To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 101 West Highway 64 Bypass in Roper, North Carolina, as the "E.V. Wilkins Post Office".

To the distinguished chairman of the subcommittee, my friend from Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch), and to the minority member who is managing the bill--and I do not recall your name right now and I apologize for that--thank you very much for allowing us to have this time today.

Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize a friend, the late Elmer V. Wilkins, who was an outstanding educator, mayor, councilman, State board of education member, and a lifelong North Carolinian.

In North Carolina, we remember E.V. as one with a strong philosophy of tolerance and civic responsibility and educational achievement. Because of his public service, I introduced this bill to name the United States Post Office located in Roper, North Carolina, as the ``E.V. Wilkins Post Office.''

Thanks to the overwhelming support of the entire North Carolina delegation--and I understand that Mr. Etheridge, who is my colleague from North Carolina, may be on the floor in a few minutes, and they were, of course, friends--we are one step closer to this bill becoming a reality. The people of Roper, North Carolina, and throughout the county of Washington and even the surrounding counties deeply appreciate this naming opportunity.

Elmer Vanray, ``E.V.,'' Wilkins was born on Independence Day of 1911, and to many who knew him, this was no coincidence. He was a staunch defender of constitutional rights and would become a well-known voice for civil rights and voting rights for every citizen. E.V. was the second of 10 children born to Mr. T.L. and Mrs. Maggie Wilkins in Roper.

After graduating from my alma mater, North Carolina Central University, in the 1930s, E.V. returned to his hometown of Roper to teach mathematics at J.J. Clemmons High School. He soon became the school's principal, a position he held for more than 30 years.

In 1946, Madam Chair, E.V. led an effort to provide bus rides to and from school for African American children living in his community. Prior to his activism, white children were the only students having access to a bus, forcing African American students to walk, sometimes miles, to and from their school. He solicited small donations from fair-minded white citizens and from African American citizens, and even accepted bushels of potatoes from those who were unable to give money. Those potatoes were sold and the proceeds were used in what was called the ``bus fund.''

In the mid-1950s, frustrated with the inability of African American citizens to vote, E.V. Wilkins, along with the local branch of the NAACP, initiated a lawsuit to compel elections officials to allow African American citizens to register to vote. As a result, E.V.'s father, Mr. T.L. Wilkins, was able to vote for the first time in 1956.

It was clear to E.V. that political empowerment for the African American community could make a real difference in their lives, and so in 1967, 2 years after the Voting Rights Act, E.V. made history by becoming the first African American since Reconstruction to be elected to the town council.

Sensing an opportunity to better serve the town and its citizens, E.V. was then elected mayor of Roper in 1975, again making history as the first African American to hold that position. E.V. served as mayor for 20 years until his retirement.

E.V. was a well-known progressive voice in eastern North Carolina. In addition to serving as mayor, he served as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1972, 1980, and 1984, helping to nominate George McGovern, Jimmy Carter, and Walter Mondale as nominees for his political party.

E.V. was a tireless and stalwart public servant throughout his life. In addition to his service as teacher, principal, councilman, and mayor, he served on numerous boards, including the State Board of Education for North Carolina, State Economic Development Commission, North Carolina Secondary Road Council, North Carolina Railroad Board of Directors, North Carolina State Ports Authority, Advisory Board for the Rural Education Institution at ECU, which is East Carolina University, and Elizabeth City State University Board of Trustees.

During his life, E.V. received many honors and awards, including the North Carolina Distinguished Citizen Award, the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, the Service Award by the North Carolina Leadership Caucus, the North Carolina Distinguished Service Award, and the North Carolina Human Relations Commission's Libby D. Koontz Award in recognition for his dedication and leadership in the areas of education, civil rights, and human rights.

He was also honored by Elizabeth City State University with the naming of the university's computer center as the E.V. Wilkins Academic Computer Center several years ago. Further, Elizabeth City State University established the E.V. Wilkins Endowed Chair in the university's School of Education and Psychology Department in 1996.

E.V. Wilkins passed away, Madam Speaker, on June 2, 2002, at the age of 90 years old. His commitment to enriching the lives and standing up for those less fortunate are qualities that I hope we all emulate. His integrity and the values for which he fought do great honor to the post office that will bear his name.

His greatest fortune is his two daughters, Bunny and Joy. Bunny was also called to public service, I might say, much like her father. She is currently the mayor of Roper, North Carolina, and is an outspoken advocate for her town and its citizens.

Again, I want to thank my friend Mr. Lynch and the ranking member and all of my colleagues for their support. I respectfully request an ``aye'' vote on H.R. 3892.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I was not present for the following roll call votes. Had I been present, I would have voted as follows:

On rollcall No. 454, on H. Con. Res. 292, Supporting the goals and ideals of National

Aerospace Week, and for other purposes, I would have voted ``aye.''

On rollcall No. 450, on H. Res. 1219, Expressing support for designation of September as National Child Awareness Month, I would have voted ``aye.''

On rollcall No. 449, on H. Con. Res. 126, Recognizing the 50th anniversary of Title VI international education programs within the Department of Education, I would have voted ``aye.''

On rollcall No. 448, on H. Res. 1472, Expressing support for designation of the week of September 13, 2010, as National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week, I would have voted ``aye.''

On rollcall No. 372, on H.R. 5297, I would have voted ``aye.''

On rollcall No. 293, on H.R. 5330, To Amend the Antitrust Criminal Penalty Enhancement and Reform Act of 2004 to Extend the Operation of Such Act for a 5-Year Period Ending June 22, 2015, and for Other Purposes, I would have voted ``aye.''

On rollcall No. 292, H.R. 1017, Chiropractic Care Available to All Veterans Act, I would have voted ``aye.''

On rollcall No. 291, H. Con. Res. 278, Expressing the Sense of Congress That a Grateful Nation Supports and Salutes Sons and Daughters in Touch on Its 20th Anniversary That is Being Held on Father's Day, 2010, at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, the District of Columbia, I would have voted ``aye.''

On rollcall No. 213, H. Res. 1271, Honoring the Life and Achievements of Rev. Benjamin Lawson Hooks, I would have voted ``aye.''

On rollcall No. 212, H. Res. 1257, Supporting the Goals and Ideals of National Financial Literacy Month, 2010, and for Other Purposes, I would have voted ``aye.''

On rollcall No. 172, H. Res. 1205, Providing for Consideration of the Bill (H.R. 4849) to Amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to Provide Tax Incentives for Small Business Job Creation, Extend the Build America Bonds Program, Provide Other Infrastructure Job Creation Tax Incentives, and for Other Purposes (On Ordering the Previous Question), I would have voted ``aye.''

On rollcall No. 153, On Approving the Journal, I would have voted ``aye.''

On rollcall No. 84, H. Res. 699, Expressing the Appreciation of Congress for the Service and Sacrifice of the Members of the 139th Airlift Wing, Air National Guard, I would have voted ``aye.''

On rollcall No. 50, H.R. 4238, To Designate the Facility of the United States Postal Service Located at 930 39th Avenue in Greeley, Colorado, As the ``W.D. Farr Post Office Building'', I would have voted ``aye.''

On rollcall No. 49, H.R. 4425, To Designate the Facility of the United States Postal Service Located at 2-116th Street in North Troy, New York, As the ``Martin G. `Marty' Mahar Post Office'', I would have voted ``aye.''

On rollcall No. 19, H. Res. 1003, Expressing Support for the Designation of January 10, 2010, Through January 16, 2010, As National Influenza Vaccination Week, I would have voted ``aye.''

On rollcall No. 18, H. Res. 1011, Recognizing the Importance of Cervical Health and of Detecting Cervical Cancer During Its Earliest Stages and Supporting the Goals and Ideals of Cervical Health Awareness Month, I would have voted ``aye.''

On rollcall No. 17, H. Res. 990, Expressing Support for Designation of January 2010 As ``National Mentoring Month'', I would have voted ``aye.''

On rollcall No. 5, H.R. 3892, To Designate the Facility of the United States Postal Service Located at 101 West Highway 64 Bypass in Roper, North Carolina, As the ``E.V. Wilkins Post Office'', I would have voted ``aye.''

On rollcall No. 858, H. Res. 868, Honoring and Recognizing the Service and Achievements of Current and Former Female Members of the Armed Forces, I would have voted ``aye.''

On rollcall No. 381, H.R. 2847, I would have voted ``aye.''

On rollcall No. 109, H.J. Res. 38, Making Further Continuing Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2009, and for Other Purposes, I would have voted ``aye.''

On rollcall No. 108, H.J. Res. 38, Making Further Continuing Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2009, and for Other Purposes, I would have voted ``no.''

On rollcall No. 107, On Approving the Journal, I would have voted ``aye.''

Madam Speaker, on Tuesday, January 12, I requested and received a leave of absence until January 27, 2010.

For the information of our colleagues and my constituents, below is how I would have voted on the following votes I missed during this time period.

On rollcall 1, Establishing a quorum in the House of Representatives for the Second Session of the 111th Congress, I would have voted ``yes.''

On rollcall 2, Disposing of the President's Veto of H.J. Res. 64 (H.J. Res. 64), I would have voted ``no.''

On rollcall 3, Honoring the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., (H. Res. 1002) I would have voted ``yes.''

On rollcall 4, Supporting the initiatives of Chicago Wilderness and the Children's Outdoor Bill of Rights (H. Res. 860), I would have voted ``yes.''

On rollcall 5, To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 101 West Highway 64 Bypass in Roper, North Carolina, as the ``E.V. Wilkins Post Office (H.R. 3892), I would have voted ``yes.''

On rollcall 6, Congratulating the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine for its 150 years of commitment to advancing science and improving health (H. Res. 1004), I would have voted ``yes.''

On rollcall 7, Congratulating the Penn State women's volleyball team on winning the 2009 NCAA Division I national championship (H. Res. 1015), I would have voted ``yes.''

On rollcall 8, Commending the University of Virginia men's soccer team for winning the 2009 Division I NCAA National Championship (H. Res. 991), I would have voted ``yes.''

On rollcall 9, Motion on Ordering the Previous Question on the Rule providing for consideration of H.R. 3254-Taos Pueblo Indian Water Rights Settlement Act--H.R. 3342 Aamodt Litigation Settlement Act--and H.R. 1065-White Mountain Apache Tribe Water Rights Quantification Act of 2009 (H. Res. 1017), I would have voted ``yes.''

On rollcall 10, Castle Nugent National Historic Site Establishment Act of 2009 (H.R. 3726), I would have voted ``yes.''

On rollcall 11, Idaho Wilderness Water Resources Protection Act (H.R. 3254), I would have voted ``no.''

On rollcall 12, Taos Pueblo Indian Water Rights Settlement Act (H.R. 3254), I would have voted ``yes.''

On rollcall 13, Aamodt Litigation Settlement Act (H.R. 3342), I would have voted ``yes.''

On rollcall 14, White Mountain Apache Tribe Water Rights Quantification Act of 2009 (H.R. 1065), I would have voted ``yes.''

On rollcall 15, Expressing Condolences to and Solidarity with the People of Haiti in the aftermath of the devastating Earthquake of January 12th, 2010 (H.R. 1021), I would have voted ``yes.''

On rollcall 16, Nuclear Forensics and Attribution Act (H.R. 730), I would have voted ``yes.''

On rollcall 17, Expressing support for designation of January 2010 as ``National Mentoring Month'' (H. Res. 990), I would have voted ``yes.''

On rollcall 18, Recognizing the importance of cervical health and of detecting cervical cancer during its earliest stages and supporting the goals and ideals of Cervical Health Awareness Month (H. Res. 1011), I would have voted ``yes.''

On rollcall 19, Expressing support for the designation of January 10, 2010, through January 16, 2010, as National Influenza Vaccination Week (H. Res. 1003), I would have voted ``yes.''

On rollcall 20, Rule providing for consideration of H.R. 4474--Idaho Wilderness Water Facilities Act--and H.R. 3726-Castle Nugent National Historic Site Establishment Act of 2010 (H. Res. 1038), I would have voted ``yes.''

On rollcall 21, Expressing support for designation of January as Poverty in America Awareness Month (H. Res. 1024), I would have voted ``yes.''

On rollcall 22, Idaho Wilderness Water Facilities Act (H.R. 4474), I would have voted ``yes.''

On rollcall 23, Castle Nugent National Historic Site Establishment Act of 2010 (H.R. 3726), I would have voted ``yes.''

On rollcall 24, To provide for an additional temporary extension of programs under the Small Business Act and the Small Business Investment Act of 1958 (H.R. 4508), I would have voted ``yes.''

On rollcall 25, Honoring the 95th anniversary of the signing of the Rocky Mountain National Park Act (H.R. 1020), I would have voted ``yes.''

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3892 to name the post office at 101 West Highway 64 bypass in Roper, North Carolina after my friend, a fierce education advocate and civil rights champion, Elmer Vanray ``E.V.'' Wilkins. I would like to thank my friend Congressman Butterfield for offering this legislation to provide a well-deserved honor to one of North Carolina's native sons.

I had the distinct privilege of working with E.V. during my tenure as State Superintendent of Public Instruction in North Carolina. I will remember E.V. for his unique style in handling tough situations and his passion for education. E.V. was born in Roper on July 4, 1911, to Tom and Maggie Wilkins. He received both his Bachelor of Science and Masters degrees from North Carolina Central University in Durham, North Carolina and later returned to Roper to teach mathematics at J.J. Clemmons High School. While at Clemmons High School, E.V. Wilkins met his beautiful wife, Elizabeth, who was also a teacher there. In 1941, E.V. became principal of Clemmons High School, a position he held for 33 years. E.V. was an institution at Clemmons, a positive influence and mentor to his students, always encouraging them to succeed.

Perhaps E.V.'s most lasting legacy will be his work bringing races together in North Carolina. Back in the days when white children had a bus to take to school and African-American students did not, E.V. began his efforts by raising money for a school bus for Clemmons High School in 1946. He was able to get donations from African Americans and whites, and even sold bushels of potatoes to raise funds. But this was only the first of his successes fighting for civil rights.

In the mid-1950s, Wilkins continued his fight for equality against white town leaders' refusal to allow African Americans to vote. Wilkins led a lawsuit with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People on behalf of the town's black residents and in 1956 won a court order enforcing their right to vote. Wilkins' father was able to vote for the first time in his life. E.V. was committed to the idea that all people deserve equal rights, and he dedicated his life to this cause.

In 1967, E.V. Wilkins became the first African American since reconstruction to be elected to the Roper Town Council and then in 1975 he became the first African American elected as Mayor of Roper. He held this position for 20 years.

A committed public servant, throughout his life E.V. found time to serve as a member of the Board of Trustees of the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, the Advisory Board for the Rural Education Institution at East Carolina University, and of the Elizabeth City State University Board of Trustees, serving as Chair from 1989 to 1994. He was also active in the Democratic Party and served as a delegate to the National Democratic Convention in 1972, 1980, and 1984.

E.V. Wilkins died on June 2, 2002 and is survived by his daughters, Bunny Sanders and Joy Price, son-in-law, Ralph Price, and two grandchildren. Madam Speaker, this is a fitting tribute for an extraordinary man whom I was proud to call my friend, and honored to work with in support of education for all of North Carolina's children. I thank Congressman Butterfield for offering this legislation and urge my colleagues to support it.

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

I rise today in support of H.R. 3892, designating the United States Postal Service facility located at 101 West Highway 64 Bypass in Roper, North Carolina, the ``E.V. Wilkins Post Office.''

Born in Roper, North Carolina, on July 4, 1911, Elmer Vanray Wilkins spent his childhood in Roper before attending North Carolina Central University, where he received a bachelor of science and master of arts degree.

Upon graduation, Mr. Wilkins returned home to Roper, where he taught mathematics at J.J. Clemmons High School. During the time he was serving as a teacher, Mr. Wilkins met his wife, Elizabeth, also a fellow teacher.

As a result of his success as a teacher, in 1941 he was promoted to principal of Clemmons High School, a position he held with distinction for over 30 years.

Throughout his decades of service at Clemmons High School, Mr. Wilkins was described as a mentor to many of his students.

In the 1950s, Mr. Wilkins began his involvement in politics. He worked with the NAACP to file a lawsuit that eventually ensured that African Americans in his home county of Washington County were allowed the right to vote. He continued his work in politics, and in 1967 he became the first post-Reconstruction African American member of the Roper town council.

Mr. Wilkins broke down more racial barriers in 1975 when he became the first African American mayor of Roper. He served as mayor for 20 years until he retired. During his time as mayor, he was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention three separate times.

His years of public service earned him many different awards and honors. His passion for helping others and dedication to the town of Roper was a model for young people in the community that he helped grow and change. He was given the North Carolina Distinguished Citizen Award, the Service Award by the North Carolina Leadership Caucus, the North Carolina Distinguished Service Award, and the North Carolina Human Rights Commission's Libby D. Koontz Award in recognition of his dedication and leadership in the areas of education, civil rights, and human rights.

Elizabeth City State University dedicated its computer center to Mr. Wilkins and created an endowed faculty chair in his honor in its School of Education and Psychology.

Mr. Wilkins' personal accomplishments are an inspiration to many in Roper and throughout North Carolina, including his daughter, Bunny Sanders, who is the current mayor of Roper.

I urge my colleagues to support this resolution to honor E.V. Wilkins' life and successes. I ask my fellow Members to join me in supporting H.R. 3892.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I urge all Members to support the passage of H.R. 3892.

I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.