At the age of 29, Mr. Burgess was a first lieutenant in command of one of the six companies who served under General George Patton in Europe, and upon his retirement from the U.S. Army, Mr. Burgess had reached the rank of major.

After leaving the service in 1962, Mr. Burgess moved his wife and two sons to Champaign, Illinois, so he could attend law school at the University of Illinois, where he graduated 3 years later as the only African American in his class. Mr. Burgess was elected Champaign County State's attorney in 1972 and is still the only African American to be elected to

a countywide office in Champaign County. Later, he was appointed as a U.S. attorney for a large section of downstate Illinois.

Since Mr. Burgess' passing in 1997, many of my constituents in the 13th District, and especially his son Steve have been looking for a way to commemorate the achievements of his life.

Two years ago, Steve approached me seeking my help to honor the life and legacy of his father. It has taken a lot of time and a lot of work. While I am proud that we are finally to this point, Mr. Speaker, I also have a heavy heart.

Last November, Steve Burgess passed away suddenly. Steve worked tirelessly over the years to get this project to the finish line, and it is truly heartbreaking that he won't be able to see it completed.

Naming this building after Mr. James R. Burgess is but a small token of our gratitude for his service and an honor for his son, my friend, Steve Burgess.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1707) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 302 East Green Street in Champaign, Illinois, as the ``James R. Burgess Jr. 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 include extraneous materials on the bill under consideration.

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

I rise today to urge support of H.R. 1707, introduced by Representative Danny K. Davis of Illinois, which would designate the postal facility located at 302 East Green Street in Champaign, Illinois, as the James R. Burgess Jr. Post Office Building.

Mr. Burgess was born on December 19, 1915, in Algood, Tennessee, and served more than 20 years in the Army, playing a critical role as a leader of the 761st Tank Battalion and the first African-American armored unit to enter the battle in World War II.

At age 29, Mr. Burgess was a first lieutenant in command of one of the six companies who served under General George Patton in Europe

Upon his retirement from the U.S. Army, he had reached the rank of major. He passed away in 1997.

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Burgess was a trailblazer, a leader, and an American hero. Naming a postal facility in his honor is the least we can do to memorialize his service to our country.

I urge the support of H.R. 1707, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Rodney Davis), my distinguished colleague.

Mr. Speaker, the emotion and heart of my colleague, Mr. Davis, is evident today on this House floor. Far too often things are done here in a nonpersonal way. But I can tell you for Mr. Davis this is personal, and it is a great honor that I support him in H.R. 1707. I also encourage all the Members to support the passage of this bill.

I thank the gentleman for his leadership, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Mr. Steve Burgess from Urbana, Illinois, who passed away on Friday, November 22 of this year. He was committed to seeing the postal facility at 302 East Green Street in Champaign, Illinois, renamed after his father, James R. Burgess, Jr.

James Burgess was the first African American elected to a countywide office in Champaign County and was appointed the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Illinois.

Most importantly, though, Steve Burgess wanted to honor his father as a leader of the 761st Tank Battalion, the first African American armored unit to enter battle in World War II.

In April, I introduced H.R. 1707 to rename this post office after James Burgess. It is devastating to me that Steve Burgess was not able to fulfill his life's effort. I want to see a post office naming bill through completion, not only in James Burgess' honor, but in Steve Burgess' and his family's.

I want to offer my heartfelt thanks to Steve Burgess and his father for their lifetime of commitment to the Champaign-Urbana community.

I ask unanimous consent that the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee be discharged from further consideration of the following measures, which are post office-naming bills, and the Senate proceed to their consideration en bloc: H.R. 4939, H.R. 1707, H.R. 78, H.R. 2112, H.R. 2223, H.R. 2678, H.R. 3534, and H.R. 5030.

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

Mr. Speaker, I look forward to hearing from Mr. Davis as he recounts the extraordinary life, service, and contributions of Mr. Burgess. We fully support this bill.

I reserve the balance of my time.

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