Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4646) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1900 Corporate Drive in Birmingham, Alabama, as the…
Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4646) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1900 Corporate Drive in Birmingham, Alabama, as the ``Lance Corporal Thomas E. Rivers, Jr. Post Office Building''.
Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in 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, I rise today in support of H.R. 4646. This bill names the post office at 1900 Corporate Drive in Birmingham, Alabama, after Lance Corporal Thomas E. Rivers, Jr.
Corporal Rivers was a resident of Hoover, Alabama, and a graduate of Briarwood Christian School.
Both of Rivers' grandfathers served in the military, and he desired to follow in their footsteps. Corporal Rivers wrote in a high school essay that he ``wanted to be a marine since he was 10 years old,'' and that he believed ``joining the Marines would be a good experience for him because it would teach
him to rely on God to make it through.''
Two weeks after graduating from high school, Thomas fulfilled his dream by joining the Marines. He was known by his fellow marines as a man of devout faith who was always looking for ways to serve his fellow marines.
In the early morning hours of April 28, 2010, while deployed in Helmand province, Afghanistan, Rivers ordered his men to take their positions. However, the marine assigned to stand watch was exhausted. As a patrol leader, Rivers was never required to stand post, but Thomas had been reading in the Bible about how love isn't an emotion but is demonstrated in laying your life down for your friends. Rivers told the weary marine: ``I'll stand post for you; you rest.''
Tragically, while replacing the exhausted marine, Rivers activated an improvised explosive device. Rivers gave his life for his country and exemplified the attitude in John 15:13:
Greater love has no one than this, that he should lay down
his life for his friends.
This bill pays tribute to Corporal Rivers' sacrifice. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate very much the comments from the gentleman from Missouri. I know the family does.
I knew Corporal Rivers. He attended the same high school as my children. I know his mom and dad very well. He is another example--as we have heard time and time again on this floor--of young men and women willing to sacrifice their lives not only for their country, but for their fellow soldiers and marines. It is an honor to stand here with my friend, the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Clay) to urge passage of this bill.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to make the gentleman from Missouri aware that I have no further speakers, and I am prepared to close.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
